Veterans Home Care Funding in Pacific, MO

PACIFIC, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Emilie Duker lives about 50 feet from the proposed site of a data center in Franklin County near Pacific and opposes the project.

“The value of our homes are going down, nobody’s going to want to live next to something that’s so loud,” she said.

“The issue that many of the places around the country, the data centers have dried up the well, I have a well, what happens if that happens?”

Duker was one of many people in attendance Monday night at special meeting of the Pacific Board of Aldermen focusing on partnering with Beltline LLC, the data center’s developer, to fund using consultants for the data center.

Several residents shared concerns about noise, water and environmental damage.

During public comment, one resident played a humming sound during her comments to channel noise from a data center.

“Can you consider adding an acoustic engineer to your list of experts to consult regarding this project?” she asked.

Alderman James Cleeve, who identifies as “middle of the road” on the data center, said the agreement would help the city cover the cost of studies and expert involvement.

“It’s a big impact on this community and a lot of people are concerned, as they should be, and our job is to make sure we make the right decision, regardless of the way we vote,” Cleeve said. “That’s what I think this agreement will help, where we’re not going to have to worry about where we’ll get the money to do all these studies and get experts involved.”

Citizen groups in multiple Missouri communities have hired a Chesterfield-based environmental attorney as data center proposals emerge across the state.

Steve Jeffery said he has taken on clients in Pacific, Festus and Montgomery County, all concerned about data centers proposed in their areas.

“Six weeks ago, I really didn’t know anything about data centers other than what you read about in the paper or what you listen to on TV,” Jeffery said. “Most of my clients what their primary concern is the lack of transparency.”

Duker said she intends to continue opposing the project.

“Try to block it, try to stop it because it’s going to ruin your area,” she said.

The board’s contract now heads back to Beltline for their signature.

Pacific, MO — Rafael Madrigal, local businessman, financial professional, former Pacific Alderman, and former Pacific Planning and Zoning Commissioner, today announced his candidacy for County Auditor, pledging to bring transparency, fiscal discipline, and strong financial oversight to county government.

Madrigal, the CEO of American Freedom Benefits, has built his career around financial planning, risk management, and helping families and businesses make responsible long-term decisions. He says those same principles should guide county government.

“The Auditor’s job is simple: follow the money, protect taxpayers, and tell the truth in plain language,” Madrigal said. “Families across our county balance their budgets every month. They deserve a County Auditor who will make sure government does the same.”

With years of experience in financial services, compliance, and business management, Madrigal believes he is uniquely qualified to serve as the county’s financial watchdog. In addition to his private-sector background, he currently serves as a Pacific Alderman, where he has worked on local budgeting and governance issues.

“As a city official, I’ve seen firsthand how every decision impacts taxpayers,” Madrigal said. “The County Auditor must be independent, thorough, and willing to ask hard questions. I will work to strengthen internal controls, improve transparency, and ensure every dollar is spent legally and efficiently.”

Originally from California, Madrigal moved to Missouri in 2017 and made Pacific his home with his wife, Jennifer. He says his experience watching the consequences of unchecked government spending in other states strengthened his commitment to keeping local government accountable and fiscally responsible.

Madrigal’s campaign will officially kick off with a Meet and Greet event on Tuesday, March 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Moe’s Restaurant, 499 Grand Avenue, Washington, MO 63090. Supporters and members of the community are invited to attend, meet Rafael, and learn more about his vision for the Auditor’s office.

“This campaign is about trust,” Madrigal said. “Taxpayers deserve confidence that their hard-earned dollars are being handled responsibly. I’m ready to bring professional financial leadership and accountability to this office.”

PACIFIC, Mo./ TROY, Ill. (First Alert 4) - Data center projects are galvanizing attention in communities on both sides of the Mississippi River, as one project appears unlikely to proceed in the Metro East, while Franklin County residents prepare for a hearing on one there.

