Aberdeen's pause on new data center permits ends Nov. 18. The Aberdeen City Council should extend it to around June 1, 2027, and put in writing that city officials will never sign secret agreements with data center developers.

Council members worry these projects could strain the city's housing, water and electrical service. Aberdeen is already short on homes. At the Sept. 21 council meeting, Deputy Mayor Alan Johnson suggested pushing the pause to around June 2027, pointing to "the scarcity of housing," according to Hub City Radio. The council has not voted on that extension yet.

City Attorney Ron Wager told the council that current city ordinances don't do enough to cover data centers. He also took a firm stand on nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), the secrecy contracts that can come up while developers scout for sites. "Nondisclosure agreements and city government are incompatible," Wager said, according to Hub City Radio.

That stand should be written into city law, not left to any one official. Residents deserve to know who is behind a project, how much power it plans to use and what it means for their neighborhoods before any deal moves forward.

Council members have already raised strong ideas, including advance disclosure of electricity use, noise limits, housing for workers and real enforcement. Those ideas need time to become solid, fair rules. Racing a November deadline could leave gaps that are hard to close later.

Taking more time and keeping every deal in public view is common sense for everyone in Aberdeen, whatever their politics.

Sign the petition to tell the Aberdeen City Council to extend the data center pause and ban secret deals before the Nov. 18 deadline arrives.