Franklin County panel addresses data centers, but residents question transparency
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors held a panel discussion about data centers, including potential water demands, tax arrangements and lessons from other localities. No vote was taken and no data center project is currently under consideration, but residents questioned whether the process would be transparent and adequately account for community concerns.
The Franklin County Board of Supervisors convened a data center panel as an informational session rather than a decision-making meeting. Speakers discussed how other communities handled data center development, including water availability, tax agreements and the leverage local governments may have in negotiations.
Alex Gottschalk, Mecklenburg County administrator, said his county should have sought more favorable tax terms from Microsoft after hosting one of the company’s data centers for two decades. Michael McEvoy, executive director of the Western Virginia Water Authority, said groundwater could support only about 1 million gallons per day and would not be sufficient for a large-scale facility. Resident Christine Sizemore said the panel did not adequately reflect concerns about the proximity of potential development to communities near Summit View Park, while Gottschalk and Sizemore both called for greater transparency.