About 150 people packed into a town hall Thursday night in Pacific, organized by the Pacific Root Coalition, a residents’ group, to provide clarity on what a proposed data center could mean for the community.

Keith and Jenny Ketcherside, who live adjacent to the proposed data center site, are among those seeking answers about the project’s future impact.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty, doubt, some skepticism. We don’t have a lot of details yet to really make us feel comfortable about what it is and what it isn’t,” Keith Ketcherside said.

The residents are calling for comprehensive studies before the project moves forward.

“We need a lot of information. We need some engineering studies that show the impacts to the ecology, to the wildlife, to the river, and to our lifestyle,” Ketcherside said. “Lighting, engineering studies, sound engineering studies. These data centers are large. I work for a company that’s built data centers. So I know what it’s like. I know that they have high needs for power, water for cooling, and they have backup generators and uninterruptible power supplies, battery banks.”

Beltline Energy presented its plans to the Pacific Board of Aldermen last month. The Meramec Valley Technology Park, as it’s called, is a $16 billion project between Highway O and the Meramec River south of Pacific, includes using treated wastewater from Pacific’s treatment plant for cooling in its proposal. The plan also includes about 420 permanent jobs. The land is currently a cattle ranch.

Ketcherside said, “I think it’s time for full transparency. The elected officials need to provide a playbook that shows and outlines milestones. Here’s the insertion points, here’s the expected information that is needed to get through this first milestone. Where the approvers are and what their role, when that approval cycle happens, and then where the community gets inserted into that approval cycle.”

Thursday’s town hall featured technical experts in wastewater, groundwater and legal matters to address questions and concerns from residents.

Kelsie Eversmeyer, a community health expert and Pacific native, was among the presenters and said she’s been monitoring meetings for months, expecting this type of project.

“Unfortunately, we are looking at relational risks. We’re looking at a community that is divided and kind of breaking down. So even without the data center being here, it’s already causing impacts on this community,” Eversmeyer said.

She also said there needs to be answers to questions on financial, environmental and health risks with a project like this.

“I would like to see the city be a little bit more receptive to people’s fears and also, their concerns that maybe aren’t coming from as much of an emotional place. I think that hearing from both sides is really important.” Eversmeyer said, “On the resident side of things, I think it’s really important that we’re not demonizing our officials for having to go through the legal processes that they have to in order to look at information and make an educated decision on it. So at this point, bringing both of those perspectives together, mending that relationship and making sure that both people are really coming to the table.”

While this wasn’t a city meeting, most members of the Pacific Board of Aldermen attended the meeting, including Alderwoman Karla Stewart.

“We’re having to look up what they have put before us. If it’s a good fit for the community, even outside the community for the city, we still have to take into consideration all the promises that they make money-wise that the city will receive, and all that has to be looked at. But mostly we have to look at what the citizens want, because I work for the citizens. I work for the citizens in town,” said Alderwoman Stewart.

The impact of the data center debate, part of the City of Pacific’s most recent city council meeting, over a vote to retain the city’s attorney. The vote was 3-3, with the mayor serving as the tiebreaker to retain the attorney. It was in response to a Sunshine request for emails on the data center project, which mentioned meets between the attorney, city staff and developer.

In Troy, Illinois, city leaders are putting the brakes on a data center proposal. At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, the mayor proposed a moratorium and not supporting the project pitched off I-55.

“The end result is the right end result in that it’s a pause. It allows us to look at the ordinances, make sure they are written to protect the community,” said Derrick Ramert with Troy Residents for Responsible Growth.

The moratorium comes after developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure hosted a packed, hours-long question-and-answer session about its project last week.

After that meeting, the Madison County Board Chairman, who was part of the panel, posted about the project on Facebook, which said he and Troy’s mayor agree that, while no formal proposal has been presented, the site the developer is considering isn’t a suitable location.

Troy City Administrator Jay Keeven told First Alert 4 that what’s being considered is a 6-month moratorium. Even though the city passed an ordinance on data centers last November, the mayor is looking to tighten those up more.

