The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors finalized the membership of their data center study committee on Thursday, November 5th, appointing three new members to join Taylor Ross and Michael Campbell, who had previously been designated to serve.
The board appointed Dan Sears, a member of the USDA; Dee Sandquist, a former Jefferson County Supervisor; and Joan Salts, an active community member. The motion to appoint the three new members also officially added Campbell — an assistant attorney in the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office — who had been announced as a future committee member in October but was formally appointed by motion Thursday. After the meeting, supervisors told Ottumwa Radio that no further additions are expected and the committee will remain at five members.
Supervisor Susie Drish addressed the public directly on the purpose of the committee.
“This isn’t about whether or not we personally like data centers,” Drish said. “It’s looking at what we’ve already passed and seeing how that can be made better.”
Supervisor Lee Dimmitt continued the thought.
“Recognizing that, you know, if technology changes and there’s something better in the technology that can enhance the ordinance, then that’s the direction we want to go,” Dimmitt said. “But with everything else, it just makes sense if we have an entity, a group, that’s focused on that. I think we’ve got an excellent ordinance, but it can always be improved, especially with technology changes.”
Drish added, “I think we’ve got some really good people on this board.”
Dimmitt noted that any recommended changes would not require a full rewrite of the existing ordinance.
“Anything that’s brought before us, any changes or amendments we have to make, we don’t have to rewrite the ordinance,” Dimmitt said. “We can amend the ordinance. Public hearing process.”
County Sanitarian Jerry Leonard asked during the meeting whether the committee’s sessions would be open to the public.
“So are these meetings going to be published so the public can show up to them, too? Or is this like closed meetings?” Leonard asked.
Dimmitt said he expected the public would be welcome but that he would not be running the meetings.
“I imagine the public can be at the meetings, but I’m not going to be chairing the meetings, so I don’t know how they’ll handle it,” he said.
Drish added that the committee’s elected chair would make that determination. It is not known at this time who that is going to be.
Leonard also questioned why County Attorney Chauncey Moulding was not included on the committee, given his involvement with the data center ordinance. Dimmitt clarified that the ordinance was originally drafted by former assistant county attorney Elizabeth Estey, who has since left her position with the county. Moulding assisted in completing the draft after Estey’s departure but was not heavily involved with the process from the start.
The committee was established as part of a broader effort following the county’s 12-month moratorium on data center construction. Taylor Ross, one of the primary advocates for the moratorium, was appointed as the first member in September and serves as the public liaison.
