Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Economic Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press commissioners on proposed data center, tax abatements and environmental protections
Summary
During public comment March 23, Adams County residents raised concerns about tax abatements and TIF for a proposed data center, questioned potential job gains and asked whether county officials had signed any related documents; commissioners said no documents have been signed and noted staff presence is not required for deliberations.
Several Adams County residents used the public comment period March 23 to press the Board of Commissioners for details about a proposed data center and possible tax incentives.
Ben Murray expressed concern that tax abatements and Tax Increment Financing could divert funds from local schools, EMS and other services and said the economic-development plan "may have no long-term jobs." Laura Harper asked whether any commissioners had signed tax-abatement documents and whether the board was familiar with Cortical Labs, a company under discussion. Nikki Gerber asked why Economic Development Director Paul Worley was not present and whether the Clermont County Port Authority, First Energy and the Adams County Regional Water District had met with commissioners about the proposal.
Commissioner Kelly Jones responded that no documents have been signed as stated in prior meetings. Commissioner Barbara Moore Holt told attendees that the board can conduct sessions and make decisions even if county economic-development staff are not present; she said Mr. Worley’s absence did not prevent the board from acting.
The public comments were recorded in the minutes but no formal action, agreement or incentive was authorized during the session. The board did not provide project-specific commitments and directed no follow-up motion in the minutes. The transcript shows the concerns were raised during the public-comment portion of the agenda and were not followed by a vote or staff report at that meeting.
If the county moves toward formal consideration of tax abatements or TIF for a data center, the board would need to review any proposals and related documents in a future session; no such documents were recorded as signed on March 23.
