Hagerstown’s October 20 Work Session Agenda Leaves Out Diversified Capital and Its Data Center.

This afternoon, October 20, Hagerstown will discuss an amendment to the annexation plan for Diversified Capital’s data center property. The agenda calls it “Burkholder-McDade,” leaving out both the developer and the data center. Annexation would put the property outside Washington County’s one-year data center moratorium. The owners filed their annexation petition the same day commissioners adopted that moratorium.

This follows months of secrecy. County commissioners met privately with Diversified Capital under an NDA in December. Hagerstown refuses to release its own NDA records involving the developer. Now the city wants to correct the property’s Priority Funding Area designation, which can affect eligibility for state infrastructure funding, without explaining the financial implications.

This afternoon's work session begins at 4 p.m. at City Hall, 1 East Franklin Street, with the annexation discussion scheduled for 4:15.

Could Data Center Infrastructure Upgrades Also Clear the Way for ICE?

The infrastructure planning also raises a question about the ICE detention center. In April, Maryland restricted Washington County from authorizing additional sewage flow from the facility beyond its existing allocation until the state approves a revised water and sewer plan. Meanwhile, county consultant Greg Murray has reviewed Black & Veatch engineering materials and met with a Hagerstown representative. Could upgrades presented as serving data centers or general development also build capacity for the ICE detention center, creating a route around the infrastructure obstacles central to Maryland’s legal fight? Residents deserve to see which projects these upgrades would serve, what capacity they would add, and whether the detention center’s needs are included.

October 27 is the date everyone needs to prioritize: that’s the public hearing on the annexation. Whether you live in Hagerstown or elsewhere in Washington County, show up and speak out. Residents deserve answers before officials move this project any further.

Read more about this on our Substack: https://blog.hagerstownrapidresponse.com/p/hagerstown-is-taking-another-step-toward-annexing-land-tied-to-a-data-center-you-wouldnt-know-it-from-reading-the-agenda