Cloverleaf hadn’t submitted a formal proposal to the city, as it was seeking to secure land and energy access before moving forward with zoning and special-use requests.

Ramert said Troy Residents for Responsible Growth is conducting a survey of what type of developments residents want to see.

“Issues that are this sensitive can literally rip a town apart and that’s something that you don’t want. I think we’ve all learned a lot. Both the city and the residents have learned a lot about this process. We know that this is a win for Troy. Madison County is still open to data centers to that extent. We’re not anti-technology. We’re not against data centers. But it is about the right place, the right fit. And if the community wants them,” Ramert said.

Ramert said they’re planning a community event for Madison County to hear from experts on both sides of the data center issue and do outreach to other communities.

Pacific’s Planning and Zoning Commission has scheduled a public hearing on the rezoning request for the project next Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Pacific High School.

In Troy, at this past Tuesday’s meeting, the mayor said the proposed moratorium will be considered next month. First, at the city’s planning and zoning commission before going to the city council.

PACIFIC, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A special Pacific Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in Pacific ended within minutes Wednesday night after the developer behind a proposed $16 billion data center tabled its rezoning application, drawing shouts of frustration from a packed high school auditorium.

Beltline Energy pulled its request from Wednesday’s agenda to rezone land south of the city limits, citing an inability to finalize a funding agreement. The company has proposed building the data center off Highway O in Franklin County, with the Meramec River along the northern edge of the site.

It’s after the Pacific Board of Aldermen voted to approve a contract with Beltline Energy Monday to assist the city pay for expert consultants to aid the city.

Attendees who had gathered to speak against the project were left without the opportunity to address the commission.

“You just wasted all these people’s time,” one attendee at the meeting said.

Lin Buhler, who attended the meeting, ended up leaving with questions.

“They knew this meeting was coming for quite a while. Why didn’t they have any information? My other question is, are they going to have another meeting with nobody knowing about it and they’re going to sweep it under the rug?” Buhler said. “They should have been prepared.”

She was one of several people First Alert 4 spoke with after the meeting, who shared their reactions.

Jessica Nicodemo said, “We don’t know what it’s going to involve with our environment, our water, our air. It’s very discouraging to see what they have done tonight.”

Nicodemo family lives near the proposed site and also said she’s been trying to reach her local elected state leaders.

Twila Ashworth, whose property borders the western edge of the proposed data center site, said she came to raise concerns about the project’s environmental impact.

“This just is another example where people are angry because there has not been any transparency from the get-go. I think that’s the reason why people reacted the way they did,” Ashworth said. “They expected a public hearing, they expected to speak out on it, and then when something like this happens, then they kind of feel like, well, what’s going on here? It’s another rigged deal.”

Ashworth said she learned about the project at the end of last month from a neighbor.

“Stunned. We thought, wait a minute. You know, this is agricultural. This is residential,” she said.

She was at the meeting, arriving about 90 minutes before the start time to speak against the project and her concerns.

“I don’t think there’s been enough study in terms of the environmental impact, the impact on residents, wildlife, our water supply. I’m hearing it’s going to drain our wells,” Ashworth said.

Ashworth explained that in this unincorporated part of Franklin County, that is how people get their water, so it is very top of mind about what this could mean for their water access.

She said, “We’ve been self-sustaining, you know, all our lives. This is my grandmother’s and grandfather’s property. So those of us who’ve lived out here all our lives, this is a heavy impact on us.”

A report completed last week by the Missouri Department of Conservation noted the project’s footprint includes habitats for endangered species of bats, salamanders and others. The department requested opportunities to collaborate with the project to provide technical advice to protect fish, forest and wildlife in the area.

Janet Hubbard, who lives on a fifth-generation farm near the site, said it was something she was planning to address Wednesday night.

