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Thank you to Jeff Schneider for writing the letter that appeared in the T-R on Saturday, August 8 regarding data centers and giving people the information they need to make a determination on whether a data center would be good for Marshalltown.
There seems to be so much misinformation out there that naysayers are unfortunately perpetuating that it is making several citizens think data centers are horrible.
I'm glad Mr. Schneider addressed the fear-mongering and laid to rest the misinformation about water, freebies and electricity shortages/costs.
I hear many of these concerns and I'm glad he explained it so expertly.
Saying no to data centers doesn't just stop that economic development possibility. The developers and investors who plan major economic development projects listen to what is going on in the areas they are thinking of developing- whether it be a data center or a factory with hundreds of workers.
If we put a moratorium on data centers we might as well tell every economic developer out there to go away. Because they will.
They have timelines and deadlines for the projects they're working on. When they see a community that puts up any roadblock they simply go elsewhere. By telling data center developers to put their project on hold until we can get our ducks in a row, they won't do it. They’ll go onto the next community and proceed with the development.
And every other developer out there will not even look at Marshalltown for a long time because we will be known as a community that's difficult to work with.
In economic development parlance a moratorium means delay and that is a kiss of death.
I hope the rest of the council votes no like Mr. Schneider is on the moratorium.
Yes, we can still walk and chew gum at the same time and develop the needed guardrails quickly. But please, city council members, don't kill a deal that will have everlasting ramifications for our community that may not ever be able to be repaired.