Botetourt supervisors vote to create board appointed water study commission

The Botetourt County Board of Supervisors voted 3-1 to establish a new commission tasked with studying the potential water impact of a Google data center in the region. This decision was met with strong opposition from county residents who had advocated for the county's planning commission to lead this crucial effort.

Residents, including Chelsea Wimer, Nancy Hartman, and Kathy Benefield, voiced profound frustration, accusing the local leadership of prioritizing financial gain over community well-being and eroding public trust. Kathryn Hatam, representing the Southwest Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance, stated that while residents supported the concept of an independent water commission, they vehemently disagreed with the board's process for developing the proposal and its plan for appointing members. Hatam emphasized the community's desire for a committee with genuine authority, capable of bringing in independent experts and obtaining clear answers from the Board of Supervisors, the Planning Commission, the Western Virginia Water Authority, and Google itself.

The supervisors intend to select five unpaid individuals, without affiliations to Google or the county government, to serve on the new commission, which will have six months to complete its study. However, residents like Judy Wilhelm expressed significant distrust in the board's selection process. Supervisors supporting the new commission argued that the planning commission would be biased, citing Supervisor Mark Tyson's public opposition to the data center, which led to a heated exchange between Supervisors Linda Rottman and Tim Snyder. Rottman, who cast the sole dissenting vote, called the board's decision a "gigantic middle finger" to the community.