Mayor talks next steps after Wisconsin Rapids postpones data center meeting

Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Matt Zacher announced the city has postponed a meeting to consider a conditional use permit for a proposed data center. The planned facility is slated for a former mill site. This decision comes after a county neighborhood group hosted a forum to discuss the potential impacts of data centers on the community. Mayor Zacher indicated that the postponement reflects the city's commitment to listening to residents' concerns, allowing for a step back to gather more comprehensive and concise information for the public. The city plans to host an open house to ensure community members can address their questions before a formal discussion at a planning commission meeting. Zacher also addressed environmental considerations, noting the mill previously used 28 million gallons of water daily, whereas the data center plans state a usage of 20,000 gallons. He emphasized his research into energy-efficient, enclosed data center systems that do not draw water from local sources, viewing this as a significant benefit. No new meeting dates have been set.