City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening and welcome to Monday, March 2nd, 2026, the city council meeting. Our invocation will be provided by Dan O'Neal. Please stand for the invocation and please remain standing for the pledge of allegiance. Please pray with me. Holy one, we gather tonight to address the needs and concerns of our community. May our discussion be guided by wisdom and our decisions be grounded in compassion. and let our actions be driven by a commitment to the well-being of all of our citizens. We appreciate the selfless leadership of our city council members and our mayor who have worked tirelessly to make our community a better place. Let us strive for unity and understanding as we move forward to build a brighter future for our hometown. In the name of our Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Amen. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Madam City clerk, please call the role. Council member Pierce. Pier. here. Council member Perkins here. Council member Stewart here. Council member McCandless here. Council member Wy here. Council member Bot here. Mayor Roland here. And next on the agenda is citizens request. Uh could I have a motion to allow not citizens to speak this evening? I'll make that motion. Thank you very much. Do we have a second? Second. Thank you. We got a motion in a second for non-residents to be able to speak this evening. Any discussion? Seeing none, Madam City clerk, please call the role. Council member Fears,

yes. Council member Perkins, yes. Council member Stewart, yes. Council member McCandless, yes. Council member Wy, yes. Council member VA, yes. Mayor Roland, yes.

First person to speak tonight is Jeremy Kenyan. Jeremy, please come forward and and speak and you'll have five minutes. And please state your name and address, please. My name is Jeremy Kenyon. I live at 1123 South Liberty Street here in Independence.

Mr. Mayor, members of the city council, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you tonight. I speak to you as a father of five beautiful children and a husband coming up on 20 years of marriage. I moved here to Independence 17 years ago. I've raised my kids here. We ride our bikes in our neighborhood. We play in our parks. We spend hours in our libraries. And we go to church here. All that to say that I'm very committed and motivated to keep my city safe. And I believe that you all want the same thing, too. I understand that the work that you do to try to balance the city's budget and allocate our tax money can be daunting. And after a while, the departments and the faces in those departments begin to fade away into dollar signs and opposing forces. I can confidently tell you though that the independent fire department is in fact not one of those opposing forces. They are men and women who have made sacrifices both mentally and physically to keep this city and every citizen in it safe. Whether in a mansion, a duplex, or sleeping in a makeshift camp next to the railroad tracks. And how do I know this? Because I've also been blessed to work as a professional firefighter for 22 years. For the first half of my career, I trusted these men and women with my family every time I left to work my shift in another city. But for the last 10 years, I've worked here side by side with some of the best firefighters, EMTs, and medics on the job. I have seen these men and women run into a house fully engulfed with flames because there's a chance that someone is still inside. I have seen them get covered in someone else's vomit and blood just because there's a 1% chance that we could save them. I've seen them bend but never break. We are family. We would gladly lay down our life for you, for each other, and for any other human that needs us to make that sacrifice. We made

a commitment, one that we will never break, one that we will never back down from. We train, we work out, we take classes. We are constantly doing what we can to be the best firefighters, EMTs, and medics because the citizens of this city deserve us to be. Now, I'd like to address some things that I've heard that need some clarification. Yes, our schedule's 24 hours on, 48 hours off, but that's not the reality. The overtime that we have been said to abuse. It's not guaranteed and it's not always optional. We can be ordered in, which means that if tomorrow is my 20th wedding anniversary or my daughter's 16th birthday, all of which will be this year. I can be told at 6:29 in the morning that I have to stay at work for another 24 hours. And I can't say no if I want to keep my job. Our plans are ruined. Another day without sleep. This is considered overtime. But does that sound like a benefit to you? And this happens because we're so understaffed to captains and drivers. This problem will not go away. I currently work four part-time jobs to support my family. We don't have cable or Disney Plus. We don't have a car made in the last 15 years. We cut our own hair most of the time. And the most expensive habit that I have is grabbing an energy drink every now and again just so I can stay awake. I was on Wick and I can still qualify for government assistance today. And I'm a captain. Imagine what one of my firefighters is having to do just to pay their bills. We aren't greedy. Unless by greedy you mean that I want to support my wife and kids, but I'd also like to be home on occasion to see them grow up. One last thing I'd like to address is that we don't deserve a raise because we don't have ambulances. First of all, we never ask to not have them. That's just how it's always been. But if there's any confusion, we are trained the same. We hold the same medical licenses and we oftentimes show up first at every major medical call in this city. Our ability,

our level of effort, and our knowledge base is equal in every way to every other department which has ambulances. In closing, retirement or death, that's the only two ways I'm leaving Independence Fire Department. I love this job. I love my brothers and sisters. I love making a positive impact on my neighbors lives. I love meeting the future of the fire service in their schools. I love solving problems, but I can't solve this one. Only you can. I've sat next to my brothers while we cried after a traumatic call. I've paced the hospital floor when my brother had to have surgery from getting burnt in a fire trying to save someone. I've spoke at my brother's funeral and the next funeral and the next funeral. But we made a commitment and we know the price that our commitment sometimes costs. Today, I'm asking you to join us in our commitment. Help us carry the flag for this city that we love. Help us keep our firefighters. Help us support our families. Help us finish our contract. Please help us. Thank you.

Thank you. And thanks for your service. Thank you for speaking and thank you for your service. I'm going to announce the next three people. So, if you may please line up so that we can be as brief or excuse me, not as brief but it quick with our time that we can. The next is Aaron Wilson, uh Michael Pollson, and Damon Miles. Those will be the three that speak. So be Aaron Wilson, Michael Pollson, and then Damon Miles. And if you're in the overflow room, then you can come on in.

Aaron Wilson, 19105 East Roxberry Lane. Good evening, Mayor and Council. Tonight, I want to speak about something bigger than a budget line. I want to speak about the future identity of the city of Independence. Our parks and recreation budget is approximately $8.7 million serving roughly $121,000 residents. That equates to $72 per person whether they utilize those services or not. That level of funding allows us to maintain what we have. It does not allow us to compete regionally. It does not allow us to transform. When you compare our structure to neighboring cities such as Liberty, Missouri, you see a measurable difference. Liberty serves approximately 56,000 residents, less than half our population. Their parks and recreation system operates with roughly $6.9 million in expenditures while generating approximately $7.1 million a year in revenue. On a per capita basis, Liberty invests about $123 per resident compared to our $72 per resident. They are investing nearly 70% more per person than we are. More importantly, their system is structured to cover its operating cost through memberships, tournaments, rentals, leagues, and programming. The difference is not population, it's structure. Now, let's look at our own numbers. Palmer Center generated $112,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2024 while incurring $428,000 in expenditures. The Sermon Center generated $124,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2025 while incurring $1.1 million in expenditures. Truman Memorial Building generated $34,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2025 while incurring $59,000 in expenditures. It's helpful to note that's moved to the tourism tourism side of parks and wreck now due to the uh

National Frontal Trails Museum. Other facilities show similar structural gaps. These facilities matter. They serve residents. They provide real community value. But they operate at a deficit. And it does not stop there. According to the historic sites revenue and expenditure report provided through a sunshine request I ordered, our historic assets are funded through the tourism fund via transient guest tax. The report makes the clear that the city does not receive operating revenue from these sites. These sites require maintenance, utilities, and capital repair. Yet, they do not generate offsetting revenue for the city. That means tourism revenue is subsidizing preservation. Tourism revenue is unpredictable. It rises and falls based on outside factors. Hotel occupancy fluctuates with regional events. Visitor activity shifts with economic conditions. Large anchors come and go. Travel patterns change. When occupancy rises, the tourism fund grows. When occupancy declines, the tourism tightens. But maintenance does not decline. Utilities do not decline. Capital repairs do not decline. Historic preservation costs remain steady even when tourism revenue does not. That is the structural challenge of relying on unpredictable revenue to fund fixed obligations. At the same time, we're asking for more. More youth leagues, more senior programming, indoor c indoor courts, destination playgrounds, expanded arts and cultural programming, facility upgrades. Programming requires staffing. Staffing requires payroll. Payroll requires revenue. We cannot not expand services on maintenance level funding while depending on unpredictable revenue streams. For years, independence has funded studies, hired consultants, and produced master plans. But a master plan without revenue is simply a document. You cannot build platinum level infrastructure on maintenance

level funding. If the city intends to move forward, two structural changes must occur. First, municipal revenue must be diversified. Second, parks and recreation must be intentionally structured to generate more of its own operating revenue. You have one minute, sir.

Residents have made it clear they do not support increasing taxes to fund expanded services. That's not criticism. That's clarity. Residents want improvement without additional household burden. That means leadership must respond with structural solutions. Maintenance is not a vision. It's a holding pattern. If Harry S. Truman is here standing here today, he would measure success by results delivered, not years served. The buck stops here. If we continue funding maintenance and calling it progress, we choose stagnation. If we build a broader and more stable financial foundation, we create momentum. The buck stops here. Let's move on from maintenance to platinum. Thank you. Next up is Michael Pollson. And then Damon Miles and then Andy Collins. Mr. Pollson, the floor is yours. Please proceed.

Michael Pollson. I live in Castle Woods. I've been an independence resident for about 10 years. Retired nurse of 40 years. advanced degrees in public health. I want to read to you an excerpt from a Reuters news bulletin that was put out December 3rd, 2025 regarding the particular business entity that you want to engage with. It's nebious or nebu. It's more nebulous than it is nebious to me. They have signed recent multi-billion dollar contracts with MA and Microsoft. These contracts have pushed their last listed NASDAQ worth 248% to 25 billion dollar. And these are the people that are asking for a 90 and 100% tax abatement so they can build one of the world's worst polluting businesses on the face of the earth. And I speak from experience because I've researched this. The research is limited because these s these buildings have not been around very long. The water and air pollution, it's there. The sound pollution, it's there. The return on investment to the city is a negative looking at it from a 10 or a 20-year factbased bias. I have given each of you a copy of what I sent to you on January 18th, 2026 that I've seen no responses from. And these are certainly things that I'm sure most of the people here are going to talk about. the power station. They're going to refurbish the power station to supply

all the power needs, but their excess power needs are coming from where? The grid. They don't have contracts for that yet. They haven't rebuilt the power station. And how much is that going to affect our bottom line? What contracts have you been considering to be considered or is this an effort in futility because you've signed the contracts and the asurances have been made? This what this community would like to know from the dis if it can be presented. Beside the tax break, the infrastructure costs are enormous for this type of a construction project. I too was a volunteer fireman for eight years and ran into building burnings building burning building sorry. So I understand a little bit of risk and I used to work with Dr. canalless because I would director of risk and quality for hospitals in the Kansas City area and health care is near and dear to me to my heart to my core as a nurse as a practicing nurse as a retired nurse the health issues related to this notwithstanding the enormous long-term revenue loss to the city and all the political subdivisions thereof are really not considered well by this body. I think I haven't seen it in writing or online or anywhere that there's been a lot of research into this. The data is there. It's there for everyone to see. I've seen it. A lot of these people have seen it. And I would just ask that all of these listed here at some point in time are addressed if in fact there is a reason to address them. Thank you. Thank you.

Okay, I've been a little patient with people applauding and things like that. I will not be as patient going forward. The rules of the chamber are this is a business meeting. It is not an auditorium. Yes. So signs are appropriate, the speakers are appropriate, but cheering for or against or booing someone or anything like that is not appropriate. So if we can continue on with a sense of decorum, I'd be incredibly grateful. I don't want to use the gavvel every time someone speaks. So if I could ask for your cooperation, I'd be incredibly grateful. It'll help us get through the meeting very a lot quicker. I So, we know there's people on both sides of this question. There's no question about that. But please, let's let's be respectful to folks on both sides of the question. Mr. Miles, the floor is yours.

Yes. And you also have three minutes because you spoke on this topic before.

I believe it's important. So, I'm speak on it again. I'm Damon Miles. I live here in Independence, 19305 East 5th Terrace Court North. I've lived in Independence for 25 years. I purchased a home here and my job in Lyuna and local 264 has given me a heck of a good life. And um I want to talk about the data centers and I want to talk about facts, not fears. There's people who's coming up here and reading magazines and says it's going to kill the birds, it's going to do this. I want to talk about the facts and as a city council, you guys have got to make the decisions on the facts. The first thing that is factual, this will provide jobs. Nobody can deny that this will provide jobs. And to make that clear, I'm going to ask that every union member in the room please stand up. And all the tradesmen stand up right now.

The simple fact is this will provide jobs. It's going to have concrete. It's going to have pipe fitters. It's going to have plumbers. It's going to have electricians. Not just that, these people are going to drive either live in Independence or drive to Independence. They're going to stop at our businesses. They're going to buy gas in in our city. They're going to buy breakfast in our city. They're going to buy food in our city. These are facts that this will provide jobs. Somebody told me, "Hey, these are only temporary jobs." I've been told that I've had a temporary job for 27 years now. It's been a pretty good temporary job. I'd like for somebody to compare their their their 401k or their pensions to these guys who's worked these temporary jobs doing construction because they get up every day. They go to work every day. They work themselves out of a job going to the next one. This is not a temporary job for construction workers. This is an opportunity for independence. The second lie they want to say is it's going to use up all of our water. This is not true. Independence provides more water than we know what to do with. Matter of fact, we wholesale our water to Raytown, to Kansas City, to Blue Springs, to Oak Grove. We wholesale water everywhere. This is an a loop that's going to stay in. I got one minute. This is a loop that's going to stay in. The water is there. The power this meets our obligation to the Southwest Power Pool. They're going to say this is terrible energy. It's going to provide better energy and cleaner energy than independence has had. And my most I'm just going to go jump to the most important fact is the fact is who in their right mind turns down a job that's over a hundred billion dollars? This is an opportunity if they do not build this p this data center here in Independence. They will build it somewhere else. I said it last week. If you don't believe me, the other side of the state line is dying to have the Chief Stadium. Independence cannot turn this down. We have to fight for it.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Next up is Andy Collins and then Daniel Gallipo and then Terry Martell. So Andy, you have five minutes and please state your name and address, please.

My name is Andy Collins. I live at 806 North Rapjo uh in Independence. I have been a longtime uh resident except for a couple years I was in high school in Fort Osage district. So we moved to get there and then I went to the Navy and spent six years in the Navy and then I have been a registered nurse now retired at 35 years. So thank you Paul. I wanted to say thank you. Um, I want to give you a quick history on Nebulus. And it actually started out as Yandex, which is a Russianmade uh company that that was equated with Google. Um, and it was a very large complex, but it had basically couldn't function on the stock exchange anymore when Russia uh evaded uh invaded uh Ukraine. So, the company of Nebulus that had been formed bought it and and they're in Amsterdam and they uh it became Neb Nebus Neb Ne Nebus whatever. Anyway, so they've been they're currently working on four or four units that are on uh in Europe at different places. One in pair in France and number of places and then they're building or have other uh data centers here in Missouri and um six other states in the United States. They've got a number of I I think it's seven different units altogether and we are um finding that nebulous Nebus while they've been in business since 84 or 24 I'm sorry um are just now still not

running into any profits and that's because they're they they do have good sales as far as that goes but they're spending an enormous amount of money and they're borrowing in it and they're in a lot of debt. But that's okay because uh they also had a contract with Google, I believe, to uh help provide some money so they can keep bit going. But I kind of have a feeling that if they were to collapse, Google's going to take that. So anyway, um they're not profitable and haven't been profitable basically since the day they uh came online. Uh, and we have uh a lot of other uh data centers here in the Kansas City area. What I find is we have 28 of them throughout the Kansas City area. Uh, and we have the large the largest data center currently is in is owned by Meta and it's a called Hyper Iion in Louis and and it's in Louisiana and it's using 2 point or 2.0 zero gigab watts of power which is a little bit uh and then then Colossus one and two is also uh that is in Memphis Tennessee that is owned by uh Google I believe but anyway they're both going to be using two gigawatts now we're scheduled to work uh with Nebus and get enough power for them and they're only right now thinking they're going to need 800 megawws to start out with. Well, 800 megawws is a lot of power and you're going to have to find a way to meet that. Plus, with these other units that they intend to build, and I'm sure they will, um, they're going to go up to a Tig 2 megawatt or two gigawatts. That's a it's

a lot of outlay. If they're going to pay for it, great. If we're paying for it, not so great. Um you have one minute sir.

Okay. Thank you. Um Nebus is a small fish in a big pond of um mega corporations. Uh Nvidia, ASW, Google, Microsoft, uh X XR1 or I think it's XR1 anyway. uh and Coreweave, which is just taking a pounding lately because they're also in the same boat with spending way more money than they're taking in, which none of the big companies that are building these are making any money. If you don't make money, how are you going to pay taxes? How are you going to have to be able to pay out to what you're committed to pay, which supposedly is, you know, millions of dollars over time? I I don't see it until they become productive. And I don't think they're going to be in business much after that because there's so many companies out there building processing uh information. Thank you for letting me speak.

Thank you. Now, next up is Daniel Galpin and then Terry Martell.

