[0:00] It's $59.50. Oh, it did it just, yeah, yeah. Really? No, I guess it's $59. $59? No, I do know.

[0:14] It's working.

[0:18] It came off. I think it's got like a 40 seconds of layer something that I don't know that might be why

[0:39] I said it for five

[0:51] Just go on a 24-hour clock and you'll be done with it, we'll see if it comes up for us.

[1:00] There we go. It's up in the afternoon.

[1:06] I got six o'clock, so.

[1:07] Chad, you got to work on it.

[1:08] All right, we'll go ahead and call the meeting to order.

[1:12] And we'll start with the indication from where everybody does.

[1:15] I'm

[1:27] going to follow this group that has come together to conduct the business of the town

[1:34] prison.

[1:36] And Father, no one here, I don't believe, takes it just for us, so it's important,

[1:43] training which they're doing very part of it is important and needs to be done to the

[1:50] very best that our best can only be done if you will, like each one, give them the entire

[1:56] to it is this to make the right decisions and to give us

[2:06] people that work in the office

[2:11] help that they

[2:19] would praise you and be

[2:22] surprised and pay the debt for us that we could not

[2:27] pay.

[2:29] We praise you and bless you.

[2:34] No, no, no.

[2:38] The pledge is to be pledged to leave just to the flag of the United States of America and

[2:44] to the public for which is one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[2:56] All right. Approval of the July 6, 10 meeting minutes.

[3:03] Make a motion to approve. Second, emotional.

[3:07] On one favor?

[3:08] Aye.

[3:12] Record.

[3:13] Take one of the pay bills?

[3:18] Yep.

[3:19] Motion to approve.

[3:21] Second, emotional.

[3:22] On one favor?

[3:23] Aye.

[3:24] I'm General Funds Reconciled is 116-252-94.

[3:29] Suer Funds, $3,572 and 46 cents.

[3:34] Water, $12,700 and 12 cents.

[3:38] And ARPA, $9,573 and 98 and David is specifically ordering,

[3:43] hopefully, this month that is the last event.

[3:49] So we have to expend that.

[3:51] I guess we're behind it here.

[3:57] Director of our provisions.

[3:59] The sewer line replacement grant is actually moving

[4:03] pretty fast right now.

[4:05] We're in the process of, well, the schedule for the work

[4:08] has been updated and submitted to MDE.

[4:11] We're waiting for, to get their approval and we're waiting

[4:14] for a bunch of dates to do an actual site visit.

[4:17] So if you say a lot of state vehicles in town

[4:19] and push people, walk around, just point their fingers and looking at the ground, that's that.

[4:26] So hopefully here in the next month or two we can get them in here and it's actually moving pretty fast right now.

[4:32] So that's a good thing.

[4:34] The public work vehicle lettering, you want to pass those down, those are the two logo designs that we're going to go with.

[4:42] That's just the actual seal itself.

[4:45] It'll also have public works department or something like that written on it or under it to go on the vehicles

[4:52] We're gonna pretty much it's gonna cost us about 2,500 bucks

[4:57] But that'll have everything done. We're even gonna do the back-o-loader

[5:01] Bobcat stuff like that just in case we believe a piece of equipment in town

[5:06] It can be easily identified by the logo. That's on it. So everybody notice that it's out

[5:11] So hopefully here in the next month, we'll have the logos in, we'll get that done, and take care of.

[5:18] Street pavement, I mean, that's plenty of something you guys can see that.

[5:22] We actually did one extra piece of street, which actually worked out pretty good.

[5:28] We only went 2000 over budget, but to get that piece of West Second done,

[5:33] and only go 2000 over with fuel prices worked out great because we were going to lose that piece of West Second.

[5:38] And I was concerned with that because it was really early.

[5:41] Yeah.

[5:41] Gator and Kraken.

[5:42] We made out pretty good with the with the harsh winter

[5:46] and everything we had with only having a handful of roads

[5:51] falling apart the way they were.

[5:54] I'll take that.

[5:55] That's that's for sure.

[5:57] Tree work.

[5:58] We finally got our day on lift fix.

