St. Joseph residents hold meeting about proposed data center, aim to spread awareness

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- A  group of concerned Buchanan County residents gathered Saturday afternoon to spread awareness over a proposed AI data center in St. Joseph along Pickett Road.

Just a block away from where an AI data center is being proposed, Ellen Johnson and her family are rethinking their future in the neighborhood they recently called home.

"It's scary to think about raising our kids here," said Johnson, a Buchanan County resident who lives near Pickett Road.

Her husband first caught wind of the project through his work as an electrician.

"Noise pollution, light pollution, environmental pollution, we're not excited about that in our backyard."

Johnson is one of several local residents now mobilizing against the unannounced development.

Many say they were kept in the dark.

Cydney Byous, an organizer leading the effort, recalled how she first got involved.

"It was on Memorial Day, just as a family, kind of hanging out and stuff. One of the city council members and I drove over here, actually. We lived in the area here at the park. My mom stopped them at my house and asked if he knew anything about this."

According to Byous, the council member was "pretty hesitant to talk about it. Didn't really say yes or no. He just said, 'I really encourage you to come to this council meeting on the 26th.'"

That sense of secrecy has fueled growing outrage.

Byous described the planning process as "very secretive. Very, very."

For many, the proposal came as a complete shock, especially given local leaders' recent push to attract families and keep children in the school district.

"I was shocked whenever we heard that," Byous said. "The biggest push recently has been to encourage families to move here, to keep kids in the school district, to support the hospital and small businesses. I feel like this is the complete opposite. It's a huge turnoff to families."

The proposed location sits close to an elementary school, a fact that has parents like Johnson especially alarmed.

"To think that my kids can't go there because we don't want to live close to this region now, that's the opposite of what our community wants: keeping kids in the district, raising families here, keeping stable jobs."

While proponents may argue the data center could bring revenue to the area, residents are unconvinced.

"I just think there are a million different ways we could go about this that aren't as upsetting for citizens," Johnson said. "We can do without it. There are plenty of other places that aren't right in our backyard."

She also worries about the long-term financial issues.

"We're nervous about our property values. Nobody's going to want to move there. We'll never be able to sell our house."

A public Facebook group in St. Joseph has taken off, known as 'Say No to Data Centers St. Joe' and has drawn in over 1,800 members.

The group says that anybody interested in fighting the proposed center should reach out to elected officials and attend public meetings to let them know that "St. Joseph says No."