Daniel Gallipo. I live at 2812 Cedar Crest Drive in Independence. Um, good evening, Mr. Mayor, council members. I stand before you today with two titles. One, as an longtime Independence resident, taxpayer, loving husband, and father of seven wonderful children who are currently or have gone through the independent school district. I am also a local labor representative for the heat and frost insulators local 27, also located in Independence. I am one of the ones involved in our outreach programs and take pride in talking to our youth about the benefits of union apprentichip programs. A project like this creates opportunities for construction apprenticeships to expand membership, meaning more career opportunities for residents on the front end of the project as well as opportunities for employment at both facilities, the data center and the IPNL expansion upon completion. A project like this could have a lasting impact for Independence residents for generations. From paychecks to pensions, we can argue all night about the what-ifs with a closed loop water system or the energy consumption. The fact is the area was zoned for industrial in 2022. You can uh I like I like this quote and I apologize, but you don't fall in love with a view you don't own. As a resident and as a local representative, I encourage you to move forward with this project. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Terry Martell. And Terry, you have five minutes.

Good evening, Mr. Mayor and City Council. My name is Terry Martell and I live at 13704 East 39th Street South in Independence. As you know, I have had the opportunity to work with many of you by being on several committees within the city. I feel that I've gotten a lot more in-depth look at how our city government works and and the constraints placed upon it. I would like to say that I appreciate everything that our current city government is trying to do for this city. I am saddened by the disrespect that you have been shown. I think that you have gone above and beyond to keep our citizens apprised of going on going on within the city to the extent that you're legally able to do so. I am in favor of the data center wholeheartedly as I can see its benefit to the overall city. Failure to allow this project to proceed will continue to keep our city in a deficit. By volunteering on the city committees, I gained insight into what our citizens want. And wouldn't it be nice to be able to have a community center or or adventure oasis without having to have bonds to pay for it? Or even to be able to reestablish our bus system and improve our infrastructure without having to bond it out. I believe Nebius is committed to being a good neighbor. They have been upfront when quite honestly they didn't have to. After all, it's their name on the line just like the cities. I feel that the interim city manager, city staff, city council, and IPL have worked hard to keep the city safe. I think that we must think of the good of the overall city in the way we approach this decision. I know that it weighs heavily on each of you. You're never going to make everyone happy. When change or progress is concerned, people are often reluctant to accept it,

latching on to the whatifs and negatives instead of embracing the positives and possibilities. I urge you to do what is in the best interest of our city as a whole and invest in our future. Thank you. Next up will be Daniel Morehead, then Griffin Harnesses Clark, and then Maggie Robinson. And Daniel Morehead, you have three minutes, please.

Point of order. Last time I spoke, I was just on the data center. This is on the chapter 100 abatements. Yeah, I don't I won't use the full five, but yeah, you've got five minutes. I want to be respectful of time. Thank you, sir.

Um, Daniel Morhead, Bllye Road resident. Uh, I live above the foreignowned Nebia data center site. I've appreciated the opportunity, by the way, to speak with each of you and learn civic engagement, even if it hasn't been the way I expected. I also say speaking to some of you directly has helped me understand the challenges you each face as you represent me as a citizen. I stand ask excuse me I stand to ask you for a no vote or at the very minimum a delay on this chapter 100 agreement with foreign nibbius. I've read all the materials available to me and reviewed the facts. I remain unconvinced a yes vote will protect the citizens you represent. This proposal asks the public to carry substantial risk for speculative return. First, this is not a standard data center. It is a hypers scale AI facility requiring extraordinary power generation. That means more energy demand, more heat, more noise, and long-term environmental impact in a valley where residents live today. There is no long-term body of evidence proving the or proving the downstream effects of this scale of AI infrastructure on surrounding communities. We are just now learning on these things. We're being asked to accept unknown outcomes. Second, the tax abatement structure shifts risk away from the non US-owned Nebius and onto local taxpayers. When public resources are committed at this magnitude, citizens deserve meaningful skin in the game from the developer, not theoretical upside tied to projections. Third, governance history matters to whom much is given, much more is required. Our school carry our schools carry heavy debt. Public institutions have struggled to manage existing financial burdens across the city. Before granting new incentive structures, there must be clear mechanisms,

clear mechanisms that ensure debt reduction and taxpayer relief, not expanded obligations on those cities. If you proceed, at a minimum, I ask for three provisions. Lower the tax abatement so this foreign ownius carries greater financial exposure. require uh any entity receiving funds tied to this project to reduce outstanding debt and proportionately reduce property tax levies. Establish a funded escrow mechanism for documented uh property value loss, health impacts, or other measurable harms so citizens are not forced to absorb damage before they are heard. This vote is not an abstract. It affects residential property values, cost of living, and quality of life. Citizens will remember how you balance city growth against citizen citizen stewardship. They'll remember whether risk was imposed on them without enforcable protection. At minimum, slow down, strengthen the citizen safeguards, protect the people who already live here. But for the citizens sake, and for God's sake, vote no. Thank you. Thank you,

Griffin. Harness Clark and then next up is Maggie Robinson and Maggie come on up close to the dis so we're ready to go or close to the podium please proceed and you've got five minutes and please state your address please. My name is Griffin Harnesses Clark. I live in 2548 Tamqua Ridge Drive. I've been a citizen born and raised in Independence for 20 years. Lived the rest of the five in Los Angeles. And boy, I got to tell you, I'm glad to be back. Good lord. Please vote no. I beg you. I'm going to give you that free advice. These companies have been lying to people all across the United States. They find these country rubes that think, "Oh, we're not going to do anything and we'll have an easy way to get a bunch of money, get some tax-free abatements, and then they deal with the poison. They deal with the higher bills. They deal with everything else." They come with a big prize. They come saying, "Oh, we're going to let you know about everything. we're going to tell you everything and be transparent. Even though so far on every FAQ I haven't heard anything concrete and if we have it's been a fact that is either judged and lied about or it's been something that's related to the Finland Institution which is several times smaller and runs on green energy. I mean for God's sakes we're talking about four to five years of construction in a heavy forested area. Afterwards, we're going to be dealing with 80 dB at the property line, which is the equivalent of a large highway. And the highways quiet down at night. These don't. The jobs that are going to be coming in, and I'm not just talking about the contract jobs, which great, please make your money. I beg you. But the jobs that are supposed to be coming in are going to be specialized. These servers aren't something that you can go in with a hammer and suddenly discover how to invent the nuclear bomb. This is serious. Takes serious education. It takes university time. I believe some of you are tech enthusiasts or work in the tech industry. You know that

the water treatment system I have great faith in. However, this closed loop system when the water evaporates it builds up everything over time. This is for the University of Michigan. If it fails, which you can't say nothing can't fail. We all remember the Titanic that is going to be released into the little little blue water bed. I don't think that's a great idea. Look at the citizens here who are concerned, who want change, and who want something different. There is a minority of people, I can assure you, who want this to go forward. They have their good reasons. But in the future when things go wrong, when this company which is not profitable and it will never be profitable, people are constantly predicting the AI bubble is going to burst. This is per Forbes and they know a lot more than I do. We will have nothing. I believe at the first city council meeting where this was discussed, we talked about how a previous institution had left us with the bill. This will happen again. Forgive me. I care very deeply about this city. I grew up here. I've enjoyed that clean, fresh water. I've enjoyed a safe place to grow up and be raised in. I would like the same thing to happen to my children and to the other children that are sitting in this chamber that are waiting for their turn to speak. And I just have to tell you, this isn't going to end with this vote. Regardless of what you choose, there will be citizen resistance. We are going to be out here. Uh, you will not be seeing the last of me. You will not be seeing the last of Missy. You sure won't be seeing the last of Rachel. And you sure won't be seeing the last of the city of independence about this issue.

So, please consider the will of your constituents, how energized they are, and how they're not jazzed to be dealing with this institution. Thank you so much for your time. Have a great rest of your evening. Vote correctly.

Next up is Maggie Robinson. And after Maggie is Dominic Ciro and Jean Goss or Y. So Maggie Robinson, you've got three minutes, please.

Good evening. Thank you for allowing me to speak tonight. My name is Maggie Robinson. I live in the second district in Eastern Independence. I speak tonight in opposition of the tax abatement for the Nebia Status Center project. Holding a vote one month before the city elections seems rushed and improper given all three of the current city council members may not retain their seat. One for sure. There's also an a perception of impropriy with this vote when one council member is married to a member of the independent school board who stands to profit handsomely from this endeavor. Sunshine request information has been delayed until after this vote and questions provided to the city on February 12th still have not been answered. In the recent study session, Mayor Roland stated this would be passed on along immediately as soon as Nebius answered the questions, but this has not happened. In a previous meeting, it was stated the land in question brought in only $2,200 of tax revenue annually. This implies to me the land was taxed at agricultural rates as opposed to commercial industrial. The attorney for Nebus stated that as soon as the land was purchased, but also stated as part of the pre-aggreement to the purchase, the top layer of soil was scraped to no longer make it farmland. I don't believe that's how taxation works. And it's my understanding this land is still categorized on the tax roles as agricultural land. That implies the land was farmland during the sale and therefore Missouri statute 442.560 would apply as Missouri is above the 1% threshold of foreignowned farmland. Likewise, at the most recent study session, Mr. Coulter also stated that cyphius does not apply um as Lake City is more than one mile

away. This may be true. However, what was not stated was that as of December 9th, 2024, part two of appendix A to 31 CFR part 802 included Whiteitman Air Force Base to the list of most sensitive military installations extending the jurisdiction of CPHAS to 100 miles. Whiteitman Air Force Base is approximately 68.3 miles from Independence. Therefore, CPHAS requirements do apply to this foreignowned data center. Um, pardon me. You have one minute, ma'am.

Okay. When is enough enough? A current breakdown of data centers show that China has approximately 550, the Netherlands 298, Israel 68, Russia 251. We have 5,427 with more to come. This data center is not an operational need for this community. It's a systemic corporate greed. Anytime NDAs are signed, civil servants cease to to look at the best interest of their constituents and serve the best interest of corporations. I urge you to look past the projected dollar signs of a project not fully designed and into the eyes and hearts of your residents whose quality of life is at risk. Please don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. the likely contaminated, scarce, and more costly bathwater. I beg you to vote no on this abatement. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Dominic Ciro and then Jean Goss.

Mayor Council, thank you. Uh Don Circo, 24400 East Strode Road, 2.5 miles is where I live from the site. Um I've been a local 533 pipe fitter for going on 20 years. I understand some of the concerns of the community, but the Independence Powerhouse was in operation in 1980, I think, probably a long time before a lot of these residents lived there. And I can guarantee you there are less health risk with this data center than a coal burning powerhouse that's been oper in operation from 1980 to 2020. I've been out at uh Panasonic battery plant for the last two and a half years uh as a general foreman running 36 in closed loop chilled water system. It is very safe, very highly regulated by the EPA and we work very closely with the city before we send any of the flush water back to water treatment plant. And then after that flush is done, the system will be closed and it will run on its own just the evaporation and makeup water. So please vote yes. Thank you.

Thank you. Jean Goss, then Rachel Gonzalez, and then Mary Fisel.

Good evening. My name is Jean Goss. I live at 1970 East 14th Street North and I've been a resident of Independence for about seven years. I attended the last council meeting and I felt compelled to speak tonight because there's a couple things I would like you to consider as well. some of which have been already expressed. But technology infrastructure is a moving target. Every day there's new stories popping up about opportunities for data centers in different locations. And in many of them, just as we are here, people are asking for the companies and the government entities to slow down and truly evaluate their impact instead of rushing into partnerships. in at least four different states. I read about in the last week, communities are asking leaders to just think for a few minutes before entering into these arrangements arrangements with their long-term repercussions. Please don't be the last community to put residents first. In my computing life, in 1996, I bought this great big desktop computer and 10 years later, my pocket has a phone in it that will do the same thing. The tax incentives you're planning to approve tonight, or at least thinking about approving, will most likely outlive this project as technology continues to advance. What are we going to do when the company doesn't need it anymore and we have sacrificed our land, our water, and our wildlife to its construction with not a lot to show for it, but some now empty buildings. Second, a lot has been touted about their commitment to education and providing opportunities for Fort and ISD students and I am with those folks every day and I appreciate these dollars can rep can provide us with a lot of things that we need. But if this company is the caring community partner they aspire to be, it would be just as appropriate for them to pay their entire tax bill like I do. I'm an educator and I pay my whole

bill. um why don't they? If Nebus truly wants to be a community partner and they are a billion-dollar company, they can pay their fair share from the very beginning. Third, there's been some claims that the company will be a good neighbor if the project soarses or fails, that they'll monitor water quality and noise and safety of neighborhoods, and if the worst happens, they'll restore the site or at least resto restore it to an empty building zoo. I don't believe that we have the ability to really hold them to those commitments. I know in our neighborhood we've had struggles with that with contractors who haven't lived up to what they said they would do. If we can't make those small contractors live up to it, how do we have the necessary human and functional capacity to compel again a multi-billion dollar global corporation to live up to theirs? Progress is difficult. There's always chances to stop and reflect before you take action. Tonight, you have the possibility to really decide who you are for your residents or others who may still gain if we lose. I would like you to ask yourself, just because we can do this thing, does it really mean we should? I would ask you to vote in favor of looking for sustainable partnerships, people who want to truly partner in terms of their whole tax dollars in our community, who have our vested interest at heart, not a get-rich idea that benefits the builders on the front end for sure, which I'm happy for, but those the cities will also have to hire to tear it all down on the back. Thank you.

Thank you,

Rachel Gonzalez. and then Mary Fisel and Rachel, you have three minutes, please.

Great. Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Rachel Gonzalez, and I am a resident of Independence. I'm here tonight because I love my neighbors, people who trusted the city to see them, hear them, and show up for them. Some of you made commitments to visit the homes on BL Road, but you haven't. Um, and when those visits don't happen, it sends a message that the promise of future revenue from the data center matters more than the people you were elected to represent. I haven't slept more than two hours at a time in months because I've been trying to do what I believe that the city should be doing, informing neighbors, answering questions, and helping people understand what's happening to their lives and their homes. Have you stood in Howard and Mary's home and seen the construction from their living room? They raised their children there. They believed that they would stay there forever. Have you met their neighbor, Dawn, who is newer to the neighborhood, but has already grown to love her neighbors? Have you talked with Lisa Garrett and her son Kirby on Bllye Road? Kirby is in law school building his future right there in that neighborhood. Have you met Daniel who lives on the hill on Bllye Road with his wife and children? His land isn't just property. It is sacred ground. Have you visited the church on Bllye Road and and seen how many residents at it has served for years? Have you met Jessica, the beekeeper on Bllye, who is now worried about whether she'll have to relocate her bees? And have you spoken with Greg, an Eastern Independence resident who built this home specifically to accommodate his disabled daughter, but now he fears that he will have to move. Have you talked to Monica on Bunchu, a

realtor who understands exactly what this project will do to her home and to its property values? These aren't just hypotheticals. These aren't just numbers on a spreadsheet. These are real people with real histories, real fears, and real stakes. And at the end of the day, your decisions don't just approve projects. They shape lives. And all we're asking for is that you truly see the people with the consequences long after this vote is over. Thank you. Yeah.

Next up is Meritt Fisel and then Rudy Gonzalez and then Michael Bottoms Chavez. Excuse me. Rudy. Rudy Chavez. And I know better Rudy, so please forgive me. All right, Mary, please proceed.

Hi. Um, thank you councel for allowing me to come up and speak. I wanted to show you a poster I made here. I've got four of our key migratory species that come through Missouri every year. Four species I love being able to see and I know a bunch of other people do as well, including our hummingbirds, which are only here in America. So, with that being said, there are so many risks involved with this chapter 100. Um, and it obviously it covers the environmental factors and all of the other whatifs that people have brought forward. But have we truly established what happens with this chapter 100? That means that the city will be locked into a chapter 100 agreement for 20 years. We don't get to just pull that away from Nebus and say we don't want you anymore. There's due process that has to be involved with that. We cannot just kick them out. They on the other hand can dip whenever they want to because there is nothing that's going to hold that company stable here for any reason because right here I have a direct quote from the co-founder of Nebius in regards to the 17.4 up to 19 billion deal from Microsoft. It says the Microsoft deal put us on the next level of what we can afford to build for the rest of the customers. Meaning they do not have the funding without those big contracts from companies like Meta and like Microsoft. So once those hypers scale companies start building out their own facilities and start having their own things to run their own data, what says that they need to keep those contracts going with Nebius? So that's five years that maybe we can guarantee something. Five years that maybe we can

have these set jobs and all this income. But what happens after that? What happens when they sell out? What happens in 20 years? We don't know because AI is everchanging and evolving. And with that being said, if McCandless, you have worked in uh doctor's offices, I apologize. You can talk policy, we can't talk personalities.