[6:00] So we're going to try to get called up on all the way.

[6:04] It worked the other day because I was stretched out all the way

[6:06] in that thing.

[6:07] And I didn't fall out, so we're gonna try and get caught up on all the call-ins and stuff

[6:13] we've had with it, get what we can get and reach, the rest of it will be contracted.

[6:18] So I'm hoping we're in August, usually if we wait till about October or so, we'll do a lot

[6:25] of elevating before school starts up at the end of the month, but a lot of the take-down

[6:30] stuff like that October, we can usually get on a pretty good schedule to get it all done

[6:35] One time the grass is a little dead, too.

[6:37] Well, grass was dead.

[6:39] Yeah, it was coming to me, it was crazy.

[6:43] Last thing, a new company, talking communications,

[6:49] they do internet service.

[6:55] Now they want to put a hub and guys

[6:57] I apologize, this is kind of hard to see.

[6:59] That's our water powered dead in the center.

[7:01] What they want to do is they want to put their hub right there

[7:04] and run this way going out of town.

[7:06] So just so you guys can see, that's real quick.

[7:10] I don't really have an issue with the new provider.

[7:15] I mean, that's great.

[7:16] That gives, you know, residents an option

[7:19] for what they want to do for internet.

[7:21] My issue is where they want to put it.

[7:23] We have a lot of infrastructure coming directly out of the tower

[7:26] plus the head of our gravity main for our sewer starts right there

[7:31] because that's the end of fourth street.

[7:32] Um, when I talk to the gentlemen about, you know, if, if they do, uh,

[7:39] whines in town, who does locate?

[7:44] We're not going to locate it.

[7:45] We don't own it.

[7:46] I didn't get a straight answer from them just yet.

[7:49] Maybe he hasn't seen my email.

[7:51] Um, but the problem I have is where they want to run it coming down and going across the front.

[7:56] That is typically not a utility.

[8:00] 90% of the utility units in town run in alleyways except for

[8:05] Lister, Brewery's, old view, old stuff like that.

[8:10] So, we can, I want to go back and have a conversation with the guy.

[8:15] You know, I just, I don't like having a central hub for something like that right by our water tower.

[8:23] In case we ever have to do something, we have major construction.

[8:25] and my worry is once we give them the right away,

[8:32] we can't take it back.

[8:34] So I have a little concern over that.

[8:37] We talk to council and we don't have to grab them.

[8:41] The access to it, so we're not live or we don't have to.

[8:46] So that's in the works, I'll keep you guys posted.

[8:48] Are they worrying about that area?

[8:51] I don't know.

[8:52] I don't know and it's just it's weird to me how the central hull is going at the tower

[8:59] Coming down the lane going what is that?

[9:03] South now sunrise and then heading back towards Greensboro. It's not heading into town

[9:08] So I don't know if it's a start point form or what I

[9:13] Do know it's a local contractor who would be doing all the road doorings and trenching stuff like that form

[9:21] Is it all underground?

[9:22] It's all underground, correct.

[9:24] Yes.

[9:25] I just, so like if you see the line where they're going down

[9:29] and then they're going south, yeah.

[9:32] So you have the overall where they're coming south.

[9:35] My only issue was that is your cross and water meters

[9:38] right there because all the water meters are out front.

[9:41] So I just, you know, I, for future town work, whatever,

[9:46] I just don't want to run to anything where we have to do

[9:49] some kind of water meter pit, whatever kind of upgrade and now you have a

[9:55] fiber line runner right across meter pit. So I'd rather have it in the rear so you

[10:00] don't have to worry back because those are 95% of the time gravity lines. They're

[10:04] a little easier to work around but yeah I just want to make you guys aware the guys

[10:09] have been kind of not pushy but really wanting to get going but yeah we'll leave

[10:15] been up to you for the decision. I mean, you know, the structures is in. Is there

[10:20] an alley here? It's a paper alley. But that would make. So if you look at this

[10:26] here, this one's a little weird. So it's a paper alley, just like everything

[10:32] else, it's a straight shot. That's the old Dave's bar there. It goes this way and

[10:36] that. The only issue is with coming down this way. Well, three, which is back here

[10:42] by the cemetery, it cuts down, runs the same path, which is easily located, so they're

[10:48] away from it, but we'd have to look into exactly how much room they want, to place 30

[10:56] foot easements right away, what have you.

