Salem's city government signed a secret deal with a private data center company, and residents only found out because it leaked.

Last year, the City of Salem quietly entered a non-disclosure agreement with Verrus, a California startup planning a $5 billion data center on 75 acres in south Salem.

No public notice. No community input.

When residents showed up to Monday's city council meeting, they were furious. "If it's really the case that the people you're standing in front of have been kept in the dark and you've been complicit, shame on you," said one resident during public comment.

The Verrus project still lacks a land use application, construction permits, or a development agreement. There is still time to stop it.

Councilmember Micki Varney acknowledged the problem: "I do not believe that our current approach to NDAs strikes the right balance between protecting business confidentiality and maintaining public trust. We can and must do better."

Sign this petition to demand that Salem reject the Verrus data center and pass a permanent ban on secret NDAs with private companies.