Resident warns data centers could erode privacy; board says it will seek public input
A local resident told the Smyth County Board of Supervisors that proposed large-scale data centers risked creating a surveillance infrastructure and called for transparency; the board pledged investigation, scheduled a public-input session and plans a data-center site visit to inform ordinance drafting.
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Charles Woma, a resident who identified himself during the public-comment period, urged the Smyth County Board of Supervisors to slow changes to county ordinances that would allow large "hyperscale" data centers in agricultural zones and to disclose agreements he described as secret. Woma cited government surveillance concerns and said citizens should see any proposed agreements before the board moves forward.
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