[11:03] I'm just not 100% sure on it right now. It seems

[11:08] It seems like they have to have a central hub, which is that green dot there at our water tower.

[11:16] I think it's probably the starting point for the town.

[11:18] I just don't, I don't know if we want that right there, that's just if we ever have major

[11:24] construction or anything like that, I would rather not hinder the town with having to go

[11:30] around it, but just want to give you guys a heads up on that.

[11:33] Well, yeah, just one question, I'm on board with what you're saying, you know, if you're

[11:41] going to run a line towards Greensboro, we'll find, put it, get it off of the street

[11:47] because I'm thinking what happens, you know, when we have a water main break or something

[11:51] of that nature.

[11:54] But what concerns me more than anything is the fact that they haven't talked about running

[12:00] lines in town. You know they're not they're not being well the initial email says you know

[12:10] bring the service to the residents of the town but when you look at this map it's going

[12:15] out of town. Well that's that's my point. That's where I'm just yeah it's just you know I don't want

[12:22] to be a hub for them and the town doesn't get anything out of it. Now could it be a money maker for

[12:27] down possibly. I don't know. That's where Patrick and everybody else is going to, you know,

[12:35] come into that. So they haven't talked about any kind of contract. No, that would come to you

[12:42] guys direct. That would not come through me. If it does come to me, it comes to me and goes right to

[12:46] you guys. All right. So that's an initial. Yeah, it's. Yeah. Well, let's see what they have to say and

[12:55] and how flexible they're willing to be.

[12:57] That sounds good.

[12:59] That's all I have.

[13:00] All right.

[13:02] Does the only administrator don't know

[13:04] if you have anything from a list I know she is out

[13:06] with pneumonia.

[13:09] So, I don't know of anything for this moment.

[13:14] Caroline, can I be serious about this?

[13:16] Good evening, Mr. Chair.

[13:17] I will provide the report.

[13:19] The seat in 490 hours works.

[13:24] 310 calls for service, seven reports taken, 66 traffic stops, nine citations, 8G warnings,

[13:34] reports for foreign assaults, bird grade, three amestics, one-way information, and a

[13:42] assessment.

[13:51] We look forward to national night out tomorrow night.

[13:53] Yes, that will be tomorrow night.

[13:55] We have Corporal Ferguson and town staff here.

[13:59] I've done a fantastic job.

[14:01] I work on three of these two opportunities,

[14:02] both then, originally, and it fails work.

[14:07] I will split my time between both.

[14:10] All right, Jerry's not here,

[14:12] so I'm in a financial assistant.

[14:15] Economic development.

[14:19] Good evening.

[14:20] Evening.

[14:21] Good evening.

[14:27] Economic development.

[14:28] We've been working on three projects.

[14:31] this kind of getting home work done with the pine tree, harvest of trees. We're

[14:40] going to have to work a little bit tighter with state threads to see exactly what we can do

[14:44] with that because we don't want to jeopardize anything that's going to affect with

[14:48] the water system and also we're still checking into the permits with state.

[14:59] I've

[15:03] We got to tour after our meeting earlier in the month and last month and kind of see what the layout is or hoping to have a talk with the interim the next few weeks. We should be up and going with the restaurant and everything. With that, we kind of also worked on a project on the land beside the building here.

[15:30] to get a possible sign put up there along with a billion possibly through a grant that

[15:39] will be tied in under one program. So we finally have everything straight with land owner

[15:48] where they would settle on price. So we were going to put a proposal together for you guys

[15:54] to have for next month's meeting on that project but about all the way we have right here.

[16:03] Thank you.

[16:03] Thank you very good.

[16:04] All right.

[16:04] Our next EDC is going to be on August 20th 330P.

[16:12] Thank you.

[16:13] Thank you.

