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Residents press county on data center and community programs; officials announce early-voting figures and new behavioral-health unit opening
Summary
Public comment focused heavily on the proposed Compass data center, with residents calling for third-party verification of environmental claims, bonding or decommissioning protections, and ongoing monitoring. Separately, speakers highlighted a local 'Intersection to Care' program and the Department of Corrections announced a behavioral health unit grand opening on Aug. 24; elections staff reported 5,095 early in-person voters to date.
Public comment during the commission meeting was dominated by concerns about the proposed Compass hyperscale data center, but included other community updates.
Multiple residents criticized the applicant’s outreach and said the open-house format provided limited, self-reported environmental data. “The public open house was more in the manner of a meet and greet ... this format did not provide the attendees an open and transparent presentation,” said Mike Bradley, a Monterra resident. Other speakers questioned job numbers, water-use claims, noise and long-term decommissioning plans; a number urged a moratorium or community-benefit agreements and suggested bonding to guarantee decommissioning or remediation.
Separately, Dennis Bosley highlighted a Topeka initiative called Intersection to Care, reporting that the program has assisted more than 1,000 women since 2022 and that a feature article will appear in Rotary Magazine. Elections Director Jake Fisher reported early voting figures: 5,095 citizens had voted in person at the elections office, and 36% of mailed ballots sent back so far were returned. Bridal Cole of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections announced the grand opening of a new 60-bed behavioral health unit on Aug. 24.
Commissioners acknowledged the wide range of public concerns and said many of the data-center technical questions will be addressed by the RFQ to bring in expert engineering review; they also noted next steps for public hearings and notice procedures under state law.
