Sangamon County approves data center

The Sangamon County Board voted 17-10 to approve a $500 million data center project by CyrusOne in Talkington Township on April 7. This approval followed weeks after the board had initially tabled the proposal due to extensive constituent complaints and public opposition. The meeting, which was moved to the BOS center due to anticipated turnout, saw hundreds of residents protesting the project. Several board members, including Democrats Marc Ayers, Linda Douglas-Williams, Reggie Guyton, and Vera Small, along with Republicans Pam Deppe, Abe Forsyth, Craig Hall, David Mendenhall, Cathy Scaife, and Tracy Sheppard, voted against the approval. Republican Jeffrey Thomas abstained. Earlier in the meeting, a motion to remove CyrusOne's zoning proposal from its tabled status passed with a 23-5 vote. District 7 board member Craig Hall, who represents Talkington Township and had previously made an emotional plea to table the proposal, attempted to postpone the final vote, but his motion failed 17-11. Public comments included support for the project from Ryan McCrady, president and CEO of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, and Aaron Gurnsey, president of the Central Illinois Building & Trades Council, who had also campaigned for union support via text messages.