[16:14] Thank you.

[16:15] Thank you.

[16:15] The historical society.

[16:19] We bring my bottle caps up here.

[16:21] I think

[16:24] we talked about the Rob Roy sign that after Rob Roy was torn down.

[16:28] We have a sign made and it's been put over in front of the new house in this area, but no, Mr. Lomax has gotten heard of the Miss Utility yet.

[16:39] We're waiting to hear.

[16:40] I have a scene to take it forward.

[16:42] I guess I'll have to get in there and help him work on the roof then and see what he's doing.

[16:47] I mean, that's all we're doing.

[16:50] Whoever's doing the work has to put in the request.

[16:53] I don't know who owns the property.

[16:55] Whoever's so-called contractor has to be the owner of the ticket.

[16:59] I thought it was the owner.

[17:02] And then he has very graciously said that somebody on his team would dig the hole for us.

[17:09] So that helps me because I don't have any to that.

[17:12] So I think I see a place.

[17:14] Correct.

[17:15] And the sign is ready to go.

[17:16] I think we showed you pictures and all.

[17:18] It has a lot of information.

[17:20] And we took it to our hand-in-hand meeting and one of the ladies there, Connie Wilkerson used to work there.

[17:26] So what we did was be a little fancy, be a little modern.

[17:30] We have that QR code that looks like spaghetti on the sign.

[17:33] We'll hold your phone over it and she was so thrilled to see her name on there.

[17:37] She's like 156, you know, number down.

[17:40] So she was very tickled and then she did see other workers that had worked with her side.

[17:44] That's kind of special.

[17:48] I guess so we have the station open one more time that's next month we had a visitor

[17:58] poor lady I pulled her in off the track out there she was okay so come on in

[18:02] come to find out she's there just moved in down the street we told her everything

[18:05] and she stood there very patiently like a deer in the headlights but she yeah she

[18:10] really appreciate the information so we enjoyed ourselves David I wanted to

[18:15] see if I could get with you to find out when you can pick up this railroad

[18:19] size and federal spur. I'll be a couple more weeks. I have pretty much some

[18:24] body off every week for the next couple weeks. Okay, I have some days I was just

[18:28] gonna I want to I have to call down there and make sure it's still there. If it

[18:32] didn't walk and we give you our dates and then you can see if they match.

[18:38] You give me your dates. I give you my dates and just email them to me and then we'll

[18:43] figure it out. That's why. But, and then, well, I just showed most everybody, you all

[18:49] saw the little bottle of cap. Someone dropped these off and it's, to me it's thrilling

[18:55] because all we have are bottles. I mean, I say, oh, we have. I've never seen a bottle of

[18:59] cap. So, it's the marble bottle cap. So, if you want to pass it around, so that will probably

[19:07] go over in the library center later, but we'll put it in the train station for a while to

[19:12] people but that's really all I have so thank you very much. All right, old business vote on

[19:23] ordinance number 2026-404 chapter 27 identity theft and we've already reviewed it and I think

[19:34] you said you just wanted to read the opening paragraph if that's all right acceptable. All right,

[19:40] chapter 27 identity theft prevention program of the code of the town of

[19:45] Ridgeley. For the purpose of amending chapter 27, the identity theft prevention

[19:50] program of the code of the town of Ridgeley, for the purpose of satisfying the

[19:54] town of Ridgeley's obligations under the Maryland Personal Information Protection

[19:58] Act, and it goes on in sites the specific legislation, the Federal Trade

[20:05] commission's red flags rule, and again, citing specific regulations. Section 114 of the Fair

[20:14] and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, the FACTA, as amended by the red flag program,

[20:20] Clarification Act of 2010, providing that the title of this ordinance shall be deemed a fair summary.

[20:29] All right.

[20:31] All right.

[20:31] And the race titles we've gone through.

[20:34] And the race going through.

[20:34] So, I guess we need a motion to approve.

[20:38] Well, since I drafted a lot of this chat, I'll make a motion to approve.

[20:42] Identity theft.

[20:44] I will second it.

[20:45] All in favor?

[20:46] Aye.

