Real Local Impacts of Data Centers

This op-ed is by Jennifer Carter Chumbley who graciously agreed for it to be shared here. 

“Balanced development isn’t anti-growth. It’s what happens when growth finally has to answer to the people living next to it” 

No one is arguing that data exists or that digital systems are used. The issue is where massive industrial scale data centers belong and who pays the price.

Hospitals, banks, police departments, farms, and homes do not require a hyperscale data center next to rural communities or farmland to function. These services already operate today using regional and national data centers located in appropriate industrial zones.

The real impact: 

• Specialized emergency response needs that rural fire departments are not equipped or funded to handle - are we raising the amount we going to give our localities? 

• Enormous electricity demand that strains rural power grids and raises rates for residents and small businesses.

• Heavy water usage and backup diesel generators that affect air quality and noise.

• Minimal permanent jobs once construction ends.

• Major tax incentives and sweetheart deals that shift costs onto local taxpayers.

Calling data centers “invisible infrastructure” ignores the very visible consequences for people who live nearby. They are industrial facilities, not community services.

If data centers are truly essential, they should be:
 
• Properly zoned away from homes and farms (located in industrial parks).
 
• Paying full and fair taxes.
 
• Located where infrastructure already exists (not macaroons with no access to sewer for example).

• Not subsidized at the expense of rural communities.

****Supporting technology does not mean accepting bad siting, bad deals, and bad planning. We can have modern infrastructure without sacrificing local quality of life.****

 

December Commission Meeting 2025

Prelude
Commissioner Joe Carr, arrested in October for public intoxication and sexual battery in Asheville, continued to be absent from public meetings. If you have interest in ousting him from his position, if he has harassed you, and especially if you live in his district, give fellow Commissioner Joe McMurray a call at (423) 247-6161, or email him at Joseph.McMurray@sullivancountytn.gov.

The meeting
There were no comments from the public.

There were six items *not* on the consent calendar, and two of those were withdrawn. The biggies were the 4-month moratorium on data centers and the reservation of space in the old Blountville school for a business incubator. The moratorium had to be put on hold because Kingsport's planning and zoning department had not acted on it, and both Bristol and Kingsport must provide their recommendations before the county can take action. It was deferred until next month. The incubator garnered two no votes, from Commissioners Glover and King, but no further discussion.

Item 4, regarding a contract for juvenile detention, was discussed. It was amended so that the county would pay for medical care only if the inmate didn't have insurance. Commissioner Hopper asked if TennCare wouldn't cover them, but Vanover stated that TennCare is dropped upon incarceration. Commissioner Ward said that he supports this item, but the county needs to examine its situation with JCDC, as the county pays a fee, yet JCDC never has beds available for detention.

New business included the cyber security grant, which requires a 30% match from the county, and the sale of delinquent properties. 

After all items were passed, the Chair brought updated committee assignments. Commissioner Jones again begged folks to attend their committee meetings. Interestingly, Jones said the budget committee had several meetings without a quorum present, but the budget committee members are at the discretion of the mayor.

The budget development calendar was shared, as was the appointment of Jerry Buchanan to the Bristol-Bluff City Utility District.

Commissioner Ireson announced American Airlines was adding a direct flight from Tri to Chicago, and that a Breeze direct round trip to Orlando is only $300.

Commissioner Glover then made a motion from the floor that would give county employees a full day off on Christmas Eve instead of the half-day currently scheduled. Commissioner Ireson clarified that this would give employees who didn't get the day off a full day of holiday pay. Commissioner Means asked how much that would cost. She didn't get an answer. Glover asked for a roll call vote. Commissioner Ward abstained for cause (he is one of those employees with the Sheriff's office), and all other votes were yes.

Conclusion
I believe this meeting was over in less than an hour, which is a record. I've attended each regular meeting this year (except February, because it snowed). I have learned a lot about how the county operates, and I hope folks looking for county information can find it here. You can leave any comments or suggestions in the comments on any post.

December Commission Work Session 2025

 

This month's work session was fairly straightforward and so this report will be also. The most interesting thing was that Item #1 was dropped at the request of the school board. If you remember, it was about a simple reallocation of funds from personnel to contracted services for mowing. Hopefully soon someone will take up the mantle of attending and reporting on other local government meetings, including the school board, so that we will know why decisions like this are made and what alternative plans are in place.

Rezoning 

Two parcels were rezoned, the second with some neighborhood opposition, but both passed (even though the owner of the second parcel never did actually say he would make his entrance off Stone Drive instead of the small road now serving as the entrance, which was what everyone wanted).

Public Comment
Chuck Pine expressed his appreciation to the commission that multiple recycling, including aluminum, metal, plastic, glass, and cardboard, is now available at the Raytheon Road transfer station. I would assume it is also available at the Kingsport transfer station.

Judge Jim Goodwin spoke about a residential program he either works with or started (I have not yet been able to uncover any actual information online) called Restorations, which the county partially funds. It has been in operation for approximately 18 months, having graduated 50 individuals who leave the program with job skills and money in the bank, and who have paid over $18,000 in court costs and fines during that time. Item 15 on the agenda tonight is about $147,500 opioid settlement money going to Sullivan County Restoration, which Judge Goodwin said primarily provides for participant needs.

Old Business
*Item 1 concerning reallocation of funds in the school budget was withdrawn. 
*Item 2 is the moratorium on allowing data centers in the county, now proposed for only 4 months. Discussion included information that Bristol, TN has a 2-year moratorium enacted, and that a representative from BTES would be speaking at the business meeting coming up. It was placed on the regular calendar.
*Item 3 concerning the potential business incubator still had a lot of discussion and not many bones. Mayor Venable answered some pertinent questions about how it could be handled, and Hawkins County has agreed to share the guidelines of use that they use in their incubator (located in Kingsport). Placed on the regular calendar.
*Item 4 concerns the need for a contract with Blount County, TN for the holding of juvenile offenders. This has to be approved so that they can be held, as Sullivan County does not have facilities for that. Several Commissioners had educated themselves on this item and spoke favorably for its passage. Placed on the regular calendar.

New Business
*Items 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15 were placed on the consent calendar as they were primarily re-appropriations or acceptance of funds for various needs. 
*Item 8 is to apply for a cybersecurity grant, but must be placed on waiver of rules due to it requiring a 30% ($10,500) match from the county.
*Item 14 is selling county-owned delinquent tax property. Four parcels with a delinquent tax debt of over $8,600 will be sold to Josh Barrett for $360. This was placed on waiver of rules.

Much to his credit, Judge Goodwin stayed to the end of the meeting and answered questions about Item 15 (the information which I included above).