A recent Nodaway County commission meeting was attended by 15 commissioners from around the state.
Minutes of the September 10th commission meeting indicate there was an extensive discussion during public comments about data centers.
Visiting commissioners in town attending a meeting of the County Commission Association of Missouri were asked how data centers will impact their communities and how they can be protected.
The minutes say several commissioners are working to educate themselves.
Some counties have planning and zoning regulations, some do not, and they are working to be able to educate citizens, writing policy, and utilizing ordinances.
Several commissioners brought up the spending power of school districts and emergency services that have data centers.
The minutes also say the visitors spoke to the loss of population and age of population in smaller rural communities and how any business can improve those numbers.
The group asked for updates on the process and the development agreement in Nodaway County.
Nodaway County commissioners said the development agreement is still considered a confidential document by the county attorney and will not likely go anywhere until the data center has an end user.
The group also discussed Missouri's bond program that allows counties and cities to issue industrial development bonds to enable tax abatements on real and personal property and sales tax exemptions for construction materials and equipment.
Nodaway County commissioner Scott Walk, who is president of the state association, hosted the meeting that was held last Thursday and Friday (September 10 and 11).
