Topeka city manager talks data centers
Topeka City Manager Robert Perez discussed controversial data center projects, including a community forum hosted by Compass Data Centers. The city has an enacted one-year moratorium on data center development, allowing the City Council to research the industry before potentially lifting the ban.
Topeka City Manager Robert Perez joined 27 News to discuss several topics, including the contentious issue of data center development in Topeka. His appearance coincided with a community forum hosted by Compass Data Centers in Topeka, where the company aimed to address local concerns and answer questions directly from residents. Perez highlighted the importance of this direct engagement, noting that not all data centers are alike, and this forum provides an opportunity for the community to learn specific details from Compass.
Perez also addressed the city's one-year moratorium on data center development. He stated that while the moratorium could potentially be lifted before its full term, a single community meeting would likely not sway the City Council's decision. The council's intention behind the moratorium was to allow sufficient time for research into various data center models across the country, distinguishing between "good actors" and "not so good actors" in the industry. This research is seen as a crucial step before any decisions are made regarding the moratorium's lifting or the approval of future projects.