A much more civil tone was one of the highlights of this morning’s Morgan County board meeting, as commissioners approved a six month extension of a moratorium on data centers in the county.
The board voted unanimously to support the moratorium. Commissioner Michael Woods says the board needs to use the time to get more public input, conduct public meetings on the topic, and bring in experts to help Morgan County set the rules. Chairman Mike Wankel says the board will use the time to do more research and hear from the public. Wankel says the board still needs to know what direction is coming down from the state after the fall veto session next month.
The new wrinkle this morning came from Mike Woodyard, who has headed up a taxpayers watch committee for several years.
Woodyard is calling for, as he did in 2019, a five member county board, rather than a 3 member board. He says the open meetings act is less onerous for five member boards, rather than 3 member boards. He says one missing commissioner could delay inmportant action for the 3 member board.
Woodyard says it’s up to the county board to make the move.
Several people who spoke this morning in the law library at the courthouse supported the call for a change to a five member board, and in support of a six month moratorium.
Tabitha Cardin used her five minutes to criticize chairman Mike Wankel for property tax exemptions he has used in the past, and says there is little oversight when the county board also serves as the board of review on property assessments.
The board approved spending $18-thousand for the state’s attorney and appellate prosecutors office contract so that Gray Noll can use the office when needed.
The board approved the appointment of Alan Taylor and Connie Martin to the Meredosia Bluffs Rescue Squad District board.
And, commissioner Racer Wood says he’s been told the flashing lights on windmills in rural Morgan County should be adjusted by a software update that changes over the lights to be triggered by planes overhead. Wood says it should be done by the end of the month.