“Our biggest concern is legacy for the community and our environment. This isn’t, although it is personal and it’s emotional, this isn’t about us. This is about what we’re leaving our children, our grandchildren,” Hubbard said. “We’re farmers. We take care of the land.”

Pacific Ward 2 Board of Aldermen Tyler Hoven was also at the meeting. Right now, he’s said he’s trying to understand what this could mean.

“I’m trying to stay in the middle. I really can’t choose one side or the other. For one, it’s too early. This will be the first actual official proposal that they’ve given to the city. So I really can’t give an opinion at this time. However, I will say that not enough information has been shared as far as water usage. I know I’ve mentioned that a couple times, how the sound is going to affect people, how this is going to affect the wildlife, the environment, whether or not the zoning’s correct. There’s just so many questions still left unanswered that I really can’t make a good opinion of the proposal itself yet,” said Alderman Hoven.

He said of Wednesday night’s meeting, before the developer withdrew the rezoning request, that he was hoping to hear from experts to answer some of the questions.

He explained that what would come out of the Planning and Zoning Commission would be a recommendation to approve or deny the request. He said the next step after that would be the annexation request.

Hubbard said, “Set up guard rails. Make sure that there will be consequences if those guardrails are breached. This is too important to speed up on this.”

Nancy Watson, who lives next to the proposed project site, said the delay works in her favor.

“I’ll have another chance. It delays it. It delays the process, which since I’m opposed to it, that’s okay with me,” Watson said.

Ashworth said she plans to remain engaged.

“I will be back here. I mean, the thing is, we’re going to have to really be diligent now,” she said.

It is currently unknown when the project will return before the city of Pacific or any other public body for a hearing. The landowner, speaking after the meeting, said there should be conversations and discussions to help find consensus.

Tension escalated at Pacific High School as a meeting on a massive Franklin County data center was abruptly canceled at the developer’s request.

PACIFIC, Mo. — Tensions ran high on Wednesday night as hundreds of residents filled Pacific High School for a Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, eager to voice their opposition to a massive proposed data center in Franklin County. However, in a move that stunned the crowd, the hearing ended almost as soon as it began.

The meeting was abruptly canceled at the request of the developer, Beltline Energy, which admitted it did not have the appropriate documentation to proceed.

A commission official addressed the packed room to deliver the news.

“We're not going to have the public hearing tonight because the applicant has requested it to be tabled. So there will be no public hearing tonight,” the official said.

The announcement was met with frustration from the crowd, who demanded to know when the issue would return to the agenda. A representative for Beltline Energy could not provide a specific date but attempted to reassure the room.

“We are working in good faith and intend on getting that in place as quickly as possible so we can be on the next available schedule,” the representative said.

Despite the cancellation, residents continued to demand answers. The proposal involves original drawings that depict roughly 16 buildings spanning more than 500 acres near Highway O and the Meramec River.

Janet Hubbard, who lives next to the proposed site, said the turnout demonstrated how personal the fight has become for the community.

“A lot of emotion, but also a lot of organization and a lot of folks sharing their heart and wanting to make a difference for their community,” Hubbard said.

According to Hubbard, the confusion began earlier in the week. She noted that on Monday, the Pacific Board of Aldermen received three different versions of the plan, and she speculated that the lack of documentation on Wednesday was part of a pattern.

“This seems to be in their bag of tricks. So they're not building trust. That's for sure,” Hubbard said.

Beltline Energy declined a request for an interview following the dispersal of the meeting.

City officials also expressed reservations regarding the clarity of the project. Tyler Hoven, the Ward 2 Alderman, said that while he cannot yet make a full assessment of the project, he intends to prioritize the concerns of residents.

“What I can say though, is that there's not near enough information that's been shared so far about the development itself,” Mr. Hoven said.

As of Wednesday night, there is no date set for a new public hearing.

However, scrutiny over land use in Franklin County continues; residents have been invited to an informational meeting on Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at Franklin County Baptist Association regarding a separate proposed data center located nearby.