As with many other town and county meetings throughout the Mid-Shore these days, the Data Centers issue that came up at last night’s Dorchester County Council meeting was how the county should prepare for possible data center development.
In council comments, Councilman Mike Detmer (see video clip above) raised the issue by suggesting the county needs to prepare now for the likelihood that a data center proposal will eventually come its way. While Detmer noted that the county should not reject every project outright, it must have clear standards for electricity use, water, noise, location, and the overall impact on nearby communities.
At the end of the discussion, Council President Lenny Pfeffer asked county staff to study the issue and return with recommendations, including whether Dorchester should create a task force or adopt a temporary moratorium.
The discussion comes as neighboring counties consider similar restrictions, and a proposed data center near Federalsburg has recently drawn growing attention.
The council also agreed to draft legislation increasing council salaries from $16,000 to $21,000, with the council president receiving $22,000. The salaries have not changed since 2006. Any increase would take effect after the next election. Pfeffer also said he would not vote on the final measure because he is running unopposed and could benefit from the increase.
And finally, the council approved a $65,000 contract with R&R Solutions, the lobbying firm, to represent Dorchester County in Annapolis, despite a few council members being clearly skeptical and at least two voting against the contract. In the end, it agreed to review the arrangement after one year.
The full meeting can be seen here.
