Dear Editor,

I’ve been following the data center story and trying to keep an open mind about it.

Basically, one party makes an initial proposal (to bring in a data center, in this case) but needs certain terms to be met in order to do so (land, water, utilities, tax abatement, etc.) and the other party (landowners, Kosciusko County government) determines if it can/or wants to meet those terms, and then takes a position: a.) support the initiative as presented; b.) oppose it; or c.) something in between (the negotiation option).

It sounds like the landowners like the price, although it sounds like some neighboring farmers have concerns. A question I have is, wouldn’t it be wise to ask why wasn’t an industrial park north of Milford considered? It already meets zoning, and it is empty. What is the point of taking farm ground and zoning it heavy industrial if you are just going to zone another parcel heavy industrial because the data center owners prefer that particular parcel? Is the Milford substation maxed out already? How do you get companies to fill an industrial park if you let them rezone ag to industrial parcels helter-skelter?

A second point I want to bring up is the unchallenged use of averages when the “average wage would be $100,000.” I remind you, an elephant can drown in a pond that averages 1 inch in water depth.

Respectfully,
Bob Bowerman