Burgin City Council special meeting involving data center canceled
A Burgin City Council special meeting concerning a proposed 550-acre data center and related property annexation was canceled for the second time due to unspecified legal issues. Residents and local officials, including Mayor Jamie Keebortz and Magistrate Tom Ellis, have raised significant opposition, citing worries about health, noise, historical sites, agricultural land, and shared water resources.
A special meeting of the Burgin City Council in Mercer County, Kentucky, focused on a proposed data center, was canceled for the second time, just an hour before it was scheduled to begin. The meeting's agenda included considering a request to draft an ordinance for the annexation of property related to the data center project.
City officials cited unspecified legal issues as the reason for the cancellation, with Burgin Mayor Jamie Keebortz stating it was for the safety of residents and that the City Council, not his office, should lead on the matter. This follows an April meeting where citizens vocalized their concerns and opposition at a county planning and zoning session.
Bethany Corea, a volunteer with the nonprofit We Are Mercer County, highlighted resident worries about potential health impacts, the preservation of historic properties, noise levels, and particularly the agricultural impact of the proposed 550-acre data center. Boyle County Magistrate Tom Ellis also expressed concerns, focusing on the shared primary water source between Boyle and Mercer counties and the broader issue of farmland being converted to non-agricultural uses. The city of Burgin has indicated that any rescheduled meeting will be announced.