[20:47] All right.

[20:47] And then we get the signature page here.

[20:55] All righty.

[20:56] Next thing.

[20:58] 2026 Winter Festival Decision on Fireworks.

[21:02] So.

[21:02] I know Anna had done an informal poll and I think I

[21:12] heard you did a poll on Facebook for fireworks, how did that go?

[21:17] The majority was for it.

[21:20] The people that we asked in the town hall the majority was for it.

[21:24] I don't think so. I guess we will make the decision to have fireworks.

[21:29] Need a motion?

[21:30] Do we need a motion?

[21:32] Well, so moved.

[21:34] Second.

[21:35] Oh, in favor?

[21:36] Hi.

[21:37] And the only other thing I got on all business is the untagged parking vehicles or untagged

[21:44] cars in parking.

[21:46] I know we've been working on it since, what?

[21:49] Yeah, for February.

[21:50] Forever.

[21:51] So, I guess to give a brief update, it was very challenging to find a tow company that

[22:00] that was actually even interested in taking on the job.

[22:05] They said a lot of times what happens is they might have to spend a half a day trying

[22:10] to get into someone's backyard to get the vehicle towed.

[22:13] They're selling it for scrap a lot of times because people aren't paying the fines to get

[22:18] the vehicle back and they might make $200 off of the whole thing.

[22:23] I talked to a few neighboring towns.

[22:26] they basically said don't do it like the juice isn't worth the squeeze just a

[22:34] hassle of it then you know because at this point you're going on people's

[22:39] property and you know trying to remove property from their property and if you

[22:45] know just a lot of things can happen.

[22:49] Greensboro does a finding system to where you

[22:54] know they get fined if they don't remove it themselves and then end up getting a

[22:58] lean on the house. I don't know if that would be a better way for us to approach

[23:04] this instead of getting the vehicle you know removed from us.

[23:11] Yeah I mean it's

[23:12] just whatever you guys want to do from that aspect but I would be almost like

[23:19] The grants coming that really comes up for, I guess, the property tax that there would be a lead.

[23:25] Yeah.

[23:26] But if it's on the town street or on the town.

[23:28] The street's different.

[23:29] Yeah.

[23:30] Yeah.

[23:31] This is just for property.

[23:33] But I mean.

[23:34] But if it's a renter.

[23:37] Um.

[23:39] Still their property.

[23:42] Yeah.

[23:42] I mean, that's true, too.

[23:43] I mean, I honestly didn't have a real answer.

[23:45] But that makes sense.

[23:46] I mean, I know we can do it with the milling because.

[23:56] I mean I'd imagine

[24:07] you know I think

[24:24] the larger issue at least for me are those

[24:27] that are sitting either on a town street or in one of the alleyways and I

[24:34] think they're the procedural to be fairly straight forward. Yes that's

[24:40] cut and dry. I'm talking about specifically, you know, one

[24:43] someone's property, like say a car in their backyard or, you

[24:48] know, off of their driveway. Obviously, if it's in their

[24:52] driveway, that would be a little easier to get a tow

[24:54] company in there. But, you know, you're talking about a whole

[24:59] party of people needing to be involved to actually be able to

[25:02] get a tow truck in the someone's backyard when the people

[25:05] on there don't want the tow truck in their backyard.

[25:08] you know I mean it could just open up a can of one and then like I said I got

[25:13] it a hold of the Sheriff's Department and they have a list of tow companies

[25:17] that they use and I got a hold of all of them except for one and two of them

[25:23] flat out were like no I'm not interested in taking on the job one of them said well

[25:28] you guys are a little farther you know we're located in her lock and or near her

[25:33] lock and like I said and I didn't get a hold of one of them because at that point I had

[25:38] talked to I mean I don't know if I'm physically like throwing other towns out there but they

[25:43] just recommend like not even getting involved with it. They said they go through so much hassle

[25:47] with it that they basically gave up the enforcement of doing it. So

[25:57] I think personally if we're

[26:00] going to explore the avenue of getting vehicles removed off of people's property we maybe lean

[26:07] towards the finding aspect, in my opinion, just to eliminate overall hassle, overall,

[26:18] you know, conflicts happening. I mean, I don't, I think you have to, you can target

[26:26] it, but it's only for like six months. Yeah, it's a temporary thing and you have to go

[26:31] through the town.