Okay. It just comes with uh many governments, many hospitals, many people have used Linux. In 2024, it was discovered a massive backdoor hack that was on Linux on a new version that was about to launch which would have compromised millions of devices and sensitive data. That's not something that I really want to be locked into for 20 years if whoever comes into this facility or if Nebia sells out and gives it to another one. My other concern is if they do leave after five years, what funding are we going to have after that? What teachers are going to be the ones to tell their students, "Sorry, this program does not exist anymore because we don't have the funding anymore." And what makes them say that they're going to cut those new programs? They're probably going to go after the programs like the music, the arts departments, the afterchool clubs that already are underfunded. Who says that they are going to guarantee that these children are not going to get all their hopes up for a few years just to have them let back down? The other thing is, is this infrastructure even going to be sound? In the pictures I saw of the examples of these buildings, I'm seeing these big, beautiful open windows. Are are we aware that just in the last two years we have had 235 tornadoes in the state of Missouri? Two of which in the last five years went through the little blue valley and down Truman Road. Does Nebus have plans if their data center gets hit by a massive tornado? Because if they are not running 247 able to keep up with the companies, they're losing profits. They're losing their money.

You have one minute, ma'am. Okay, so that we talk about safe chemicals. I use Purex Naturals. Um, that's my detergent. I looked in there. There is one chemical methyliz. I don't know how to pronounce it, but it is a powerful synthetic bioide and preservative used in personal care products and household items to prevent microbial growth. Could be one of those chemicals used in the water that is banned in the UK and Canada for health risks. Um, so in closing, I would just like to say that whether or not you are for or against this, being locked into this agreement for 20 years is not the best move. I do not want to be a guinea pig city for a billionaire company that relies on wellestablished companies to be able to get these things done. like not only are we destroying this farmland, but we have thousands of square feet within cave systems that would have been much better for this type of a project. Um, I propose a

and your time's expired. Okay. Sorry. Thank you. Please vote. No. Thank you.

Thank you. Rudy Chavez and then after Rudy is Michael Bottoms and then Gretchen Sheiley. Mr. Good evening, Mr. Mayor, ladies and gentlemen of the city council. First and foremost, thank you for your public service. I'm Rudy Chavez of 5108 Downey Avenue right here in Independence, Missouri. I speak with you as a retired journeyman wireman. Currently, I work in workforce development. I speak to you I'm not here to debate anybody on anything. I speak to you about a little uh story about Independent School District. They invite me to speak to their seniors each year to talk about construction trades careers. I was there two weeks ago. We talked a little bit about the opportunities looking forward being able to get in an apprenticeship, do your five years apprenticeship and continue to be able to work and make money for your family. Having shared that, this project absolutely would deliver opportunities for high school graduates and residents of this city. I've heard tonight talk about jobs not being very long-term. I can tell you in my experience, past 30 years, I've worked in a number of data centers. We don't just build them, we continue to work in them because chips are always changing. The technology is always changing. I share this because the opportunities are abundant. I would request that you vote in support of these tax incentives. I thank you so much for all your efforts. God bless you.

Thank you. Next up is Next up is Michael Bottoms and then Gretchen Sheiley. And Michael, you have five minutes and please state your address. Thank you. My name is Michael Bottoms. I'm at 7237 Charlotte in Kansas City. I'm a non-resident, but I am affected by this issue.

Sorry about that. Better. Yeah, I will deal with it. The world does not need another AI data center. I've been in the information technology and data center infrastructure sector for about 20 years. Um MIT professor Marvin Minsky was quoted as saying that we are within three to eight years of building a computer with comparable intelligence to an average human in 1970. We're hearing the same from Sam Alman and Dario Amade and other relevant people in the industry. And it is just as true today as it was then. The funding of AI infrastructure accounted for well over 70% of GDP growth in 2025 and more than 50% of venture capital investment. Yet no AI company has ever shown a profit. This is an industry entirely propped up by baseless speculation, endless media hype, and unimaginable unimaginable amounts of debt. Over the next few years, as those debts become due, this bubble will pop. Funding will disappear as financial institutions face a crash that dwarfs those of the dotcom or subprime crisis. Cities and citizens will be left to figure out how to salvage the remnants of that collapse. But what use does the city of independence have for such a facility? A number of people have compared this to other data centers in in the state, in the country, elsewhere. But I think it's important to note that this type of facility is not suitable for repurposing for standard data center infrastructure. This facility will only be good for LLM processing, for AI processing, and would have to be entirely gutted and rebuilt from the ground up to serve standard data data center infrastructure.

So, nobody will do it. They'll just build a new data center. It's cheaper. So, what contingencies exist to mitigate the risk of jumping on this dangerously overcrowded bandwagon? We're told that this project can't be built if they're expected to pay property taxes as assessed. So, if the companies building these facilities can't afford the costs, then how can we expect anyone else to productively use them in the future? The world does not need another AI data center. And if the city of Independence invests in building one, then all they'll be left with is a huge abandoned building awaiting the next mega church. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Next up is Gretchen Sheiley. And then after that is Marissa Perez. And you have five minutes. And please state your address, please. Name and address, please. Thank you.

Hi. Thank you for having me. Uh my name is Gretchen Sheiley and I'm a 22year resident in the Osage Village neighborhood of Independence. Um, this is where my husband and I chose to raise our family. Our two children learn to ride their bikes on the Little Blue Trail, and we frequently spend family time walking the trail. I drive by the data center build site almost daily, if not multiple times each day. I'm here to urge you to please vote no on the Nebia tax abatement. There are many concerning issues surrounding this proposed data center. At first glance, this proposal may sound like economic development. It may sound like progress, but when we look closely at the real costs, the financial, the environmental, and the health communitywide costs, it becomes clear that it's not an investment in our future. It's in fact a liability. This deal asks our community to give up 90% of the tax revenue that should support our local schools, roads, emergency services, and public resources. And in the return, we're offer offered minimal uh minimal, excuse me, minimal long-term contract jobs, limited local investments, and little to no meaningful revenue for 20 years. This is not a fair exchange. It's a burden you're trying to place on our community. Uh and the cost is just not financial. It's environmental and deeply personal for each independence resident. This project puts our water supply at serious risks. Data centers consume enormous amounts of water for cooling, placing long-term strain on an already limited resource. The city council's been less than transparent regarding uh the water usage, this beast of a data center, including that it would only take about a million gallons of water when in fact it'll really take a minimum of a million

gallons of water for each 200 megawws of the 1.2 2 gawatt data center. Based on information provided by both Nebius and the city, we could expect that the data center would use maybe six million gallons of water just for an initial fill. Then it would require additional water for yearly refills. This is a heavy burden placed on our community. and that that's just the water usage not even taking into account the likely contamination of our water resources. Uh beyond depletion there's also the risk of contamination. If our water is compromised the consequences will be not be temporary. They will affect our families, our farms and future generations. Communities near large-scale data center developments have reported increases of 60% in rare cancer diagnosis, higher rates of miscarriage, kidney disease, and rising respiratory illnesses among many other health risks. Whether from air pollution, chemical exposure, or environmental degradation, these are not minor concerns. They are lifealtering, life-threatening realities. No economic proposal should ask a community to gamble with its health. As a teacher and a parent, I see great risk with allowing such a massive build with fully yet unknown health consequences that'll be located in such close proximity to so many schools. None of you at the town hall at the church were able to say that there were no health risks associated with proximity to a data center. But somehow you're okay with putting the youth of independence at risk for seven hours a day for the 283ish days they will spend inside school buildings in close proximity to this proposed data center site. Yes, this is a liability for independence.

The Little Blue Trace is a muchloved trail along the Little Blue River with a thriving ecosystem that includes a nesting pair of bald eagles. Their nest is within eyeshot, earshot, and a stones throw from the build site. You have one minute, ma'am.

Thank you. I've seen these bald eagles for at least the five past five years as my family and I ride or walk the trails. The noise and light pollution in of this data center will emit will most certainly disrupt this returning pair of national treasures. 80 dB constantly will run a lot more than just the Eagles out of independence. I'm afraid the concerns that uh deserve more re research and consideration prior to approval, the lack of public discourse surrounding this project, the NDAs that were signed, the Russian rooted andrun company setting up just a mile from Lake City ammunition, the nesting pair of bald eagles, uh the water usage, the inherent health risks for those nearby, the environmental risk that this data center imposes, and the underhanded way the council has felt appropriate to approach this project are enough red flags to make any levelheaded individual pause and at minimum seek out more data and more information before proceeding.

I urge you to vote no. Thank you.

Next up is Marissa Perez and then Reena

Sartine. Good evening. My name is Marissa Perez. I live at 1213 North Swope Drive. I have been an resident and born and raised in Independence for 28 years now. I currently work at the data center up at in Kansas City. I've been there for two years as an apprentice for Local 264. Um I will say that the wildlife up there is thriving. There's no harm to it. Um, it's created many jobs for many of us in the union as well as it's created a better living for my sons. I have two sons that are six and three. It's benefited us very well and it'll continue to benefit jobs for our union as well. So, I encourage you to vote yes. Reena Sartine and then Jack Dorman and then Jackie Dorman and then Len Baker.

Hi, I'm Reena Sartine. I'm an independent resident. Um I'm an independent resident. My name is Reena Sartine. I um thought a lot I've thought for weeks actually on what I might want to say. Um, I I've had family in Independence my whole life. They still live here. I went to kindergarten here, moved away, Blue Springs, Lee Summit, and came back to Independence in 2006, purchased a house in Fairmont. Well, 2008 things crashed. And about that time uh the tax abatement came about for um homes and we uh took advantage of that. My poor husband planted, you know, there were required two bushes, maybe two trees. I don't recall before we left. I'm sure we planted at least 20 trees, more shrubs, more flowers. And in 20 um 25 we sold that house and we moved to uh Chrysler. So we still reside in Independence and plan to stay here. Uh plan I don't plan to leave until I'm I go underground. But everyone here has been so eloquent in what they've said and I that's where I just didn't quite know where to start. So, I just decided that I want you to know that I'm against the data center. I urge you to vote against it. And I believe that this particular vote um will be your litmus test. Will you value a foreign entity whose

sole purpose is to suck up our valuable resources in this lovely city? Or will you value your constituents with their pleas? And there are many pleas for their homes, for their families, for their health, their well-being, wildlife, and our environment. So I ask, what will your legacy be? And I urge you to vote no. Next up, next up is Lyn Baker and then Jackie Dorman, if you can line up behind Lynn Baker, I'd be grateful.

Good evening, everyone. Uh, thank you for allowing me to speak. I'm also a constituent. I'm in District 2 of uh, this city and I am urging you to vote yes and I'm going to give you my reasons why. In 1971 when I arrived in Independence, my students parents were working at established industries, Armco Steel, the lead Chevrolet plant, the Alice Chalmer's plant. The students were also very excited about the building of the new Independence Chamber Mall. These factories are gone and the independent center seems to be on a downhill slide. We do not have the industries or shopping to provide the revenue to our city. we once had. We are not a city with excessive money and we do not have the industries or shopping areas to draw in additional city revenue. We are also in the first spring of suburbia. That means as our city structure and housing ages, people with financial resources move to the new more modern facilities. Investors want to build their buildings and shops in places where cities uh citizens have a large amount of disposable income to spend. Have you been to Lee Summit lately? It's booming. The years of growth for independence were after World War II and generally into the 70s when people were leaving the city of Kansas City, Missouri. If you examine the other suburbs in the first tier, you will find Raytown, Hickman Mills, and then the center school district. We do not want to become like our neighboring school district, Hickman Mills, who is currently fighting to keep the accreditation they regained a couple of years ago with millions of dollars of debt. The extensive background

information that I've researched about data centers informs us that the electrical, water, and sound issues for so many people are uh disappointed and fighting against are really not true for this structure. Data centers will provide their own electricity. The water system will be looped so as not to utilize a great amount of as great amount of water. There will be no extra charges for the use of our uh our utilities and the latest generation of data centers will not produce the noise that previous ones have. When I was working with the chamber um in Independence, we visited West De Moine, Iowa. They are a thriving city because they have welcomed several data centers to their area. We cannot allow this golden opportunity to escape us. this country, this company will go to another city and that city will reap the financial benefits. The little blue valley uh little blue river valley was set aside as a center for industrial development and we should continue to focus on that area to grow grow the revenue for the city. If new revenue cannot be found, it appears our city will have to raise taxes to continue the services we currently enjoy. In closing, I'd like to leave you with this thought. We absolutely need to do what is best for this city if we are going to continue to be a place where other people want to live. Thank you so much. Next up is Jackie Dorman. And then after Jackie is Dylan James, Cody Boston, and Erica Schrader. I hope I've said that right. Erica. Jackie. The floor is yours, and you have

five minutes. And please state your address, please.

I am Jackie Dorman, 23310 East Road. I am um coming to speak to you today. Um, and I wanted to start off with a quote from Harry Truman because I think maybe it will um, reflect on kind of our history. I knew that if I this these are in the words of Harry Truman. I knew that if I could only get to the facts to the people, they would do the right thing in their own interest. The response to this data center has been um, felt rushed, argumentative um, and has come with a lot of um, emotion. Um, I w did have the opportunity of attending the Southwest Independent Community Improvements meeting. Um, and someone in that meeting stood up and said, this is the general point that they made, but they said, I'm going to take a different approach to this because it has been so argumentative. Um, I want you to reflect on those people that are living on BL road or in that immediate area or have these concerns. And if you were in their shoes and you were feeling this concern um whether you are completely accurate that it's fully safe, it will be fine for our children. You've been planning this for a long period of time based on attending that meeting and the citizens have been left behind and not informed. Um so I'm hoping and after that was said the temperature kind of cooled in the meeting and there was more understanding. I think that um we need to look at this from the different perspectives and listen to both sides. Um the meetings regarding the data center often feel like you're trying to justify

legally how you can do this. We're your citizens. We want you to take care of us. We want to join you. I feel like the group that lives right there should have been brought in from the very very beginning. I was a project manager previously. One of the things you do is you bring the person in that's going to have the greatest concerns and bring up the biggest issues. You don't bring in just the people that are going to support it. Um so um with that being said um we've had multiple excuses that are it's we don't have any control because it's private property. It was changed to light industrial. We then ch scraped the dirt off before Nebas purchased it. Lake City contaminates more than anything else. There are times that as a community we need to have this rush pushed on us. We're not in a wartime. Lake City was developed. It produces the most small ammunition in our area. Was built at a time they didn't even understand the contaminants that could happen. And the people who moved there primarily knew what they were moving into. Um, as someone who is also a former uh wife, now widow of an independence police officer and a member of loggers, um, it seems very disconnected when, and I understand that we need this money. I don't think anyone in this room doesn't understand that independence needs money, but there's a better way to get to um, doing that money. And it just seems so disconnected when we're watching money being spent and even the plans for Nebas and after this money all comes in of these large things you're going to do when we don't take care of the people first. I had a minister say that you could tell what um someone values by looking at their checkbook. Right now for the city of independence, it appears that we value tearing down buildings, possibly building other

buildings, not paying our firefighters or getting to the table and making um the their unions and contracts. Um you have one minute, ma'am.

Okay. Um, and as far as the 90% abatement goes, and many people here have said this, so I won't say a lot, but um, we have also observed that the tiffs, and I understand we're in an environment in an area that gives tiffs, so this is normal, but these tiffs often leave us with not as much money as we should get. We need a cash infusion now. And um I know that one of the attorneys stated that long-term this gives the city more money. Cash is king. I used to work in investments and the money at the front end would have been far better to get this um city back on its feet. Um I do appreciate and hope and pray that these union workers will actually get these jobs and that they it will bring money into the Kansas City area. I pray that this these funds will be used to support the firefighters and provide them with an income that they don't feel that they need to take on three additional jobs. I hope that

and your time's expired. Okay. Thank you. So, thank you.

Next up is Dylan James and then Cody Boston. Good evening. Dylan James, resident of Bllye Road with my family. Independence. Noun. The state or condition of being free from outside control, influence or reliance on others. Self-reliance, autonomy, and the power to make decisions that prioritize one's own long-term well-being over temporary external promises. Dear residents of Independence, Missouri, tonight we stand at a crossroads that could forever alter the fabric of our beloved community. And I implore you to consider the devastating long-term consequences of granting these Chapter 100 tax abatements to Debius for their massive AI data center. This isn't just about a shiny new facility promising fleeting construction jobs. It's corporate welfare at its worst. handing over billions in potential tax revenue up to six billion foregone that could transform our schools, repair our crumbling roads, especially the one on BL right now, and bolster essential services for our families. All while residents shoulder the burden of skyrocketing utility costs from the strain on our power grid and the reopening of an old closed down power plant. In the long run, this deal will hollow

out our city's soul, prioritizing a foreign tech giants profits over our children's education in and our environment's health, leaving us with noise pollution, massive water consumption, and an automated behemoth that employs few locals. but extracts endlessly from our resources. We deserve better than scraps from the nebious table. Vote no and invest in a future where independence truly means self reliance for all of us, not just the powerful few. I hope you choose to live up to the great name of our city. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Cody Boston and then Erica Sweder. Okay. And Cody, you have five minutes. And please state your name and address.

