KORA-obtained emails reveal months of data center discussions in El Dorado
El Dorado city leaders are facing questions about transparency after KORA-obtained emails revealed months of undisclosed discussions with Beltline Energy about bringing a data center to the city. A public hearing on a proposed zoning amendment to regulate data centers saw significant opposition, with residents expressing concerns over the lack of prior public knowledge.
Questions about transparency have arisen in El Dorado, Kansas, after emails obtained through the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) revealed that city leaders had been discussing bringing a data center to the area for months without public disclosure.
The controversy came to light during a city commission meeting and subsequent public hearing regarding a proposed zoning amendment aimed at regulating data centers and other emerging technologies. Forty-eight people spoke at the hearing, with only three expressing support for the data centers. Residents like Crystal Reed CI, who lives in Butler County, reviewed over a thousand documents and expressed dismay over what she perceived as deception, citing emails from January and February discussing data center opportunities, non-disclosure agreements, and communication strategies with companies like Beltline Energy and Professional Engineering Consultants (PEC).
City Manager David Dner stated that the Monday night vote was not to approve a specific data center but rather to establish a framework allowing the city to regulate any data center that might propose construction in El Dorado. However, the obtained emails, which discussed the potential appearance, square footage, and even specific locations across the turnpike and in two separate school districts, suggest to residents that the arrival of a data center is not a matter of 'if' but 'when'.
As discussions continue, residents are demanding more information and transparency from city leaders regarding future plans for Butler County. Dner noted that the city would continue reviewing the zoning language and consider future revisions, while opponents vow to persist in their push for answers.