[26:35] Right, I don't want to misquote, but it's basically yes. It's

[26:39] something like that.

[26:55] I believe that's going to be our kind of like step one, you

[27:00] know, but as it's written now, that only allows you about six months, I think, to

[27:05] have like, but in your case if you have tags on it, it doesn't matter. Yeah. This is

[27:10] more for like, you know, untagged junk cars, housing rodents, you know, the whole

[27:16] thing just.

[27:19] I guess we're looking to doing a fine then or do a, I guess a warning

[27:25] letter first and then the next step is a fine. Yeah. I mean, I think any, you know,

[27:30] there was a few things me and Melissa came up with as a system of, you know,

[27:35] morning and then next step, next step. You know, going either way, but I think maybe bring it up the next

[27:43] meeting next month. Okay. And then we'll do it from there. All right. New business. Introduction and vote on

[27:51] resolution number 2026-03 are a data center moratorium. All right. Thank you. Thank you. Before I start, let me

[28:02] We offered this claimer, Caroline Review, very generously made me a data center expert.

[28:11] I am not.

[28:13] I underscore exclamation point in any form of data center expert.

[28:18] I did spend a lot of time in IT as we all know, and yes, I did build out a data center

[28:24] as part of a larger program 20 years ago, but in the technology world, that's like comparing

[28:31] muscled loaders to machine guns today. There's no comparison. So with that being said,

[28:41] let me go through this resolution. Specifically, a moratorium on data centers in the town

[28:48] of Ridgley. A resolution of the commissioners of Ridgley adopting a temporary moratorium

[28:54] on the processing of applications for data centers within the corporate limits of the town

[29:00] of Ridgeley for a period of 12 months pending study, consideration, and the enactment of

[29:05] local laws and regulations regarding data centers to protect the public health, safety,

[29:11] and welfare.

[29:13] Whereas, as a local jurisdiction under Division I of the Land Use article of the Giannotated

[29:19] Code of Maryland, the town of Ridgeley here and here and after the town exercises planning

[29:26] Planning and Zoning Authority maintains a planning commission and this is wrong, a board

[29:31] of appeals, we do not have a board of appeals.

[29:36] And a zoning administrator and has adopted a zoning ordinance and a comprehensive plan

[29:42] and whereas pursuant to Maryland code annotated environment, subsection 9-704, etc., the commissioners

[29:52] of Ridgeley, exercise authority over the Extension Maintenance and Operation of Municipal

[29:58] Water and Sewer Service.

[30:00] Mayors to land within and adjacent to its corporate limits. And whereas the construction and operation of data centers raises significant concerns for the communities in which they are located, including sustainability, energy and water usage, noise, vibration, and impacts on residents' quality of life. And whereas on July 21, 2026, the Caroline commissioners of Caroline, are the county commissioners of Caroline County.

[30:29] adopted resolution 2026-012 for the purpose of imposing a temporary moratorium of

[30:37] one year on data centers pending submission of a data center report and

[30:42] consideration and adoption of such legislation as the county commissioners

[30:46] may consider advisable to promote public health safety and welfare which

[30:52] resolution applies within the unincorporated areas of Caroline County but not

[30:58] within the town and whereas development interests that cannot be pursued in the

[31:04] unincorporated areas of Caroline County during the moratorium period may be

[31:10] directed toward the town and other incorporated municipalities within

[31:14] Caroline County and whereas the town's municipal wastewater system has a

[31:20] design capacity of 200,000 gallons per day, GPDs, of which 127,000 gallons are currently

[31:31] available and 87,900 are committed, leaving an excess of 39,100 gallons per day.