My name is Cody Boston. I'm a resident of Kansas City, Missouri. And though I live 30 minutes away, the decision you make tonight will impact me and my neighbors just as it will everyone else in this room. These massive data centers and the AI they fuel have implications far beyond the independent city limits. I'm sure many of you have children and I'm sure you're looking forward to meeting their children someday, too. I know your arguments in favor of this project are rooted in wanting a better life for them here in Independence. But I beg you to consider the consequences beyond that because it leaves your children worse off. The power plant slated to provide the massive amount of energy this center will require will run entirely off of natural gas, a known fossil fuel, an emitter of greenhouse gases, primarily methane, which is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The climate crisis is not regulated to some faroff place far in the future either. It is here and it's impacting us in the Midwest now. Right now it looks like 70 degree days in February or a winter storm in 2021, winter storm Yuri that caused our gas bills to skyrocket. Um but in the future all global scientists are in unison and saying it will end up with a unlivable planet. You claim the city of independence takes on no debt through this deal. But these data centers across the country are plunging us into a debt of guaranteed warming we cannot afford. None of you up there will pay it. But I will and your children will when we're trapped on a planet without water, without safe places to live, without clean air to breathe.

There are much more immediate impacts in the surrounding area as well. A gas fired plant in Wisconsin of a very similar size was just studied and is projected to cause 200 premature deaths and hundred million dollar and health care $100 million in health care costs per year. It's also been found that living in a zip code of a gas fired plant results in 11 15 and 17% increases in hospitalizations for asthma, ARRI and COPD respectively. This power plant will be within five miles of multiple schools. There are children in this room. There are children in this room who will be put in the immediate proximity of these balloons. I hope you look them in the eyes before you make your decision. Please vote no. That's the end of my written speech, so I'm going to be off the dome for this one. Um but um there are no adults in the room when it comes to regulating AI right now. On a federal level, on a state level, it's here. You guys are the front line. City councils all across the US are the front line against this wave of tech investment that many have said is a bubble about to burst um for a technology that is being used very poorly right now. I'm sure it has benefits in some facets, but Elon Musk's Gro is producing child pornography on X, formerly known as Twitter. Meta and Microsoft have accepted contracts with DHS to allow surveillance of anti-ICE protesters or anyone saying things that this administration disagrees with. And the department of war is strong arming anthropic to allow

them to bypass their safety protocols that limit domestic mass surveillance and automated autonomous killing. You have one minute sir.

Thank you. And Nbius and all that kind of technology could be coming out of this data center. Nebius just rents their capacity that just rents their computing power, rents their racks to these other entities. So, please vote no. Don't give six million billion dollars to a$26 billion company um to hope that three billionaire tech bros in a trench coat don't uh ruin the world. Thank you. We are gonna, if I may, I hate to do this to you, but we're going to call for about a fivem minute break and then we'll start back. Well, you look sad. I'll give you yours and then we'll

You got to me. The eyes got to me. Thank you. So, just just give me that. My daughter does that and she gets her way, too. So, thank you. So, thank you. We have to feed our dogs, so we got to get home. Okay, very good.

My name is Erica. You pronounced my last name correctly, Suer. I am a resident of Kansas City, but I live across the street from Independence, so you all are my neighbors. I wanted to focus tonight on one issue that means a lot to me, and you could probably guess what it is when I tell you that one of my role models is Steve Irwin. He's also my birthday twin. tonight. He would probably want people to speak up for the environment and animals. And so I will because they can't. When we talk about development, we often reduce the environmental impact to whether trees are cut down. But wildlife is affected by much more than that. It's affected by noise, light, constant activity, and by changes to surroundings that may seem small to us, but they're significant to the animals that live here. Much like the hummingbirds that the young woman was speaking about earlier, a data center operates around the clock, meaning that ongoing mechanical sound, whether it be the hum of cooling systems or equipment running day and night, the vehicles coming and going, all of that sound blends into the background for us. But it changes the natural quiet that birds and small animals such as bats depend on. Many species like bats rely on sound to communicate, to find mates, to detect danger, and to care for their young. When the soundsscape shifts, their behavior shifts, too. Over time, some species simply stop nesting or foraging in the area. Lighting is another concern. Facilities like this are typically brightly lit overnight. Artificial light changes natural patterns that wildlife have followed for generations. Birds can become disoriented and nocturnal animals alter their feeding habits. Insects gather around artificial light instead of pollinating plants. And these disruptions may not be dramatic to us in a single moment, but these small things accumulate into huge things over time. Wildlife does not need a dramatic event to be affected. This gradual constant disturbance that this building will

bring can be just as impactful as visible destruction. When animals are repeatedly exposed to noise, light, and human activity, they move on. And when they leave, the balance of the local ecosystem has shifted. Fewer birds means more insects like those mosquitoes that we hate on the summer. Fewer birds mean more insects, but they also mean disruption of pollinators. And that means fewer healthy plants and crops. And Missouri loves our crops. We love our farmland and we love our farmers. We need to take care of our our pollinators. And by allowing this AI data center to exist, we are ruining our opportunity to have healthy animals, ecosystems, and farmlands. Even in areas that feel developed, wildlife still exists. It's adapting. It's nesting. It's migrating and surviving quietly alongside us. Like the trees and the weeds that grow out of the concrete. No matter what you do to try and destroy the environment, it always finds a way to come back. It is stronger than us. It makes the rules. We are at the mercy of the earth. It does not belong to us. We are merely guests. So, we should take it into consideration when we make these large decisions. This is not about resisting growth. It's about recognizing that wildlife is part of our community, too. If we choose to move forward, we should do so with meaningful safeguards, thoughtful lighting plans, strong noise mitigation, and ongoing environmental oversight. Protecting biodiversity is not an abstract ideal. It is part of maintaining a healthy, balanced place to live. Please consider your neighbors. Please consider the animals. Please consider the ecosystem. I encourage you to vote no. We deserve to have something nice in the metro area. And something nice is not another giant building

that's going to fall into disrepair and cost us endless amounts of money to fix. I'm thinking of the Gateway Project in Mission. That's been an empty plot with the parking garage since I was in elementary school, I believe. You have one minute, ma'am. Thank you. I'm thinking of the old movie theater, the old next to the H high across the street, the old gourdman's, all of this stuff. We have all of this crap out and about. This AI system, this building will just be another blight in the community. instead. Let's get some more green space and let's take care of our people that are here. Thank you for allowing me this time.

All right, we have 7:33 there. I Well, it's now 7:34. So, we'll come back at uh we'll make it six minutes. 7:40 will be back in the chamber and Micah Self and then Sarah Hemi will be next. So, Micelf and Sarah Hemmy and we'll start at 7:40. Thank you.

That sounds smarter than me. How are you

doing? Good. Yourself? Hey, how you doing? If we can gather our seats, we can get started.

Thank you,

Micah. The Micah Self, the floor is yours. Please state your name and address, please. My name is Micah Self. I live at 3 East 38th Street in Kansas City, Missouri. So, I do live in Kansas City and not in Independence. And I've only lived in Missouri for about three and a half years. Before that, I lived in Kansas. Uh, but since I've lived in Missouri, we've legalized uh recreational weed. We very recently legalized gambling. And both of these were with the promise that they would help fund our state and our schools. As of yet, I've not seen any of these realized. Similarly, someone mentioned how the uh they mentioned sports teams traveling across um Kansas of course got the new deal with the Chiefs and they're hoping that that will help fund them. Um my question is we saw the Chiefs go from being be frank a very bad team to being one of the greatest teams to where everyone hates them. uh they won three Super Bowls in five years. And yet, even with them being such a great team, the city, I don't believe saw a very significant increase in these deals. So, we have all these these deals that we say will help fund things. Um and my question is when will we actually just start funding our schools directly and not relying on indirect methods? Similarly, when would these benefits be realized? the payments for this project um when they start paying 10% of their uh the taxes wouldn't start until 2027 and the project if completed on time which large construction projects are of course known to do finish uh it would be in 2029. What guarantee do we have that AI as an industry will continue its growth three years in the future? People have mentioned how it's a bubble is propped up by our president's flip-flopping policies and tech companies gifts or better word would be bribes to earn his favor so that he cuts them deals and they can continue to see their revenue go up. We should not be

putting our cities, sorry, your cities and Kansas City as well, our fate in the hands of something so unstable. Another two questions that I have that it feels like we don't even talk about are do we even want AI? Uh, I used to work with young children who had autism and I can tell you that they love AI slop and it is disheartening to see parents use phones, iPads, and these tools to try and just give their kids something to do. Um, are we protecting our children when we help AI companies do things like this? And the other question is why aren't we helping billionaires? Over and over again, we see billionaires holding things that we love over our heads. Whether it's our sports teams, our housing, our jobs, or our schools, they use our passion, our livelihood, and our community to force us to bend to their will. I'm here to say that we are reaching the point where we cannot serve them any longer. This room, while we are divided in our opinions, is full of people who are desperate for a better future. We want jobs. We want better housing. We want communities that we love and are a part of. And everyday people like the ones in this room are struggling while AI companies and their billionaires are seeing their own wealth skyrocket. So why are we helping them? I ask you to please put citizens first and do not help fund this data center. I encourage you to please vote no. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Next up is Sarah Hemi and then Russell Gray. Russell if you can come up be close and then uh Savannah Savannah Park is next after that. So Sarah, the floor is yours.

Thank you. Um like I said, my name is Sarah. I live at 11:01 Park Avenue in Kansas City and I'm here in solidarity with our Independence neighbors. Although this project is located in the city of independence, the tax abatements under consideration tonight reduce revenue from multiple countywide and regional taxing jurisdictions. This is not just an independence decision. It carries financial consequences for residents across Jackson County. Schools, libraries, mental health services, and other shared public institutions listed in this plan rely on property tax revenue. When that revenue is reduced by design, the obligation does not disappear. It is shifted. It is absorbed elsewhere. And often it is is it is absorbed by residents who had no vote and no representation in this decision. That is a serious governance issue. Economic development should not be structured in a way that spreads public cost beyond the jurisdiction making the deal, especially at this scale. This agreement locks in long-term tax concessions, relies on projections rather than guarantees, and limits the city's leverage once approved. The public assumes risk immediately. The promised revenue depends on full buildout and continued performance over decades. No one is arguing against growth. The issue is whether this council is negotiating from a position of strength or giving away more than is necessary. Once these abatements are granted, they cannot be easily undone. This decision deserves far more caution, stronger protections, and better terms than what is currently before you. I ask you to vote no on chapter 100 for Nebas. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Russell Gray and then Savannah Park.

Hello, my name is Russell Gray. I live at 3702 Warwick Boulevard in Kansas City. Um even though I don't live in Independence like others have said, this data center impacts the entire region and it will affect me in Kansas City as well. Um and there's two main parts of this that I want to highlight. The first is the uh power plant that's going to be built specifically to power this AI data center. Um we've heard already it's a 1200 megawatt gas fired uh power plant. So, I'm sure many people in this room are have already heard the statistic, but it's worth repeating to really get a sense of just how insanely huge this project is going to be. So, for reference, in 2024, the entire city of Independence used just under 1,000 gawatt hours of electricity. So, that's for a year-long demand, you have to take the amount of electricity and then combine it with the amount of time. So, just under 1,000 gawatt hours for independence. the Nebius data center, which will have a max capacity of 1,100 megawatts. If you multiply that by its use factor, roughly 80% for these large data centers, and then across all of the hours of the year, it will use roughly 7,700 gawatt hours. So that's more than seven times as much energy as the entire city of Independence. Absolutely insane amount of energy requirement for this data center. Now when we bu when ind if independence does build this gas fired power plant as others have said the health harms will be massive. We're talking about maybe more than a hundred million dollars in health care costs per year. Hundreds of premature deaths due to air pollution, asthma, COPD as has already been mentioned. Um another thing I want to highlight about this gas fired power plant is that it is basically being used as the justification for why independence rate payers will not be on the hook for a rate increase. This gas fired power plant is being promised to be built within two years. But because of the demand for gas fired power fueled by the AI buildout, there's now a five

to sevenyear backlog on gas fired turbines. So that means that unless this power plant has already put in or orders for gas turbines, which I believe is unlikely, then it won't be until 2031 at the absolute earliest that this gas fired power plant will come online. In the interim, independents will be forced to purchase seven times as much energy off of the wholesale market. To imagine that that's not going to impact rateayers and independents is absolutely insane. Um in in addition um I also want to highlight something that other people have been talking about which is the injustice of giving tax breaks to billionaires when so many people are suffering. I see people in Kansas City who are struggling to make ends meet. cost of living is increasing and yet as others have noticed a uh as others have pointed out profits for AI tech billionaires are through the roof. We currently live in the wealthiest nation in human history. The fact that there are people who are struggling to put food on the table, struggling to pay their electricity costs is absolutely not right. And the reason that that is happening is because the wealth in this country is being hoarded by the ultra rich. Those ultra rich are the same people who are trying to come into independence, steal your resources, give you pennies on the dollar of what they should be paying for taxes, and leave all the independence residents on the hook to clean up the pollution, to deal with the noise pollution. It's absolutely not right. And even though these these problems sound abstract, this is where the rubber meets the road. When city councils like Independence agree to give away all of this tax money to billionaires, this is what perpetuates inequality. This is what allows the rich to keep getting richer and leaves the common people behind. So for these reasons, I am urging you to vote no on this tax abatement for Nebius. It's a disaster for the community, a disaster for the environment, a disaster for for residents and independents. And I want to say one other thing. You have to be

blind and deaf to not see that the entire city of Independence is against this data center. You just have to look around this room to see how much energy there is. If you vote no or if you vote for these tax abatements for Nebius, you'll be revealing yourselves to not be serving the people, but to be serving big tech billionaires. But I want to also say that I know people in independence are not going to stop after this. There will be a ballot initiative if you all vote yes, and that people will have their voice heard at the end of the day.

Vote no on chapter 100. Thank you. Next up is Savannah Park and then Molina Engel I believe it is Monica Engel and then Neil Carneahan if you can come up close to the dis that'd be extremely grateful. Savannah please proceed.

Good afternoon my name is Savannah. I live in the northern part of Blue Springs along I7. The location of this projected data center is within six miles of where I live. Unfortunately for me, since I do not reside within independence boundaries, my ability to voice my opinions electorally are limited. However, that appears to be the case even for people who do live here. These kinds of decisions are made behind closed doors, prioritizing the interests of those who have monetary stake in such projects. The land was purchased in December of 2025 by Nebius for the projected project. Before the purchase of this land, the public was not informed on the nature of this project and the resource costs the community would have to pay. Independence residents largely found out about the project after the deal had already been done. Even now, regardless of the ill attempts to present to the community that you are open to discussion, that does not matter anymore as the conversation was never had when it was most important. And the community has had to fight for the for itself in the face of those who claim to represent them. This is not what democracy looks like, even if the words on a legal document claim it. So, thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Monica Engel and then Neil Carneahan and then Rosemary Gaston. So, come on up. Monica, the floor is yours. Hello, mayor and council members. My name is Monica Engel. I live in Eastern Independence. When I stood before you two weeks ago, we also have three minutes. I'm sorry. Thank you.

When I stood before you two weeks ago, I said we had many unanswered questions. We still do. Tonight, I'll focus on one central question, and that is why is this project being rushed? From the beginning, this has moved forward without meaningful community input. We've been told that this is private property and residents have no say, but this is the largest project the city has ever seen. And suggesting that the people that live there shouldn't have a voice in it is not just dismissive, it's disrespectful. We've also been told you have no legal power to stop it. That simply isn't true. Nebas's own attorney stated here just last week that if this Chapter 100 bond does not go through, that this project will not proceed as currently planned. You do have leverage. You do not have to approve a 90% tax abatement. You do not have to allow a new power plant for a private development. You do not have to treat this as inevitable. So why this rush before there is a finalized site plan, before a general election that could change the makeup of this council, and while the city is selecting a new city manager, the very person who should be overseeing a project of this size? Why should seven people get to lock in a generational decision whose consequences will be borne by the entire community? Why are we being asked to believe that one development will fix years of budget challenges? If our city needs financial reform, shouldn't that come responsible governance, not from granting a long-term tax abatement, hoping the projections hold? Why our residents only showed the highlight reel? Jobs, revenue, growth, with little acknowledgement of risk. At a recentformational meeting, a gentleman asked why it felt like he had just sat through a time share presentation, and that felt uncomfortably accurate. It's just a shame there wasn't a discounted vacation offered at the end of it. residents who residents who ask questions are being portrayed as irrational, reckless, and anti-progress. This is just disappointing and frankly inaccurate. Many of us are not anti-growth. We are asking for transparency, accountability, and due diligence before a generational commitment is made. This facility is not

being built in the middle of nowhere. It is near homes, a river, a trail, wildlife habitat, and schools. The potential impacts to our property values, our water, our ecosystem, our long-term health, and protected wildlife like our bald eagles are not imaginary fears. They are reasonable concerns and they should be addressed. Caring about our community does not make us obstructionists. It makes us invested stakeholders. If this project is truly good for independence, it will still be good after a finalized site plan, after the general election, and once a new city manager is in place. But once this vote is taken, there is no undue button. So, can you all say there is zero risk, zero potential potential of unintended consequences? Will any of you vote no or vote to delay until the public has fully been heard and the details are clear? Because if this turns out to be a mistake, it won't be you who lives with it every day. It will be the people who call this community home. We deserve thoughtful deliberation, full transparency, and respectful dialogue, not rushed decisions and dismissive narratives. Thank you. Next up is Neil Carneahan and then Rosemary

Gaston and then Kelly Jakes. Thank you, Neil. The floor is yours.

