Clay County leaders have started talking about bringing a data center to the area. Residents deserve a clear answer before the idea picks up speed. The Clay County Board of Supervisors should reject data center development in the county.

On Tuesday, September 29, county officials and local business leaders met in Spencer for a roundtable on what a future data center could mean for Clay County. Board Chairman Barry Anderson said the meeting was about asking questions, not taking action. A representative from PathOne Data Centers was there to give the developer's side and said some conditions would need to be met before a company could consider a project in the county.

That makes right now the moment for residents to speak up, before any conditions are met, incentives are offered, or land is set aside.

Large data centers can use huge amounts of water and electricity, and they can take up wide stretches of land. In a county built on farming and small towns, those are serious tradeoffs. Families could see higher utility bills, good farmland could be lost, and the number of permanent jobs after construction can be small.

Clay County residents should decide what kind of growth fits their community. A facility that could strain local water, power, and land for decades is not the right fit.

The Board of Supervisors should make clear that Clay County will not pursue data center development and will not offer tax breaks or other incentives to attract one.

Sign the petition to tell the Clay County Board of Supervisors to say no to a data center, before plans move any further.