[31:41] And whereas the town's municipal water system has a design capacity, also of 200,000 gallons

[31:48] per day, of which 104,000 are currently available, and 87-9 are currently committed, leading

[31:57] in excess of 16,100 gallons per day,

[32:06] and whereas the finite capacity of the town's municipal

[32:10] water and sewer systems planned and financed for residential and small commercial and industrial

[32:16] growth consistent with the comprehensive plan, the connection of a single data center could

[32:22] commit or exceed capacity needed therefor and whereas the commissioners find a temporary

[32:29] moratorium of 12 months subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this resolution

[32:35] is the minimum study period reasonably necessary to receive and evaluate the Caroline County

[32:42] Data Center study to coordinate with Caroline County and other municipalities within its boundaries

[32:48] and to prepare, notice here and enact appropriate laws and regulations regarding data centers.

[32:56] Now, therefore, it be hereby resolved by the commissioners of Ridgeley and it goes on.

[33:02] Now, what this means in English is that as the demand for data center spaces expected to

[33:17] triple by 2030.

[33:24] And there is a lot of emotion around this. There's a lot of information going on around this.

[33:32] Some of it is accurate, but much of it is not, unfortunately. So this is an immensely complex topic involving environmental considerations

[33:47] and unfortunately, they do not, those considerations do not stop at Ridgeley's corporate boundaries.

[34:00] And it really ties into, I'll use a word, interdependencies among all of the geographic areas,

[34:14] is not only within Caroline County, but across the Eastern Shore because if originally adopts

[34:24] a very strict set of standards and another town a few miles away doesn't then any potential

[34:37] data center builder is going to go to the less restrictive area. The challenge, though,

[34:45] is that that less restrictive area is going to affect the same aquifer from which we draw water

[34:54] and virtually every most towns in this county similarly they'll hit the same electrical substations.

[35:05] So coordination among all of the incorporated municipalities and the county is, in my opinion,

[35:14] vital.

[35:17] So what I'm going to ask is at least my preliminary recommendation. And as my wife will tell you,

[35:29] I've been involved in this for the last three and a half weeks, burning a lot of time,

[35:37] but certainly the decision making must reside within the commissioners of Ridgeley.

[35:44] What we ultimately decide has to be ours.

[35:47] The challenge, though, is that there is a lot of work that affects everyone.

[35:56] and that work having to do with load basically electrical load and water capacity and all is not only difficult to do it's expensive to do.

[36:15] So what I'm going to propose is that as long as your gentlemen are going to agreement I'm willing to take the lead on this.

[36:26] Now, I'm putting together a program management plan right now.

[36:34] It's about 22 pages long that will govern what we do, and how we reach out to other governmental agencies within the county and work to get a draft ordinance

[36:57] in front of this commission by next April that's a very tight timeline but I

[37:06] think it is doable so this pretty much shadows the counties very much it's

[37:13] very similar to what the county is doing. I'm good with proposing the the

[37:18] moratorium okay well since I introduced it I think I'm going to reuse myself

[37:26] with at least making a motion on that.

[37:28] Make a motion to vote on resolution number,

[37:31] 2026-03, data center, moratorium.

[37:35] Second.

[37:36] All in favor.

[37:37] Aye.

[37:38] I'll

[37:43] just to close that out as soon as I get this program plan

[37:49] together, I will share it with everyone.

[37:53] And the last thing we have on new business is bid selection

[37:57] for energy outlets of municipal buildings.

[38:03] I have the big packets that I gave to you.

[38:06] You have to have time to let review them.

[38:09] There are some big differences in them.

[38:13] Definitely.

[38:14] But this is the grant that we got from the energy, the MEEI,

[38:21] to be able to do these energy audits.

[38:25] So it is funded by grant funding

[38:26] A

[38:32] couple of thoughts real quick. What is the total amount of the grant?

[38:41] The total amount of the grant is the

[38:47] exact amount but it's the 86,145.

[38:55] Well, my feeling on that after having reviewed the proposals, the responses to the RFQ,

[39:07] I like the Rouch proposal for several reasons, one, it is the most comprehensive.

[39:14] The more comprehensive of the two, the only thing I didn't see was an explicit scope statement,

[39:22] and what they're going to do, what they won't do.

[39:25] But other than that, we know route.