Thank you. Uh Neil Carneahan. I live on Mitten Road in New Town Harmony. I was born in Independence. I moved back with my wife and baby a few years ago. I left work early to be here tonight. my wife uh she suffers from MS and our child has special needs. So, believe me when I say I'm needed elsewhere tonight, but I wanted to be here to tell the council to vote no on chapter 100 for the data center. The council is voting tonight on whether or not to give this billion dollar foreign company a 90% tax break for 20 years. That's a $150 billion tax break. While our property taxes increase every single year without fail,

this council wouldn't even consider for a second giving any resident one day of that kind of property tax break. Not one day of a property tax break. But this billion dollar foreign company might get it for two decades. They could easily pay it and more. Emissions from this data center cause breathing issues and permanent deaths for those living nearby. According to a new report from Fox News and CBS News, when the city was asked about long-term health impacts, we were told that that's a question for the foreign company to answer. No, it's not. It's our job. It's uh our city's job to do its due diligence to make sure this is safe for us, not the foreign company who doesn't care. and a yes vote tonight. That means city doesn't care about us either. How about that? I was told personally by assistant city manager Charles Dissle that they quote don't anticipate any water pollution end of quote, but they don't know that. They can't prove it. No studies been done. I read an article uh an interview by Mr. Mayor here. He said that he was quote skeptical of the plan at first, but is confident that it won't have uh major negative environmental or fin or financial impact on the city after hearing more from the company. Oh, okay. The foreign company said all is well, so it must be true, guys, right? I mean, the foreign company that only stands to gain from taking advantage of our town, our resources, our finances, our citizens health. So, it must be okay. That's like asking the fox how to take care of the hen house. These data centers use millions of gallons of water and an excess of electricity in a very short amount of time. As the other gentleman point out, the other place isn't going to be ready. So that means our bills are going to go up. Demand on resources go up. Supply

remains the same. Prices sore, guys. Economics 101. It's happening all over the country with these data centers. try to find a place that's like, "Yay, we have a data center. You won't find one." Look, I live in a new development, but who would want to move there now? And we wouldn't be able to sell our house and move away with this giant resource sucking monstrosity because who would buy our place? The property value is going to tank. And I get the the construction jobs, but that is a temporary job. And property values tanking for life ruins people's lives. Okay, look. The only people that want this are involved in the government somehow. That's fishy. Um, you represent us, the residents, not some billion dollar foreign company, not workers who are going to come in from outside of the city, and certainly not government employees professional aspirations for their department. It's time to start acting like it. We don't want this. Vote no tonight and be done with it. And there's more people here that don't want it than do. Thank you. Hello, my name is Rosemary Gustin and I'm a resident of Independence in District 3. I live less than three miles from the data center building site. As part of the data data center opposition, the answers we've received from the city have been non-answers. The responses point back to Nebus. Yet the city is moving forward to vote without all the facts. Why is this being pushed through so quickly? This seems to be getting rammed through with a swiftness you don't normally see in city government operations. We haven't seen the long-term studies. My biggest concern is how the data center will affect my family's health. Data centers are well known for creating noise, light, and air pollution. Those in support of the data center moving

forward seem to be content to let this process move forward and have a wait and see attitude. They're happy to wait and see how it affects the health of our families. Wait and see what happens with our water supply and wait and see what happens to our property values. I'm not content to wait and see. My youngest child has already defeated cancer once and I'm not willing to gamble with his health. I'm not willing to gamble with the health of any of my children. I'm devastated that our elective elected officials are willing to risk our health for their bottom line. If the data center moves forward, expect an exodus of citizens from Independence for those fortunate enough to be able to move. My family moved to Independence in November 2025. We don't have the luxury of being able to pick up and move. We will be the data center guinea pigs. We may be the ones you'll look upon with pity and say, "Oh, if only we knew then what we know now." If this moves forward, I hope you can live with your decision. I hope that our families will not become a statistic in a health journal about the long-term effects of living near a data center. You can't say you didn't know when you didn't ask. My second biggest concern is water usage. According to UN News, our planet has now moved from a global water crisis into a water bankruptcy. Water is a human right. In 2023, all of Meta's data centers worldwide guzzled about 1.4 billion gallons of water. Of that 1.4 billion gallons, about 672 million gallons came from local water sources. The process to extract the water is permanent. Data centers are taking water from local communities and depleting local water supply. Nebius has indicated the use of a closed loop cooling system with an annual replenishment of approximately 20% of the water volume. I have read that the use of a closed loop cooling system is an effective way for data centers to lower water usage, but 20% is still a significant amount of

water, 200,000 gallons every year. And those are the conservative numbers listed on Neb Nebus's website. In addition, a closed loop system requires the use of forever chemicals. What's the plan to dispose of that water? What if the chemicals contaminate our water other water sources? If independence is so hard up for money, why are we giving yet another billion dollar company yet another tax break? All said, we don't have the answers to approve a tax abatement that would provide billions in tax breaks. Ask yourselves, would I be willing to live next to this data center? Would I be willing to gamble my health, my children's health, my clean drinking water? Stand up and tell these billionaires to take their data center somewhere else. We don't want it. Take a stand. Do right by the residents of independence and vote no. Thank you for your time.

Next is Kelly Jakes, then Carly Ringer. Renegger, I hope. and then Terry Home Flicker. So, uh, Kelly, please proceed. I just want to clarify. Is it Jabs? Kelly Jabs from Buckner. Yeah, that is. That's me. Thank you.

I want to thank you guys for hearing me. I am from Buckner and I appreciate that you opened that vote. Um, also I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Kelly Jebs and I currently live in Buckner, Missouri. I am a lifelong resident of Independence. However, um my husband and I are raising our son on land. We're very close to the data center. We're just outside of the city reach to have a meaningful vote and impact on that. Um so I want to come to you tonight to advocate for the risks for our children. I want to advocate for the risks that aren't being said out loud. And I also want you to know that I've seen work that you've done. When I look at each of you personally, I know some of the initiatives you've championed. I know people know you and I also see something in you that I think is valuable even though I disagree with where we're at here today. Okay. So, my parents raised me on the west side of independence. The west side, as we all know, changed over time and moved east. My parents were staunch in their belief systems. They grew up, they raised us um with the understanding that neighbors mattered. We grew up on one of the poorest streets in Independence and my parents served on neighborhood councils. One of the things that I want to highlight today is how we change this for the better for our future neighborhood councils. My parents were also active in the earliest church at the Mount Washington U branch. That's where we come from. Um people like my family witnessed our poverty becoming a barrier to where we couldn't afford what was on the east side. I grew up and I learned um early on that friends were not allowed to come to my home because of where I lived. I grew up understanding that there needed to be effort put into that side of the city and wonderful efforts were put into that side of the city. Um those efforts of 12 blocks west um the efforts of caring people to pour into the lives of people who no longer had a seat at the table that was taken from them. People cared and they gave that seat back to them. The insult that I bring here today is

that we saw that happen. Things moved east and now the east is failing. For decades, city city leadership has made decisions and courted deals that brought failure. We no longer shine like the city we once did. And frankly, we don't trust that this council has the ability to effectively close this mega deal in a way that the community wins. I'm really concerned about that. Um so, you know, just a few things that pop up. um federal investigations, tax funds being diverted um from where they're supposed to go to the general fund, disregulated I um IPL bills, high dollar contracts going to family members, um family involved in city leadership for decades. Um and then not to mention the biggest one, the blight, the unfinished deals up and down the strip of independence, unfinished deals, empty spaces, things that were promised and not fulfilled. and most recently $30 million for the city hall. You're telling us that we need this. You're telling us that we have to save the city and this is the only way to do it. And what I want to come here to say today and say is that it is on your backs to choose to do the right thing for independence here tonight. It is not our fault that the city is in this position. We have been taxed. We have worked here for the city and we have paid our dues. The city has done things that have brought them to this position and the solving of that is not a data center that as people said have enduring generational impacts. That is not the solution. I come here thinking about the people on Bllye Road and Bunchu and the properties around their homes are going to lose unsustainable value. They are not going to have the opportunity to move because nobody's going to want to buy that. They're not going to want that. They have paid, sweated, bled and poured their lives into those homes. And most importantly, you have an opportunity before you to stand up for some of the most vulnerable of our community. And that is where I come

today as a mother for our children. Okay? This is labeled as a data center. It is a hyperscale data center. If you've seen pictures, you know that whole area is going to be thrming with EMF. It's going to be thrming here really quick. Oh, I'm fast. Okay. All right. So, I want to remind everybody that we elected you to a sacred duty of protecting our children. Um, can I clear? Do I have five minutes? Okay. Got one minute left.

All right. All right. So, um, making wealthier wealthy by choosing a data center that traffics in social media. I heard somebody say earlier some of the negative impacts of of AI and social media. And yet, we're bringing that into our very own community. You were elected to find industry that's healthy, safe, and lucrative for our city. This is not it. And you have to do better. And we want that. You did not bring this to a vote of the people. The vote people deserve to vote on what impacts them forever. They deserve a seat and a voice at the table. The opposition group has grown to 3,000 people. That is half of the amount of people who turned out in your last vote. Half. Prudence says, "Bring those people to the table. There is wisdom here. Task them with finding industry. Do better. You were elected and now show us what you can do." I think there's hope for independence and I hope that we're going to see you bring people to the table and change this for the good. You have an option tonight to leave a legacy that is pure, that puts independence first. Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up is Carly Ritinger. Ridinger. And then hold on, we want to get Terry Hinger Hullinger. Okay. And then Stephie Robinson will be a third up. So Please forgive the interruption. The floor is yours.

My name is Carly Ritinger. I am a resident of Bllye Road. My husband and I were both born and raised in Independence, Missouri. And we chose to stay here. We chose to build our life here because this is our community. Two and a half years ago, we purchased our home on Bllye Road with the intention of creating a homestead and eventually building another property for our future family. We invested our life savings into that land, not just financially, but emotionally. It represented stability. It represented roots. It represented the kind of life we want to raise our children in within a strong and healthy community. Every home on our street sits on acreage. That is not accidental. The people who live on BL road chose that setting intentionally. We chose space. We chose privacy. We chose to build long-term lives here. Many of us share the same goal of creating something sustainable for our families. Whether that means gardening small livestock, raising children with room to roam, or simply preserving a quiet, rural environment, we chose the outskirts of independence for a reason. We wanted dark skies. We wanted quiet. We wanted clean air. We wanted the ability to step outside and hear wildlife, not industrial noise. What we did not know was that plans for the hypers scale data center less than a mile from our homes were already in motion. A hyperscale data center is not a small office building. It is a massive industrialcale operation designed to run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, consuming significant amounts of electricity and water to power and cool its systems. That kind of development fundamentally changes the character of the surrounding areas. Since we purchased our property, three additional homes have been sold or built on our street. New neighbors moved in with the same vision we had, some with small children. All of us believing we were making a smart long-term investment in what is traditionally the most stable asset a family can own, their home. I first learned about this

project in the fall from someone who works for the city. I almost didn't believe it. It was hard to comprehend that something of this magnitude could be planned so close to residential acreage without clear and direct communication to the people who would be most affected. To this day, many residents only found out in the last couple of weeks, and now we are left with uncertainty. We do not know what the constant industrial hum from a hyperscale data center will sound like at night. We do not know how the round how roundthe-clock operations will change the environment we deliberately moved into. We do not know how the increased energy demand and massive water consumption required for cooling will impact our local resources over time. We do not know what prolonged exposure to that kind of industrial presence means for our health and for the health of the children who will grow up within half a mile of this facility. Environmental impact is not theoretical. Increased energy use means strain on infrastructure. Significant water usage affects supply and sustainability. Noise pollution affects sleep and stress levels. Light pollution changes ecosystems. Wildlife pattern shift. There's an eagle's nest that you all know of that it has existed in that area for years. Once these changes happen, they are not easily reversed. We chose this land because it felt removed from heavy industrial development, because it felt safe. Because it felt healthy, because it felt like the right place to grow our family and contribute to our community. If property values decline, we do not have the luxury of simply absorbing that loss. We are not corporations with diversified portfolios. We are families. For many of us, our home is our largest investment. If values drop, we are effectively trapped. We either stay and absorb a potential loss of tens of thousands of dollars or we leave at a financial disadvantage. That is not a small consequence. We are discussing the possibility of offering tax incentives to a foreign corporation while small businesses and independents are struggling to stay afloat. Local storefronts sit empty. Entrepreneurs who

have poured their lives into this community are barely holding on. Why would we subsidize a corporation that does not have deep roots here while our own community businesses struggle to survive? You have one minute.

I come into this discussion with a background in education and in real estate. I understand the importance of growth. I understand long-term investment and development, but not all growth strengthens a community. Some growth shifts risk onto the very people who already live there. My husband and I do not want to leave our home. We chose independence intentionally. But if this project moves forward as planned, we will have to seriously consider whether staying makes sense for our future family. And I know our neighbors are having similar conversations. You are not just voting on a development project. You are voting on the future of this community. You are voting on the environment our children will grow up in. And you are voting on whether the residents who already invested here come first. I am asking you to slow this down, to require full transparency, to demand thorough environmental review, to protect the community that trusted you to protect it in return. Growth should strengthen our community, not divide it. Please choose the families of independence. Thank you.

Next up is Terry and then Stephanie Robinson. Good evening, Mayor. Thank you. Members of the city council. My name is Can you hear me? You might want to move the microphone and then move in closer to it if you can.

Okay. Good evening, mayor, members of the city council. My name is Terry Holfflicker and I'm a longtime resident of Independence. Pardon my voice tonight. I use inhalers and I already have COPD. Um, I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you tonight. I'm speaking just to let you know my strong opposition to the proposed data center on Bllye Road. As a resident living only a mile away, as the eagle flies, I am deeply concerned about the impact this development will have on our community community's quality of life. A few years ago, my husband and I experienced firsthand how disruptive, unregulated excavation can be when a neighbor's three-year project caused significant runoff, constant dust and noise. We were unable to enjoy our property, to even host a simple outdoor gathering, losing the peace we had maintained and enjoyed for over 25 years. We only found relief after seeking legal counsel which confirmed to us that citizens have a right a reasonable quality of life to a reasonable quality of life expectation in guard regarding their environment. Zoning laws exist to protect these rights by separating residential areas from incompatible industrial uses. These regulations provide framework that balances development with public health safety and yes, property value protection. By you allowing a project of this nature so close to our homes, not to mention schools, which have been mentioned, you are disregarding the very protections

that ensure citizens can live without constant exposure to noise, pollution, and much more. My husband and I are retirees who worked at Lake City for decades. Our home is our sanctuary and we believe all citizens should be afforded the same expectations of stability and peace in their neighborhoods. I do not believe any of you or view would choose to live next to this development and it is disappointing to see the interest of your constituents disregarded in such a manner especially not this particular dis but recent years have proved independent city leaders not to be the best decision makers regarding progress and financial stewardship. I think these are important topics to discuss before taking on such a massive project. I urge you to consider, reconsider, and uphold the zoning standards and integrity that protect our communities. Please vote no. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Stephanie Robinson and then Katherine Vineyard. Stephanie Robinson, third district independent. Good evening, Mr. Mayor. Council, um, I kind of said a lot last time I was up here, so I just want to really touch with the You got three minutes. You You already I just want to touch with the money just because that's kind of why we're here today. And I just did a simple Google search and checked about three different websites. And here's what I found out. And I don't know if it's BS or if it's true. She they Okay, if you can speak up. Thank you.

So, I just did a simple Google search. This is what I found. Um, Nebia has a net worth of over 25 billion. And in 2025, their revenue was only 530 million, which was up 479% from the year before in 2024. And in 2026, they projected to be 3.5 billion. That's a 550% increase from the year prior. Um, and then in 2027, the analysts, not themselves, the analysts are predicting revenue of over10 billion dollars, an increase of over n.5 billion dollars in just two years. And then in 2028, the analysts predict that the revenue of over$16 billion, an increase of five.5 billion in only three years. That's a lot of money, but that's not all. They also have $3.7 billion in cash for funding capital expenditures and infrastructure. their stock prices soared from 24 to 25 um from the teens per share to now triple digits and they can use that money for funding. They also have 25% stock in Click House. Um it's another source of funding for them. And finally, they have a five-year deal with Microsoft for 20 billion and they have a five-year deal with Meta for three billion. So that's another 23 billion that they can use for their infrastructure, their whatever it is they need to do. Um, so either that's true. Well, and then it's a okay, they're making fiveyear deals because coincidentally these GPUs last five years and we're making a 20-year commitment to when they're making fiveyear deals, why are we making 20-year deals? And so, I just think that giving them this kind of tax money is just out of the question. Just out of the question. I think that it needs to be a five-year deal and then renegotiate it at that point. if you're going to go through with it and it we end up having to get this thing.

