Gibsonburg mayor updates residents on latest with data center talk

Gibsonburg mayor Steven Fought provided an update to residents on the ongoing discussions around a potential data center project involving Gibsonburg and Woodville Township. While Woodville Township trustees recently stated there are no active data center proposals, Fought said Gibsonburg officials have been in conversations with the township to coordinate their approach. Fought emphasized they are committed to working together through a JEDD (Joint Economic Development District) structure if a data center project moves forward, rather than the village annexing the land. Fought said the village has retained additional legal counsel to assist with the data center issue, which is new territory for them. The mayor also detailed a recent informational meeting they held with various stakeholders to get everyone on the same page and gather information. Regarding zoning, Fought said they are drafting restrictive but not prohibitive regulations to protect the community if a data center is proposed. He is open to input from directly impacted residents, but cautioned that discussions need to remain cordial and constructive. Overall, Fought reiterated that nothing is imminent, and the village is simply doing its due diligence to prepare for the possibility of a future data center project, even without a moratorium in place.