County development official: no active data‑center prospect; site could provide infrastructure benefits if responsibly developed

Erica Willitzer, who works in county economic development, told council there is not an active data‑center prospect currently seeking to build in Defiance, but she described why the Elliot Road site was considered appropriate for large industrial users. "We do not have a data center in hand or a prospect," Willitzer said, adding that the county had explored the site's capacity and infrastructure needs.

Willitzer described possible benefits when well‑executed projects come to town, including paid upgrades to water and sewer infrastructure, on‑site wastewater solutions and community development agreements. She cautioned the city to insist on closed‑loop cooling systems, robust noise mitigation and strong contractual protections to avoid long‑term burdens on taxpayers.