You have one minute ma'am. I think we need to get a better deal out of this because this is heavy on the end, not in the front and we may never get there and so I think the money that we're losing by giving these tax abatements is not worth gambling for a company that may not be around after five years because that seems to be the kind of deals they're making. Thank you. Next up is Katherine Vineyard and then Joanie Flanigan and then Sharon Snyder. Please proceed.

Good evening. Um, I must say I don't do public speaking, so this is very nerve-wracking to say the least. So, please bear with me. Um, my name is Katherine Vineyard and I'm a citizen and resident of Independence. I live in the Santa Fe neighborhood. I have lived here my entire life, 53 years. I've raised my daughter here. This was my father's hometown. President Harry S. Truman helped my family when they were going through a hard time and he was a presiding judge here in Independence. As a young boy, my father and a friend wormed their way up to the front of the crowd on the opening day of the Truman Library. My dad said they could see all of the sitting dignitaries. Independence was the gateway to the west. Settlers heading west had to stop here in Independence to load up on supplies before heading out. This city has a lot of history. I have been shocked at the labeling and treatment the citizens of this city have gone through in the recent weeks. I have been shocked of the lack of compassion shown specifically to those who live closest to this proposed AI data center. I myself was not aware of this project until a few weeks ago. We've been labeled the opposition to economic development. We've been called anti or anti and caves citizens against virtually everything. This rhetoric is disgusting and is only meant to discredit the people of this city. If you're going to label us, label us correctly. Concerned citizens of Independence, Missouri. We are here out of love. Love for our homes that are our sanctuaries. Love for

our families who deserve to be healthy and free from disease. Love for our environment. Love for our city. love of the wildlife that depends on the area for survival, love for our natural resources. And when all of these things that we hold dear are being threatened, that love comes out as outrage, as passion, as organization, as gathering, and as a united front. This issue isn't us versus you. We are the people bagging your groceries. We are the people processing your payment at IPL. We are the teachers at your child and grandchildren's schools. We are those you see at Sunday service. We are your neighbors and we are shouting from the rooftops. No AI data center. People all over the country are dealing with breathing issues, sleep disturbances, sediment clogging up their water lines, water depletion, spiking energy bills, and the list continues to grow. Anyone can find this information online. We have heard that this AI data center will be different. However, you cannot guarantee this AI data center will adhere to regulations. You cannot guarantee the needs of the facility will not change affecting the citizens of this city. A closed loop cooling system is being touted as the end all to be all for less water consumption. However, you cannot guarantee the water consumption will not increase due to drought or higher temperatures in the summer. We are very lucky to live with the water we have. Why would we sell out our most precious natural resource to the highest bidder? There was discussion of risks at the Q&A. Someone said there are always risks

involved with a project. Our health is at risk. Our water levels are at risk. Our environment as is at risk. Our families are at risk for what? Money. Money isn't and isn't everything. Find a different project. One that has less risk to the citizens of this city.

And then there's AI. What are the benefits to the citizens of the city? We can't go to the AI dentist and buy coffee. We can't go wash our cars. We can't get a tea. Supposedly the city will see millions in revenue eventually and can you guarantee that revenue? Can you guarantee each one of us in this room and those who are watching will benefit from this revenue? I ask because right now AI is not a societal benefit. Right now AI is a cool tool at best. There is no large significant societal impact that AI is having. Yet there is a sense of urgency by big tech to get these hyperscale data centers built. Big tech talks of how jobs will be obsolete in the very near future. Jobs like customer service will be gone. So the customer service reps at IPL will be out of jobs. Big tech talks about white collar workers being out of jobs. So why would we allow technology to be built in our city that will take our jobs? and how and this doesn't even touch on how social media and AI are negatively impacting the teenagers across this country.

Your time is expired. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Joanne Flanigan, then Sharon Snyder, and then Brent McCormack.

Good evening, mayor and council members. So, I appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight. My name is Joanie Flanigan. I live just down the street at 624 South Liberty Street. And as I sit here and I listen to these stories that people are talking about with their homes, the concerns for their health, for the concerns for the environment, for the concerns for wildlife. We're not alone. Communities all over the country are having these same discussions. this of the states that had passed tax exemptions for AI data centers, at least 10 states are now actively trying to dial back or eliminate those tax exemptions for AI data centers. The state of Virginia currently has a bill that would end a data center tax breaks break that they have found has costing the state of Virginia $1.6 billion a year. In Michigan, they've introduced a proposal to repeal the state's data exemptions completely. Uh, Representative Erin Burns from Michigan stated that they have a large footprint in terms of land and energy usage, and by and large, it's not going to be the average resident who lives near a data center who's going to benefit. Lawmakers in New York, Oklahoma, Vermont, Georgia, and other states are attempting to slow the development of data centers. There has been an explosion since 2020 of construction of data centers. We all know that. So, these states have introduced legislation to limit incentives or place complete moratoriums on new projects. So the legislators are hoping to give themsel in those states are hoping to give themselves the time more time to

determine whether these massive facilities are worth losing millions or more in tax revenue every year. These bills also in these states would require that studies of the environmental impacts of these centers. There's a lot of questions that we haven't had answered adequately that I haven't heard the answers to about the environmental impacts, the noise pollution, the light pollution, the water pollution. Not to mention that we live in this city. One of our our sources of pride is our water. People come I have friends all over the country and they come and I oh have our water because it's so wonderful. We are very blessed and we live in a world in which water is going to become scarcer and scarcer and more valuable and we are willing to give our pristine wonderful independence water to a foreign billionaire company. I just it just doesn't make any sense to me. And I did want to mention um that in 2021 the state of OK the Oklahoma legislature, this is in 2021, this was five years ago because they already had data centers there. In 2021, the Oklahoma legislature approved a measure that was introduced by Republican House Speaker uh Kyle Hilbert that excludes new data centers from an existing exemption program. Here's his quote. These aren't the days of being able to build a data center, cut deals with NDAs, then start turning dirt before the constituents ever know what's happened. Those days are over and data centers need to be proactive in their messaging and talking to people about their

concerns. I don't think the independent city council got the memo that those days are over. This was all done behind closed doors. I found out about it a month a like three three or four weeks ago. You have one minute, ma'am.

Okay. So, apparently this deal I you know and I I I'm not going to pretend like I understand all of the details of it, but these things were signed and agreed to behind closed doors. I'm assuming with NDAs uh and no transparency. The people of Independence are organized and they're angry and they want answers and they want to be heard. So, I'm just saying I know that we have an election coming up. First of all, you all know that if this doesn't pass, there will be a ballot initiative. If you pass this tonight, there will be a ballot initiative. And this group of people who are organized are also going to vote to and organize and campaign to remove the members of this council who do vote for it. Again, I thank you so much for your time. I encourage you to vote no. Next up is Sharon Snider. And Sharon, please state your name and address. And then Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. What would you like to do?

Yes. My name is My name is Sharon Snyder. Uh, we own a house here in Independence. We have I have four generations my husband have four generations in the same road on the street and uh we're in the process now with a national park with the Santa Fe Trails Museum because of uh bulldozing everything in our town. So, but I want to talk about the data center for right now. Okay. Now, hold on. Why do you want to approach the DAS? If if I can if you can give it to Yes, please. our attorney and he'll be happy to pass it out.

Sure. And I just want to put a stick on here so you can do that. Sorry. Okay. There should be 10 here and there should be 10 here. Thank you. And that way Yeah. Sorry. I am so He can pass that out while you continue to use your time.

Yeah. I'm sorry. Uh before we start to I've had a lot of strokes and so therefore I didn't anticipate talking but this is so important that I wanted to so would you You can just leave it out here.

Okay. Again, my name is Sharon Snider. What you see before you is from the city of independence. It's for BL road regulation. This is a relocation. This was done at 11 November 4th, 2005. As I have tried since the sunshine law, there has no been no business permits for and there is no for North Point. Sorry. So sorry. North Point and again my stroke. I'm so sorry. Uh, the only thing that I've ensured that you have before me is Independence Sunshine Law.

I'm You can tell I'm nervous, aren't you?

Take your time. But this is the only thing the city of independent staff would give me for uh between anything from Nefin or the North Point according you can look on the sub in the bottom you will see four different people who are doing the the owner is one person here and you can read them and I I'm not going to read them because I have sunshine law that you will be able to read. The problem is too is the other part is that the national Missouri department of natural resources is pending which whether it was a mistake from North Point, the city of independence, from the community Christ Church, this is by the city. Okay, this is a sunshine law that says this is pending because the city didn't do what it was supposed to do. Sorry. the national part in the national the Missouri Department of Natural Resources they have regional come out because we everyone in this room has known that we've been worried about the b the eagles they are still bulldozing so why is that still happening from here I was here Friday and I talked to the bulldozer why are they still bulldozing when this is pending. Why did the city already not know this? The second part of this is is I'm a

historian. And again, I'm so sorry I'm gonna miss Oh, shoot. Anyway, because of my stroke. Um, for all of our workers here and our firefighters and everything else, usually when you bid a bid a project, Netflix does not. The data center has no plans. They've been honest. You have a minute, ma'am.

Okay. My problem is and for everything is you have a right that each one of you on here and I've been here a long time the city is broke because they kept doing tax abatement. Some of the kids today are going to be 48 years before the even 16 years for the the dentist for the arena. What was right here is water. And I know I only have one minute, but I think you need to tell us, everyone in this company, we have to have water. If it's a drought, it is going to flood. And until you do not stop because everyone needs water, not from the data center. I'm talking about developments above us. We have to and if we get a drought, we don't have any water. And if it gets contamination comes over from Graham View, which is the largest part to the second largest aquifer is right underneath right next door to you at the police station.

And your time is expired. Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Next up is Brent McCormick and then I think it's Bob Parks and then um Phaley Pulley Thally I believe. There we go. Brent, the floor is yours and you have five minutes and please state your name and address please.

Yep. Brent McCormack, Bunchy Road, Independence. Hey, I'm impressed with independence. They show up, don't they? Whoever's keeping track of the votes tonight, I'm a no. It's likely that most everyone here is against Chapter 100 proposal. It's not necessary. Please represent us with a vote against Chapter 100. Let's talk about the enormous amount of power needed for this project. That subject should concern every IPL customer. At full scale, this data center is going to consume 18 times more electricity than all independence residential customers combined. 18 times. Will the needs of Nebus be put ahead of the residential customers during peak demand or during power outages? That's a big concern of mine. I'm 100% electric. That's silly. That's foolish, isn't it? Will the needs of Nebus I'm sorry. We should receive asurances that IPL will not prioritize nebius nebulous nebius over the needs of the residents that the residents will not experience power outages or rate increases as a result of providing power to Nebus. At the February 16th council meeting, union leaders stated this project will bring jobs. Hey, that's likely true. It'll bring some jobs, temporary jobs for the three or four years during construction, but I don't know if those jobs are going to be local hire. I don't think it's in the contract. Is it? I haven't heard. Hey, regarding jobs,

don't kid yourselves. AI eliminates jobs. It doesn't create jobs. Regarding jobs after construction, data centers historically operate with a very limited staff. Have they obligated by contract to hire local staff or independence residents or are they going to have staff that works remote? The interim superintendent of the independent school district spoke in favor of this project at the February 16th council meeting. Hey, that support was based on their anticipated revenue from 10% of the projected standard property and personal property tax obligation. I assume the interim superintendent would be over the moon if they received 10 times that amount without this proposed abatement. With the chapter 100 tax abatement, the pro projected pilot payments will average $32 million a year over the 20 years. But without that tax abatement, the projected payments are going to be $320 million a year, not 32, 320 million. Over 20 years, if they're still here, the Chapter 100 proposal is projected to yield almost six billion fewer dollars. Nearly six billion fewer dollars over 20 years. In a few I'm sorry, in a February 23rd meeting, the Neb Nebus Nebius local council was asked if they would proceed. You asked him, would you proceed with

this project without this 20-year 90% tax abatement? His reply, it was a long one, but he concluded with, "It is unlikely unlikely that the project would proceed at the same level of investment, if at all." Well, we didn't expect him to say that, did we? We thought he would say, "Yeah, we'll do it anyway." Hey, let's be clear about why Nebius wants to build here. Hey, it's not that 90% tax abatement. That's not it. It's entirely because of the available power to accommodate their enormous needs. That's the only reason. It's the power. They want to build it here because of the available power to accommodate their enormous needs.

You have one minute, sir. They will. Thank you. They will likely build here without any tax abatement. But hey, if they don't, another competitor will be right behind them if they haven't already approached you, and they'll have better financial strength than this company. So, do not, please do not give away 90% of the tax revenue that could be generated from this project. Nebus is playing poker. They need this project more than we need them.

Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Bob. I believe it is Parts Cy and then Falaboule Tali.

My name is Bob Park. I'm sorry to say that I'm probably going to become a member of the Bonu Ghetto considering what is going on here. I see only our property values plummeting. And let me get this right. With the utter disdain for the general public, covert meetings of few which if any of the taxpayers were privy, secret dealings supposedly covered by NDAs, which with the major corporations that I worked with were used to cover business practices legal and quite often questionably legal. All of this is being done by a for a Dutch company with Russian affiliation which is now the leading darling of the moment. Need I remind you of the honor of Russian ethics. The Polish underground rebelled against the Nazis in 1944. The Russian army was posed on the bi on the Polish border to invade and push the Nazis out. Instead, they decided to, hey, let's let the Nazis annihilate the Polish underground because we don't think the Poles will make really good subservant uh climates. The Berlin under or the Berlin airlift in 1948 and 49 came about because of the Russian shall we say uh attitude toward those in Berlin. They were going to be starved. We put our pilots or people in dangerous way to supply people whom we have been fighting just a few years earlier. Ukraine is fighting for its life as a demented Putin uses everything in his

power to make Russian look like what it once was. Yet here we are trusting a Russian affiliated AI company to honor hollow commitments of repaying tax abatements willingly hammered over by our illustrious leadership. What is the plan for repayment? And how will it be monitored, recorded, enforced? And what happens when Nebus decides to walk away from this white elephant? Who will be bearing the cost of tearing it down? It won't be Nebus. It will be the wonderful taxpayer again. Now, according to a new report this morning on channel 5, if Nebus does not receive their demanded six do $6 million abatement from the council, it will walk away and pedal its fables to someone else. Now, that sounds like a threat to me. And you know, it's been quite a few years since I received my business degree, but I do not remember threats being a part of the chapter. Now, perhaps I missed that. How many of you really understand AI? How many of you can even use your cell phones to its utmost ability? And for those of you presently feasting at the trout of AI and those aspiring to do so, how much of your hopes, dreams, aspirations, and financial livelihood are based on the promises of complete strangers? Remember the financial windfalls promised by the gambling opportunity that was presented to us when river boats came. Hey, how has that worked out for you? I'm not saying AI is gambling because it's not. Gambling is quite simple to understand, virtually impossible to master. AI is impossible to understand as the rules

are written and rewritten every day. Our privacy, financial security, medical care, employment, education, middle development, and property values are all being impacted by AI. You have one minute, sir.

Now, I can't think of a worse location for a plant than where is being done. This is a flood plane. What happens on flood planes? It floods. What happens when water hits 150 billion dollars worth of equipment? Well, the contamination in the atmosphere will be something to be seen. We have 5,000 students in the immediate area. We have 14,000 students in Metropolitan Community College area. All of these can be impacted negatively in a heartbeat. Now, when I was in the military, I was taught one thing. Never present a problem without an alternative. Independence has some of the finest water in the world. In fact, we are rated either fourth or the seventh highest quality water in the world. Why not build on that? Why not build an amusement park? Why not build a water complex for children? Why not put in restaurants that you actually come to enjoy? And your time is expired, sir. Bailey Pulle Tali and then next up is then Leilani Race is next up.

Good evening, mayor, council members. There's been so much that's been said here. Um, and I don't do this. I don't in fact I don't think I know very many of you except for a couple of you um that have come to our community events that we have for our someone festival and I appreciate that by the way. Um so the main reason why I'm here is because yeah sorry guys it's for for my kids. To be honest, my mom, she's very active in the community. I'm busy with my kids. I have a lot of them. So, we do things. Um, normally I talk with my mom and I say, "Hey, what do you think?" And we talk about things. Well, this is the first time I've ever come out and I've studied things out. And, um, for that reason, I'm here because I want you to encourage you to vote no. My grandparents brought my parents here from the islands of Samoa for a better life. My grandfather had retired from the military, was headed back to Somal with um my parents and uh his sister said, "Come to Independence, Missouri. It's a good place to raise your children." And here I am. I I grew up here. I went to school here. I went to Chrisman. Um all my kids go here. And um that's why I want a better place for my kids, too, because that's what my the dream that my my grandparents have for my parents for their posterity. Thank you.

Thank you. Let's proceed.

