Waterville's Mayor told WTOL 11 an in-depth discussion did not occur because two council members were not present.
WATERVILLE, Ohio — At Monday night's town hall agenda, Waterville City Council briefly discussed the possibility for data centers in the city, while the formal discussion of a moratorium was postponed until next month.
During the brief discussion, So far, Waterville Mayor Tim Pedro said there are no plans or permit applications for a data center in the city. The city is considering a 12-month moratorium on data centers. However, Pedro told WTOL 11 that because two council members were not present during Monday's meeting, the formal discussion of the moratorium was postponed until Nov. 24.
The only existing data center in northwest Ohio is Meta’s massive site in Wood County’s Middleton Township, expected to be fully operational in 2027.
Still, growing talk of similar projects in other communities has raised local concern. Some residents admit they aren’t sure what data centers even do.
“I don’t even know what a data center does. I have no idea,” said Waterville resident Paul Frank.
Even Pedro admitted he's still learning about the facilities.
“It’s a lot of equipment that captures information data. But honestly, I’m still learning as I go,” he said.
Council member Wayne Wagner, who introduced the moratorium proposal, said his biggest concern is protecting Waterville’s agricultural areas.
“What I don’t want to see is a power plant over in our farm fields. This is not an industrial area,” Wagner said.
Earlier this year, township trustees approved language allowing data centers to be built on agricultural land, sparking debate over possible environmental, financial and land-use impacts.
Some residents said they’re open to the idea if it brings economic benefits.
“If the data center is going to bring jobs to the community, I’m for it,” Frank said. “If it’s just going to be too much of a hassle, no. Makes sense?”
Pedro said he plans to continue researching the subject before taking a stance.
“For someone to say I don’t want something, I’m OK with that. But what’s your reasoning for it?” he said.
Council is expected to revisit the moratorium for a discussion at its next meeting on Nov. 24, with all members anticipated to be in attendance.
Editor's note: This story has been edited to correct that a vote was not planned for Monday, but rather a discussion on the moratorium was.