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Residents urge Farmville to act on data centers, nonprofits warn of funding cuts
Summary
At a June 1 town hall meeting residents urged commissioners to draft zoning rules or a moratorium to block data centers, citing water and energy concerns, while nonprofit leaders and seniors warned against cuts to outside funding and objected to a flat utility fee that would disproportionately affect fixed-income residents.
Multiple residents used the public-comment portion of Farmville’s June 1 meeting to press town leaders on policy choices and community priorities.
Cheryl Patterson, a Farmville resident, told commissioners she had contacted Town Manager Justin Oakes to ask how Farmville might prepare for potential data-center development and urged the town to draft an ordinance now rather than wait for a company to apply. "Why wait to write such an ordinance? Why wait for a company to come knocking wanting to build a data center?" Patterson asked, pointing to water and energy impacts and citing a recent Tarboro dispute in which Energy Storage Solutions sued after a local rejection.
Patterson asked whether Farmville could pass a moratorium while zoning policies are drafted and asked the board to consider the legal challenges Tarboro later faced.
During the same public-comment period Pam Strickland, who leads a local nonprofit, asked commissioners not to cut the town’s outside-funding line item to less than half of last year’s amount and urged the board to reinstate last year’s funding using reserves if necessary. "Nonprofits are the most vulnerable among us," she said, asking commissioners to show support for groups that serve vulnerable residents.
Several speakers raised concerns about the proposed flat utility fee. Valerie Garner, representing the Farmville Senior Counsel, asked whether reported utility increases would take effect in July. Casey Salem warned that a flat rate increase hits fixed-income residents disproportionately and argued usage-based increases would be fairer.
Town Manager Oakes responded to questions about legal exposure and process: he said a data-center ordinance would require definitions and standards and acknowledged the board’s authority and limits; he also explained the rationale for the $5 flat fee per utility as a way to stabilize rates in the face of wholesale cost increases.
Commissioners did not take immediate action on drafting a moratorium at the June 1 meeting but heard the concerns as part of budget and planning discussions that will continue under staff direction.