Hello, my name is Leilani Race. I live at 1120 South and Street in Independence. I'm within, I believe, two miles of the proposed site. Um, this is a little nerve-wracking. I I definitely want to first say before I forget it because I'm add later on I'll probably forget say that I I hope that you will vote against the AI center from my understanding it's you know to the point where the only possibility of that happening is if we vote against the abatement I personally don't understand why we are paying for trying to pay for a company that is foreign to come to independence and with the idea that it's going to somehow now benefit the citizens and I don't feel that from what I've heard or what I've researched that it sounds like that it doesn't sound like it is going to benefit us. I know that people have said that they're you know they're going to have a job and I I feel for for that situation but um that's very temporary and like someone else had mentioned the effects of an AI center are very permanent in some in some regards. Um there's many reasons. Most of them have already been explained. Um uh let me let me put my glasses on because I don't I'm getting old. Okay. Um, yeah, I think I mentioned I don't understand why Nebius's presence will improve our budget situation because it seems like it's more of an a deficit to us where we're sending money out in their favor. And I believe it seems to me that the only place that that could

come from is us as the taxpayers. Um, if I personally wanted to start a business on my own property, we have a home and we also have land that we own just up the street from our house here in Independence. If I wanted to start a business there, I would have to, you know, present it before a council. I believe I would also have to have the uh approval of my neighbors. Um, but it doesn't seem like that's what happened in this case, unfortunately. Um, and to the situation with the firemen, I I didn't totally understand I'm I'm not very involved in politics, but this to me kind of hit home and hearing what the fireman the I believe he was the first.

If I can speak, you can speak on one topic at a time. I'm sorry. So, data center is your chosen topic. I was trying to explain how it seems to relate to me because whatever they're not getting they're gonna in in in one regard they're not getting paid they they're saying I don't I don't know the whole story but I I'm saying that the taxes that we are going to have to pay is going to make that even worse. It's just going to magnify the problem that they're already experiencing. Um my husband is a machinist. He that's a good profession. He works like 50 to 60 hours a week and we struggle. We have young sons. I'm friends with Ple. Um, we struggle. We we came here with a good amount of money, but we we we are we we were in no debt at the time. We are now. Taxes are killing us. Um, I just I I think that's all I needed to say from my part, but that thank you for the time and I hope that you will vote against it against the abatement and against the AI center. Thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Lisa Garrett. Oh, excuse me. It's Carmen Gibbs and then Lisa Garrett and then Jeff Moore, I believe. So, Carmen Is Lisa Garrett here?

Hi, my name's Carmen Gibbs and I live in Susuana which is within a mile of the location. My concern is the power plant facility that they're going to be building there for the AI data center. Um, I've done some homework and these power plant facilities they built they require to build build a 250 foot tall smoke stacks and they don't build those for nothing to come out of them. So the pollution that that's going to put off is going to affect anyone's health that's in the vicinity. Plus, I'm not sure if you're aware, Lake City Army Ammunition is building a two gas turbine plant facility at their location. Also, supposed to go online this year. So, that puts three of these power plants right there in that location. Lake City and the reactivation of the Blue Valley plant and then the new one that the AI data center is going to build. I'm not an engineer, but I know when my furnace comes on at home, emissions comes out from the house. So, that's going to be all kinds of pollution right in that vicinity. And depending on which way the wind's blowing, who's going to have to deal with that? It's going to infect the environment. It's going to have provide health, you know, it's going to people are going to have health problems. And you can't guarantee us that's not going to happen because there's been no long-term studies regarding this. So, I don't know. I just am here to urge you to vote no against this. Why give these people a tax break at the cost of our health, our air pollution, our

environment, everything that we've worked for to keep away? and you want to let them come in and take it away from us because once it's gone, we can't get it back. You can never get it back. You can't fix the damage that they've done to the land, to our health. That's gone. Once it's gone, it's gone. So, when you make this decision, please keep that in mind that, you know, it's more than just money. That's the only thing I've heard about the pro side of this whole decision is the money coming in. And there's so much against it. So, please keep that in mind. when we make this vote.

Thank you. Next up is Lisa Garrett and then Jeff Moore. Thank you, Lisa.

Hi, my name is Lisa Garrett and I live on 920 North BL Road. Um, I really did not want to speak tonight. I'm not used to speaking publicly, but I feel it is my duty as a voting citizen and also as someone who lives on BL Road. less less than a mile. I clocked it the other day. My speedometer did not turn. Um uh so less than a mile from the prop proposed data center to share my heart on this matter. I've been put in a position that I need to speak up not only in solidarity with our neighbors on BL road, but also our community and my husband and my son who lives with us right now. This issue has brought us closer to our neighbors on our road. We have prayed together. We have shared our hearts on this matter as well as the stress and anxiety on how this data center will affect our neighborhood. My husband and I bought our property in September of 2022. We love our property and we have had great plans for it and hope to reside there as long as possible. We have five sons of which are four married and we have four grandsons. They live all over this country from South Carolina to Chicago to Denver to Southern California. This home is to be a central meeting place for our family. Um it has five bedrooms and a large home and a large property. Um that is why we chose this area. But we are looking at the prospect of either not being able to sell our home, our property value plummeting, or living in a home in an area that will look different than what we had imagined. Not to mention unsure of what it may do

to our health in in a long term. We've heard that this is a done deal. Nothing can stop it. We've also been told that building permits need to be approved. We heard last week that Nebius won't build if this tax abatement is not approved. Um, like someone I just heard say, it kind of seems like a threat. But in my heart, nothing is a done deal. When we first saw the heavy equipment on the property at Highway 78 in North BL, we wonder what was going to be done. And that was in I think the end of November, right after the land had been uh harvested. On December 10th, while my dad was having open heart surgery in De Moine, Iowa, I opened up Facebook, which I I'm not normally on Facebook. I just happened to do it and saw a nor a news story that an AI data center was coming to Independence and my heart sank even before I knew what the address was. I've heard and read about AI data centers. My my sons who are in their 30s have I've been schooled now on their concerns over AI data centers um and the effect that they have in the areas they are built. Not once have we heard on BL road about the data center coming to the end of our road from our city council. Not with a flyer, which we have received election flyers in our mailbox. We've received them stuffed in our door that someone actually came to our door and put it in our door. Um, not a phone call or a knock on the door. Nothing. We heard nothing. As more and more information has been shared about the NIA data center, I was hoping that things would become more clear about what this center will be.

But every time I listen to or attend a meeting, it is still unclear that even this this council or Nebius knows the lasting effects of what this will do to our environment or to the Little Blue River, the wildlife around it, including the eagles that have lived there for at least 7 to 10 years according to MDR, which I have spoken with. You have one minute, ma'am.

We don't know what the chemicals in the water will do as well. Um, what I keep hearing is how much money this data center will bring to this community, but I am also hearing from longtime residents how many has been mismanaged and it is why this community is where it is today. How will this project be any different? What I don't hear is concern from residents in the area for the residents in the area. I have conversed with people on social media, including someone running for city council and all of them do who are for this the data center. They laugh. I get laughing emojis and they say that um this land was reszoned in 22 March before we moved here and that we should have known. But how will Rena know that an I1 zoned area would would have a data center as large as this? Lastly, within a few months moving into our home, you received a notice of our property tax.

Your time is expired. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Next up is Jeff Moore and then Elliot Graves, I believe.

Good evening, Mr. Mayor and members of city council. My name is Jeff Moore. I live less than three miles from the proposed building site. I've lived in Independence for over 30 years now. Thank you for allowing me to speak here today to discuss an essential opportunity for our city of independence, the construction of a new state-of-the-art AI data center. I stand here not just as your neighbor or fellow citizen, but as someone who believes deeply in the potential of this project and the benefits it can bring to our community. I understand that some among us have concerns or doubts about this project. I want to take a moment to address those concerns, reflect on our community's past, and ultimately lay out why I believe we must embrace this opportunity. First, let's understand what AI Data Center represents for our city. It is not merely a building filled with computers or servers. It is a symbol of progress, innovation, and a pathway to the future. We're in an era where technology drives every aspect of our lives, our economy, our education, our overall quality of life. By establishing this data center, we're investing in a digital transformation that directly benefits our local community. I realize there are skeptics. There are individuals who oppose this project for various reasons, often based on fears of change or past experiences. I too have been skeptical in the past. My concerns originated from legacy decisions made by previous city officials that didn't always lead to the outcomes we desired. Yet, in addressing our past, we must also look forward to our future with resolve and optimism. Just because history has shown us mistakes, it does not mean we must succumb to inertia. Instead, we should learn from these lessons and move forward with a new vision for our city. Let's consider the positive economic impact this data center can have on independence. My son recently graduated

from Independent School District and chose the path, excuse me, to become a trades tradesman working as an iron worker. This project will create jobs, not just any job, but well-paying positions that can support young men, women, families, and contribute to the livelihood of our community. The construction of the data center will require skilled labor, offering opportunities for local contractors, engineers, and trades people. Once operational, the center will also need a workforce to maintain, manage, and innovate. We're talking about new jobs will uplift our residents and provide the job security we all desire. The tax incentives being offered to attract this company to independence are not just giveaways. They're investments in our future. This project represents a catalyst for economic growth that will generate welcome tax revenue for our city. These funds will help support our infrastructure needs, enhance public services, and contribute significantly to our schools. The Independent School District, Fort Sage School District. Imagine the enhanced resources available to our education and our students. This is an opportunity to enrich education, provide updated facilities, and ultimately set our children up for future success. It's important to emphasize that we cannot allow fear or apprehension about change to overshadow this opportunity. While past decisions may have led to hesitation, we're in a new era of leadership that is committed to transparency, accountability, and community engagement, we have a chance to ensure this data center project is managed correctly, establishing rigorous standards that prioritize our community's interest. Moreover, we must recognize the broader implications of this emerging technology ecosystem. Establishing an AI data center positions independence as a competitive player in attracting future businesses. Companies

looking to innovate will consider our city as an ideal location which can lead to further economic diversification. This could create a technology hub in our area, paving the way for entrepreneurs, startups, and established firms alike to make independence your home. In conclusion, while it's easy to point out the negatives and cleaned apprehensions, I urge you to focus on the incredible potential that this data center project represents. It's unique opportunity for independence, an opportunity for growth, innovation, and prosperity. Let's put aside the doubts rooted in the past, embrace a future filled with possibility. Let us support this project, ensuring it meets the needs of our community while paving the way for success in a digital age. Together, we have the power to shape our city's future. Together, we can create a thriving community that not only serves residents of today, but also prepares generations for success. Thank you for your time, your consideration, and a commitment to advancement of our city.

Thank you. Next up is Elliot Graves and then Sutina Pavlov. And Elliot, you have five minutes. And please state your address, please.

Yes. Good evening. My name is Elliot. Uh I live at 4609 South Spring. Uh I just would like to say that I'm a Union 533 member and um I've been living here all my life and um I like seeing everybody come out and support their views. Um I am in support of the development projects. Um I've worked at some data centers previously. I've also worked at some um power generation systems, uh coal burners and gas turbines. Um the gas turbines are a lot cleaner. Um obviously they don't have the tall smoke stacks. They um don't put off the emissions. Um obviously gas is cleaner for that, but um as far as pollution goes and um I understand these people live close to this place and I respect that. um I respect their views, but um I see that uh the city needs to move forward and um support this and go through with it. Thank you.

Thank you. Next is Sutina Pavlov. And then next up is Hannah Albina.

Good evening. My name is Titina Pavlova. I'm a resident of Blue Springs. I live less than 5 miles away from the proposed site. Um, thank you everybody for being here today. I am a union electrician with IBW124 and I strongly oppose this data center and I strongly oppose granting them a tax abatement. I'm very confused about why the building trades are calling for working-class support for this project when there are so many clear reasons why we're fighting against it. Number one, Nibbius has not stated that they would use union labor. I'm unsure what conversations are looking like internally and what promises have been made, but nowhere has Nibia stated that they will partner with union contractors. The hardworking union members here mobilized in support of tax breaks for a billionaire company that hasn't committed to use union labor. Let's not sell our community off for a smile and a promise. Two, this project harms workingclass residents of independence in surrounding areas. AI dentist centers have a history and a reputation for building in the middle of poor working-class communities because they think they can get away with contaminating our air and destroying our environment. There is a reason that they picked Independence and not Overland Park. These data centers promise jobs and economic development, but what they deliver is a drain on local resources and minimal employment for the locals. Number three, city council members have admitted to a church full of people that you have no way of controlling who needs

hires and that you cannot stop them from bringing their own teams. meaning that it's highly unlikely that they will bring their own trained workers to fill any technical skilled long-term roles. Number four, Kansas City is exploding with new construction. Even if they do use union labor, there is already so much work in Kansas City. In fact, we don't have enough union electricians in our local to keep up with everything, which is a great problem to have. The largest project in Kansas City at the time at this time is the Panasonic battery plant in Dotto which is manned by 600 electricians most of whom are travelers and out of town electricians. We can afford to be picky about what developments we support in our city. I would urge that the building trades to stand with the working class against this. Instead of selling out for short-term money grab, let's support responsible development that serves the residents here. Number five, the whole reason we're here today is to decide how much in tax revenue to throw away. This is money that would contribute to the local communities. Over 93 billion in revenue was lost nationwide from tax breaks given to corporations between 2017 and 2022 alone. Workingclass families have to pay our taxes even if we can't afford food or medical care. Why should NIBas get a handout? To wrap up, the people of independence are not blind. We can see that a parasitic development like this one harms us while lining the pockets of a select few. You're saying that this will

help us economically but can't explain aside from abstract promises. The majority of your constituents oppose this and if this is truly a democratic system, vote no on the tax abatement. Thank you. We're not going to do this all night, okay? Please, please keep decorum. Please. Okay. There's lots of people on both sides of this issue.

I suspect you're Hannah. Yes. All right. Hannah, would you like the room to be quiet for you to be heard? Um, sure. Hello, council.

Two points I wanted to go over real quick. Many people talk about the cooling system being closed loop. Here's a direct quote from Nebus. We are planning to use a closed loop or similarly low consumption cooling system consistent with the approach used at our other facilities. While final numbers are that while final numbers will depend on detailed engineering, our intent our intent that's a good word is to operate with very low ongoing um consumptive water use similar to a restaurant or building office building. Secondly, we had a long list of questions that were returned to our group with answers from the city. A large number of those questions were referred back to Nebius for a response. At the last city council meeting, those answers were promised to be sent back to Rachel Gonzalez that night and they were never delivered. I just wanted to say over these last few months, I've heard many people in this room try to pass the blame over to other parties regarding this project. City Council has expressed again and again that they don't get to choose what is built in our city. They've expressed that a vote of the people would not be appropriate for this situation due to the land being privately owned. North Point sold Nebius the land and I agree the council has no say and who the land was sold to. And yes, Missouri real estate laws do give property owners a significant amount of power to dictate for themselves how they choose to use their land. While following the narrative that it would be unlawful to deny this development and saying your hands are tied, that you weren't trying to attract a data center to be built in our city. Well, these sentiments are only half

true. Voting to give this multi-billion dollar company a 90% tax abatement for the next 20 years tells a different story. You have one minute.

You may not had you may not have had the power to tell North Point not to sell the land to Nebus. And you may not have had the power to dictate what Nebius chooses to develop on their land, but you do have the power in this instance. You have the power to deny this company a 20-year tax abatement. The decision falls on you to make. The decision falls on you. And if you make the wrong choice, there are going to be a lot of unhappy people who are now more aware than ever of the importance of voting at a local level. Many of us have not been politically active, especially at a local level. But now we know who's working behind the scenes, and we know who's responsible for making decisions that will affect our city for decades to come. Please remember who you are elected to represent because I can tell you now it's not nebious. I promise there will be more opportunities in the future, but this data center is the wrong choice. Please think about the future. Think about all the jobs that will be replaced using this technology. Do you really want to be responsible for that?

Your time's expired. You have the power to choose tonight, and I urge you to vote no. Thank you. Next up is Willard Rigby and then Lucy Young.

Hello, city council members and Mayor Roland. My name is Willard Riggsby and I am an Independence resident. I am 29 years old and I have spent 25 of those years living in and working in Independence. I went to Cordi Elementary School. I went to Nan Middle School and I went to Van Horn High School. I am now raising my six-year-old son in Independence. I love our city and the people in it. I want a better future for us, a future without a 2 and a half million square foot data center. I live at 3514 South Liberty Street. The proposed data center is not in my backyard or even close to my backyard. However, I would not want a data center in my backyard. I do not want another data I do not want a data center in my city. I do not want another data center in my state. And I do not want another data center in my country. I believe these data centers and AI technology in general will do more harm to than good to working-class citizens. AI has already led to an extreme rise in the spread of misinformation. which is already and will continue to negatively impact our democracy. You talk about the money that will go to the ISD school district. That money will not solve the loss of critical thinking and problem solving skills that is already occurring in students. You talk about the jobs this data center will create. There will be far more jobs lost to automation. This data center will be built to make the richest even richer and will lead to an even smaller middle class. I do not trust Nebius. I do not trust Nebius to make responsible decisions on behalf of independence residents. I currently do not trust you, council members, to make responsible decisions on behalf of independence residents. We do not have the protections in place that we need. Our city ordinances and state ordinances

were not made with a 2 and a half million square foot data center in mind specifically around noise pollution, water pollution, and air pollution. This technology is so new, we have not had time to assess its potential dangers. We do not need a data center, but we do need clean water to drink. We need clean air to breathe. Nebus is only concerned with profits. They do not care about me. They do not care about you and they do not care about the citizens of independence. I hope that you city council members are not only concerned with profits. I hope that you care about the citizens of independence and I hope that you vote no on the chapter 100 tax abatement. Thank you.