[39:30] We work with them almost, I won't say on a daily basis,

[39:35] at least monthly basis, with the comp plan.

[39:40] And frankly, we've worked with them

[39:42] with other projects, and David's worked with them extensively.

[39:47] So we can see in their packet that they

[39:49] did a lot of this work for other municipalities.

[39:52] And that's correct, mental agencies.

[39:53] So I mean, I would be, I would be in favor of, I'd recommend going with Roush.

[40:00] They are the only local.

[40:02] They're the only ones.

[40:03] Is that your recommendation?

[40:06] Yeah, that's fine with me too.

[40:09] I think Roush definitely has a bigger variety of, you know, stuff that they've done.

[40:16] Municipalities, but also like buildings and stuff.

[40:18] the way it seems like blue strike has just done a couple of municipalities or at

[40:23] least that's what they have listed anyway and you know it looks like Rouse

[40:27] definitely put a lot more time into their packet you know opposed to blue

[40:32] strike and so yeah I mean that's fine with me all right well I'm going to move

[40:39] that we accept our rouse engineering's bid to do the

[40:46] originally energy audit.

[40:48] I will second that.

[40:49] All in favor?

[40:50] Hi.

[40:52] All right.

[40:53] The only other thing when the agenda is public comment.

[41:01] You know, mine.

[41:06] Back again, you can talk about work on the development

[41:11] on Sunday morning.

[41:13] They were added yesterday, five minutes after eight.

[41:18] that I'm aware of. That's when I left my house and heard that whole moving crew hammering away.

[41:30] We talked to Hal and see if he can actually be here on Sunday morning to see exactly what time they start.

[41:39] Because he's the one that's going to sit on it.

[41:44] Yeah, I know Melissa talked to Miguel and it seems to have worked for one a month maybe and now they're back at it. Well, thank you, sir.

[41:56] I'll call out tomorrow and see if you can be here as soon as possible and just to kind of keep an eye on it.

[42:02] All right.

[42:05] Any other comments?

[42:08] Third call.

[42:09] Any other comments?

[42:11] I think Mr. Sear was there who

[42:15] does a pretty good job of what he does

[42:18] being a richly town commissioner.

[42:21] But he pays attention to the county commission, which

[42:23] too has been there for those meetings.

[42:26] So he's getting an overall view, which

[42:29] is more intricate than what we get right here just

[42:35] And it is an important thing about this data center.

[42:40] Some of the experts there have said they want to tax them if it helps.

[42:47] But they mean like you guys are doing good looking at this whole picture.

[42:52] And not a little picture of it.

[42:54] Because with darker it gets some better audio.

[42:59] well you know just uh yeah I've been to half a thousand meetings over the last

[43:06] three weeks you know with various organizations but tax

[43:13] benefits that's a

[43:16] gray area that's all I'm willing to say at this point it's not it's not

[43:22] That's simple, so straightforward.

[43:27] Yes.

[43:29] Oh, Roasterstein.

[43:30] I want to announce we've got an activity for young adults, kids,

[43:34] coming up.

[43:34] It's going to be a weekly chess club every third of the afternoon.

[43:39] It'll be next the fire station on churches

[43:41] right there at 201 Sunset.

[43:43] We can handle up to 12 students at a time, well, isn't it?

[43:48] Sun, right next to the firehouse.

[43:51] And it'll be at 4 o'clock.

[43:53] And we'd love to see as many kids as possible.

[43:57] What day did you say it starts?

[43:58] It'll start 4 o'clock.

[44:00] On what days?

[44:01] On Thursday, after minutes.

[44:03] If you could send that information,

[44:05] you might be able to get in on the town's website.

[44:08] I'd love to.

[44:09] Yeah, thank you.

[44:10] Thank you, guys.

[44:11] All right.

[44:12] Any other public comments?

[44:14] Looks like we're up for a motion.

[44:18] OK, motion to adjourn.

[44:20] I second that.

[44:22] All in favor?

[44:25] and I'm going to do the firehouse to the structure fire.

AUGUST 2026 TOWN MEETING

Transcript