MANSFIELD — Online communication and connection doesn’t happen without data centers.
But in Mansfield, the reverse is also true.
Mayor Jodie Perry announced Tuesday afternoon the city of Mansfield is not moving forward on a proposed data center project after a developer organized a public meeting before sharing details with city leaders.
Shawn Cutter, the founder and CEO of EnergiAcres, announced his intention to bring a power plant and data center north of Mansfield at a community meeting in Franklin Township last week.
During that meeting, Cutter said the project was “90 percent” likely to go through — even though the project would require Mansfield to annex the land.
Meanwhile, Mansfield City Council had not yet been informed about the project, let alone conducted public meeting or voted on any matters pertinent to the project.
Perry said the city routinely works on potential projects with developers in a variety of sectors. But traditionally, details are ironed out before those projects are shared publicly, she said.
Perry said the proposed data center project started as a concept with a much smaller scope. As it grew more larger and complex, the city “engaged regional and state resources” to assist.
“The project still had many important unanswered questions, which were essential to being able to consider it fully,” Perry said.
“We made it clear to EnergiAcres that we needed further definition, coordination, and answers to key questions before taking any further steps.”
Nevertheless, Perry said EnergiAcres moved forward with a meeting Franklin Township last week “without prior local coordination.”
“This made clear that we are not in alignment, and so we have communicated to them that we will no longer pursue the project,” she said in a written statement.
“Projects of this scale must be fully vetted, as well as coordinated and aligned with the community before they can move forward. Ultimately, a development must work for the community, not just in the community.”
In prior statements to Richland Source, EnergiAcres stated that it was committed to advocating for a “higher-standard model” for data centers that would address community concerns and provide jobs.
“EnergiAcres is not the final developer or operator of this facility, so we cannot make guarantees on behalf of the ultimate builder,” co-founder and chief legal adviser Dilshad Kasmani said.
“What we can say is that we will advocate for on-site power generation to reduce grid impacts, responsible water management, and high-integrity, enforceable standards for noise and lighting.
EnergiAcres did not immediately respond to a request for comment after Perry’s announcement.
‘It created a lot of stress’
Samuel Sauder, a Franklin Township Trustee, said EnergiAcre’s sudden announcement created a lot of stress for residents.
“We’ve kind of heard rumblings over the last few months. There were talks about it,” Sauder said. “We hadn’t really heard anything official until here within the last month.”
Sauder said the company’s founder and CEO contacted the board about a month ago and asked to meet.
Sauder estimated at least 60 residents attended the meeting last week, with most voicing opposition to the idea of a dat center. He said residents have expressed a wide variety of concerns, from water and air pollution to soaring electricity prices.
Others worried the light and noise generated by the complex will disrupt the peaceful country lifestyle they cherish.
“Being a rural community, I think people move there and want to live there for the peace and quiet,” he said.
Mansfield Councilman Aurelio Diaz said city council was not aware of the project until after the township trustee meeting last week.
Diaz represents Mansfield’s fifth ward, which borders Franklin Township.
“People were calling me and messaging me on social media and were upset (after the Franklin Township meeting),” Diaz said.
“They thought that (Mansfield city) council had given the green light. We were like, ‘No, this hasn’t even been discussed in city council yet.’”
“It’s not a done deal,” Diaz added.
In order for the city of Mansfield to annex land, both City Council and Franklin Township trustees would need to vote in favor of the annexation during public meetings.
A data center like the one proposed by EnergiAcres would also have required the city of Mansfield to make substantial infrastructure expansions, which would require the approval of City Council.
All township trustee and council meetings are open to the public.
Community members can access upcoming meeting agendas and proposed legislation on Mansfield’s website. The website also includes contact information for elected officials.
“We do pride ourselves on voting for what the general public wants,” Diaz said.
