(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Board of Supervisors, today (Wednesday), set May 1st at 9:15-a.m., as the date and time for a Public Hearing on the renewal of $5-million dollars in General Urban Renewal Bonds. The Board also agreed to a contract with Ahlers-Cooney, P-C, in Des Moines, for legal services associated with the bond renewal. The Board held discussion with regard to a proposed ordinance pertaining to a large data center. Applied Digital owners Lance Cummins and Nick Phillips have announced their intention to build a 200-megawatt data center on land adjacent to a substation in the 1200 block of Fallow Avenue in Adair County, which is connected to wind turbine farms in Adair and Guthrie Counties.

The $1.5-billion dollar project includes two, 300-thousand square foot structures on the site, which would be employ anywhere from 40-to 70 people, primarily for facilities management, with some in technical positions. Concerns have been expressed with regard to the impact of construction traffic, water usage and electric rates. According to Applied Digital representatives, the facility would initially require 200-thousand gallons of water, which would be trucked-in, and would not affect local residents. Electric bills would not increase, they said, because the center would be directly connected to the NextEra Energy substation associated with MidAmerican Energy.

Board Chair Jerry Walker said Applied Digital has not asked for any special consideration, such as a tax abatement or incentives. Board member Jodie Hoadley said other entities have received tax breaks for their projects.

Landowners affected by the proposed facility have been notified. A public meeting will be held in Adair, closer to when construction is expected to begin. The construction process for one of the two buildings, would take about one year. Adair County Attorney Melissa Larson will draw-up a Draft Data Center Ordinance, the first Public Hearing for which will take place during the Supervisor’s meeting on Wednesday, April 24th. Jerry Walker…

In other business, the Adair County Supervisors held a Public Hearing on the vacating of a portion of 190th Street, between Pinewood and Quebec Avenue. After hearing from the affected land owners, the Board approved the following Resolution, as read by Chairman Jerry Walker:

The Resolution was subsequently amended to note there were some objections to vacating the road. The Board set April 17th at 9:30-a.m., as the date for a Public Hearing to vacate also, a one-quarter of a mile portion of 110th Street