Gage County residents push for board to approve data center moratorium

Gage County residents gathered outside of the courthouse as fog lifted from the city, burning off in the 9 a.m. sunshine. Together, they parsed through what might happen if the Gage County Board of Supervisors does not approve a data center moratorium.

“It’s going to affect the entire Gage County, Adams community if something this massive comes into our area,” Debbie Ideus said.

She's lived in her home in Adams for 50 years. Ideus said her property neighbors land that is being considered for a potential data center.

“This is our land,” Ideus said. “We hope to have our family continue the legacy of farming. And to watch this ground get swallowed up for this type of purpose, just takes the opportunity away. I don’t understand it at all.”

Ideus and her neighbors had just attended Wednesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting and asked the members to schedule a public hearing about the moratorium. This comes more than a month after the Gage County Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended an 18-month moratorium to buy itself time to draft regulations around such projects. The vote came after a four-hour hearing overflowing with residents calling for a moratorium.

“I’m here to request the meeting from a fact standpoint,” Jeff Beuchler said. “This board is appointed and is tasked with setting policies. (The commission) came back to you with a unanimous request. They did not make that decision lightly. Set a hearing so (the public’s) views can be expressed to you.”

The Board of Supervisors did not set a date for a public hearing on Wednesday, saying that not all of their members were present to vote on the hearing and that they have to work through logistics around an upcoming fair and deal with protest hearings. They expect they will set a meeting date in August. Members declined to comment further.

Ideus, Beuchler and other residents said they have attended many supervisor board meetings, and are representing the many working families of Gage County who cannot make it to a morning meeting. Tim Naveen, a local farmer, said any public hearing that is scheduled should take place in the evening so that more people can make it.

“I’ve attended several of these meetings now and the chairman is not present at them,” Naveen said. “He can’t make it at this time. It’s too early.”

Naveen said a data center developer will likely be a large enough company that has done this type of project before. He said such a company can and should have to navigate good regulations in Gage County.

Some worry that the board is dragging its feet. Others wonder if the board will approve the moratorium at all.

“If (the board) chooses not to do the moratorium and give the Planning and Zoning Commission adequate time to study and set the regulations in the best interest of Gage County, I think they are not doing what we voted them in for,” Ideus said. “I think they really need to think long and hard that we trusted them in this position. And they need to be looking out for all of us.”