Next up is Lucy Young and then Lucas Yami and then Justin Horn. Lucy Young, 2320 Viking Drive, Independence, Missouri 64057. I'm going to take it in on a different jog. Tonight I'm talking about budgets. Now, our finance department did an excellent job in the last two steady sessions showing us exactly where our budget is today. And these numbers that are up here now do not represent a loss of revenue. uh excuse me, a loss of money from the budget. It shows where the si the city manager had to reduce what the city needed to fund and bring it down as a shortfall. So, you're looking at millions of dollars of services that this city has had to cut through the years and do without because of a lack of revenue sources. Now the the 201617 budget recommended that there was an emphasis in putting in an industrial park. There have been almost 100 unfunded positions left out of the budget during the 14 uh 2014 to 2017 budget years. In 2018-19 the city had a $3.6 million deficit. The city manager said, "I must raise a word of caution. This means the way that we have funded our municipal services have been long funded is eroding. We must seek new sustainable funding strategies." That's the same year that we had to cut the health department out of our city budget.

The the city manager raised the alarm every year about how we needed to find new sources of revenue to s sustain our budget. He noted that thousands of retail stores were closing across the nation and that directly impacted our own sales taxes in the budget. Now, I'm going to remind you that we have the city of Independence has a use tax, a streets tax, a park sales tax, a couple of police sales taxes, a couple of fire sales taxes, a storm water tax, and a transient hotel tax. When 2020 happened and COVID came, we learned a very valuable lesson at that point because our retail sales were negligible and the the city manager at that time had to cut $5.6 million out of the budget to bring it down and it only because of the one-time funding source that we had from the COVID relief monies. But those monies are gone and it was a one-time source and here we are today. How much are we going to have to cut out of our budget? Not actual dollars, but actual services to the community. We've seen the bus service be closed and we have seen the oenture oasis be shut down. And these pilots will make a difference in not just the people on Bllye Road, but the 60,000 people that live in the fourth and the first district that are getting less and less of our services every year. We absolutely need to increase the revenues. The pilots that are associated with that this project that is coming is definitely what is going to lift our city out of these problems.

There are no easy answers, but this must be addressed to ensure our long-term financial sustainability to provide the services that our citizens require. Thank you. She was speaking on the budget. She did not speak on the data center. Therefore, the rules, please. That's fine. I just let me let me have a closing statement.

These people These people have threatened the city council with the fact that if you're running for office that we will not be elected. And believe me, if you think that I don't fear running away from that, it's a far far better thing I do today.

Yep. We're going to take a five minute break. Thank you. You should have.

Next up is Lucas Yanni and then Justice Horn. Justice Lucas Yanni's next. Is Lucas Yanni in the room? Justice, don't go too far.

It'll be Lucas Yanni, Justice Horn, then Steve Wright, then Conrad. Neerhouser and then William Thompson. Lucas, you have five minutes and the floor is yours.

All right. Hi, I'm Lucas Yanni. Uh 445 West 9th Street. Uh I'm from Kansas City, Missouri. You know, you want to know why Nevius put this data center here? Because they think you're suckers. I'm sure some real slick business people with nice powerpoints told you that this project would make you rich, that you'd be making a smart choice for your city, but that's just smooth talk. Trillion dollar California tech companies like Microsoft and Meta want this year because they don't respect you and are looking for cheap land in an unwitting city that they can extract from. They look down on folks from the flyover states. If Zuckerberg and other multi-billionaires want a data center, why don't they build it in PaloAlto or Athetherton, California? It's because that's where they live. You build a dump on land you don't care about and they pollute air they don't breathe. That's what they're doing here. Do you want to uh want them to treat you like a dump? Is this how we want to use this land to fill it with mountains of computers for this unprofitable foreign company that will never pay off? That suck up power and water and raise bills for California billionaires and people in the Netherlands at our expense. To put up a cold, lifeless machine that will suck the life out of this town to poison the air you you breathe. The region's air quality is getting worse year after year. And this will add gas to that fire. Quote, the Beacon newspaper, when fully built, the campus would be roughly 2.1 million square feet across multiple buildings. Nebius wants to eventually build out to 1.2 gawatts of energy capacity annually. That's roughly the equivalent of the electricity produced by the Hoover Dam in 2.5 years. Again, those greedy Silicon Valley billionaires think you're suckers. They don't want that pollution in the their multi-million dollar neighborhoods. They'll build a power plant of uh a power plant for life a bank of lifeless computers but not lower your power rates. This shows they don't care about

you. They look at you as dollar signs, not dignified human beings. They could lower your power bill, but they won't. Now, the union folks here are concerned about their potential future employment. I say potential. This data center threatens to help automate our jobs. For the union workers, this isn't solidarity with your neighbors. It's a potential short-term burst, not a long-term benefit. And like others have said, this job isn't even guaranteed. This is a short-term job that threatens the long-term jobs of your neighbors. I'll say there's plenty that needs to be built in Missouri. Like has been said before me. There's a housing shortage. There's a lack of healthcare access. Our roads are abysmal. Our buildings are crumbling. Our water manes need updating. There's no shortage of things to build and rebuild. We need to be building things that meet our human needs, not a supercomputer that sucks up water, power, and hope, and dumps out slop videos and mass surveillance of our neighbors and inevitably shutters when this AI bubble pops. What do you want to be known for? A city dominated by a lifeless shell, sold out to Silicon Valley billionaires in San Francisco, or a vibrant community that stood up for your residents? Thank you.

Thank you. Next up is Justice Horn, then Steve White.

So, my name is Justice Horn. Um, I live in Blue Springs, 2403 Northwest 8th Street on the north tip of Blue Springs. Um, you know, and I drove by the site as I headed here. You know, every time I head to Independence, me and my partner Caleb, we we work in Independence and you know, we go by that site every single day. Um, but Independence is my hometown. I I grew up in Hawker Heights and Hawthorne's government housing just a couple blocks from here. And my great-grandfather worked at the UAW Le General Motors plant when there was industry here. and my grandfather migrated from the island of Tonga like many of my other folks here and called independence a home. You know, the first thing I want to say is, you know, it's a bad deal when it pits workingass people against workingclass people. And that's what we're seeing here tonight. And you know, I like seeing things that happen in the community, but the biggest thing that got me to testify today was it was said tonight and it was said last meeting is if we don't get this deal done, we'll go to Kansas. And you know what that sounds like? It sounds like what they say, you know, when I went off to college to wrestle, I wrestled in West Virginia. That sounds like what they say to poor white people in coal mining country. take this bad deal because you have nothing to lose. Or what they're doing in Detroit, Michigan, a poor black area. And what do those places have in common right now? They're becoming data center hubs because they know these these communities are desperate. They've not seen industry in a long time. We've not seen industry in a long time in independence. And you know, we we can't look at this as just one data center. per PBS, Kansas City PBS, there

are 30 data centers in Kansas City right now. Is that going to be 31 in independence? You know, we just cannot, you know, look at exploitation of our resources and and not speak up. You know, I'm in my early 20s. Uh so the next time this would be up, this tax abatements, I'd be in my 40s. Um there are many people who talk about what's good for the next generation, what we should be doing for those coming up. But you know, I've had the privilege of being elected not once but twice a student by President UMKC. It's about 17,000 young people. Young people don't like billionaires. Young people like the environment. Young people do not like corporate handouts. Young people do not like to see workingclass people pit against each other. And young people like workingclass solidarity. So, I I'm just at odds that there are unions who are fighting for foreign entities who don't give a rat's ass about this community. So, we shouldn't data centers are leeches. They take more than they give back. You know, I have a background in economics and I've looked at this every other which way. I've also worked with the Department of Energy for the past five years and this just doesn't make any sense to me. Um, I have family who live here in Independence. this doesn't make any sense to me. And you know, the fact that there are residents who feel like they're not a part of the process shows you that this is being done to community, not with community. And that should be our biggest red flag. So, I hope you'll vote against this. If this is truly for for jobs, you know, they should be able to pay their fair share. you know, these workingclass people deserve tax abatements more than, you know, these corporations who, you know, their secretaries pay more than them. So, I just hope that we'll continue to remember that residents come first, not data centers, because, you

know, respectfully, it's young people who are going to outlast a lot of people in this room. And we're this is our climate. This is our community. And and I don't say that to be honory. A lot of people look at me like I'm honory,

but this is our community. And many of us who graduate high school, many of us look at leaving this community. And many of us want to stay and fight for a community that we can believe in, that is affordable, that many of us can continue to create roots, have a home, and continue to have a prosperous future. So, I hope you'll vote against this. Stand with your residents. And I'm thankful that residents are waking up and being active, especially in local government. THANK YOU AGAIN. STEVE WHITE. I'M STEVE White

and I thank you for the opportunity to allow me to speak. I'm a little late getting on board with this, but I'd like to reference some things that were stated by uh Chris Higgins in the uh in the Kansas City Star this past Friday front page about the AI data center. One thing that he noted which I' I've heard uh I' I've heard contrarily referred to here was that the land is owned privately and therefore we have no control over what they may do with private land. But according to his article, you tell me if he misrepresented that land is going to be leased. I don't know by whom. I don't know. I I don't know the particulars of that. But if that land is leased, maybe that circumvents the foreign ownership angle. On the other hand, if there is remediation needed, who's going to stand the cost of the remediation? Well, I hear that's all taken care of in the contract. Well, if remediation is needed, there's going to be a long court battle to decide what remediation, how much, and whether or not their feet can be held to the fire. Number one, the council pressed and it passed to decouple the city charter from the Missouri constitution. I don't understand all the details of that. There was reference made that in the article again Chris Higgins uh wrote

that u the bond issues the regulation of all of that will be subject to state law but I wonder if the decoupling actually is going to hold force whether it will have constraints or whether it will simply be used as guidance given the decoupling I don't know the answer to that but I raised the question. I am not a lite although I live in somewhat rural area. I'm 100 yards away from living in Independent City proper. I'm 100 yards north of 24 highway. But I spent my career as an engineering physicist. I worked in the Department of Energy, the National Nuclear Security Agency. I have built nuclear weapons. I'm somewhat cons I'm somewhat aware of all the security issues that are potentially surrounding this. And though I'm retired, I still keep up on advancement in technology. I think this 20-year prospect of this being a viable operating technological hub is very optimistic. Elon Musk, I have issues with Elon, but he seems to be about as forward thinking as anybody, owns SpaceX, he owns X AI, and he is merging the two. And he has stated that the ultimate placement of these data centers is going to be in orbit. And I also have it on good authority he having stated this

that some of them are already orbiting. So, I would tell you I would I would I would I I I would predict that this having a 20-year run is very optimistic.

It won't be it won't be leading technology in 20 years. It won't be efficient. The power to run these in orbit is going to be far less. So, we're going to be left with a technological relic. $150 billion bond that works out to $60,000 per square foot of the building. You know what you can buy with $150 billion? 10 aircraft carriers, super aircraft carriers. And they have their own power plants which generate gigawatts of energy. I think that what we are looking here for as we throw the gates wide open to this is a Trojan horse. and we're not carefully considering what's in the belly of that Trojan horse. Please, we don't know enough yet about what we're saddling ourselves with, what we are embracing.

Next up is Conrad Nenhauser, then William Thompson, then Kevin, I believe it's guard. Hello. Uh, my name is Conrad Neerhouser. I'm a resident of Kansas City, Missouri, and I'm here tonight because I'm concerned for my friends and neighbors in Independence. From what we've heard tonight, I think it's very clear this data center is not

Sorry. From what we've heard tonight, I think it's very clear this data center is not something the people of Independence want built. They weren't really asked for their consent before this project was pursued. Now, we're here tonight for you all on the city council to make this decision without properly including the people most affected. You're making a decision on behalf of people you're supposed to represent that could allow billions of dollars in tax breaks to build a facility that by and large will negatively impact the lives of the people of independence. We've heard people tonight talk about the noise pollution, what it will do to their property values, the concerns that this could in fact raise electricity prices, the health concerns for residents of the city, the harm will cause to wildlife and endangered species that pass through this area, the actual long-term viability of this data center actually being built and paying you back, the risks to the water supply, and the additional long-term impacts building a facility like this could have that we still don't even know about. While building the facility will require workers and provide some jobs, this will only be for a few years and there will be no guarantees secured that these jobs will be given to local workers. The long-term jobs are worse. These are all these are these are almost entirely high-skilled labor jobs in very spec in very specific fields with lengthy requirements. And from what I understand, there are only planned to be 125 to 135 of these jobs provided. If we split up the over6 billion dollars in tax breaks or tax cuts between those 135 potential jobs, that's over $44 million per long-term job. The majority of the people of independence do not want this data center. They don't want it to be built because the benefits are too few and too tenuous and because there are too many costs. You're supposed to represent them. You should not vote to allow this AI data data center to be built anyways. Thank you.

Thank you. Please. Really? It's late. It's 10 o'clock at night. Please. Next up is William Thompson. Then Kevin Card. William, you have five minutes and the floor is yours.

Thank you. I'm William Thompson. I am a lifelong resident of uh Independence, Missouri. I live at 417 East Sea Street. Um, I actually walked here because I felt it was so important to show up. I'm also a leader with Standup KC and Missouri Workers Center. Um, I begin against this um, data center. I think there's been a lot of excellent speakers tonight uh, outlining the environmental impacts that we have not seen any transparency uh, from. I have uh, my all of my children live here. My grandchildren live here. I want them to be able to enjoy clean water in the air and I want them to be able to see things that I saw when I was little like the butterflies and the lightning bugs and u the locust singing in the trees during the summer and spring. So, um I think with everybody here, I this is quite a turnout and I think it's quite obvious that this is a bipartisan issue that is u vastly unpopular with my fellow citizens and I stand in solidarity with them. And I must also say that um I'm reminded of the words of Frederick Douglas who said power conceds nothing without demand. So as the citizens we need to come together and keep organizing and keep fighting back and demand that this AI center not be put in independence. It's not an ask. It's a demand of the council and the mayor of independence and thank you for your time.

Next up is Kevin Guard and then Ivy looks like Kettlewell. Kevin, please proceed. You have five minutes.

Yep. I shouldn't take that long. Uh, thank you guys. My name is Kevin Guard. I'm the business manager of the plasters and cement masons local 518 located at 301 South Main and Independence. I'd like to see you guys get this approved. It'll create a lot of good jobs and hundreds of thousands of work hours for the uh men and women around the Independence region. I think it's a good deal. I just like to see it get approved. That's all I need. Thank you. Next is up is Ivy Kettlewell and then Riley Thompson Ford. Is Ivy here?

And you have five minutes and please state your name and address please. Uh, my name is Ivy Ketawell and I have lived in Independence, Missouri virtually all of my life. My family story started here in 1949 when my grandparents migrated from Canada and owned a chicken farm where the old Kmart used to be at 291 and 24 highway. My grandfather opened a hardware store in 1959 located in the strip center on the north side of 23rd Street between I read it correctly. It's not Ivy. My name's Okay, excuse me. I apologize.

I I am Ivy. Yes. Since 1984, I've been Ivy. So,

okay. So, um, I grew up just outside of Englewood District, uh, near the Chicago and Alton Depot station in a home that my parents purchased and remodeled in 1989. And in 2009, I planted my own seeds here and became a wife and a mother to two children in this great city. I am not immune to change as I have seen quite a bit of it over the last almost 40 years here. I love this city and I am thankful for the resources and opportunities it has presented me with. Even if now some of those are no longer available due to changes as the way that we as humans conduct business as well as city budgetary cuts that no longer permit them to be here. My main concern with the proposed AI data center is that we as citizens have been primarily excluded in any key conversations taking place in this massive decision. The proposed data center plot is a road I drive frequently to view the nearby eagle's nest and to try and get a glimpse of them flying over the fields or perched on a light pole. I, like many others in this room, only learned of this project after I saw the city already allowing bulldozers to completely level this huge amount of land. This has not only saddened me for the amount of nature and wildlife that has and will become displaced, but also for our neighbors on Bllye Road who will face the primary bun of this project due to the building of the new power plant alongside the probability of their homes suffering heightened insurance premiums and lowered property values for this giant concrete eyes sore to be right outside their front doors. When it comes to the health and safety of our residents, there has been little or vague information from those who are appointed to serve this city. There are also a majority of key questions that have been asked that were deflected and we were told to ask Nebus. It is extremely concerning that we would even

entertain asking a foreign country to provide us with any truthful information, especially when a 20-year 90s% tax abatement is on the table to build a data center that is not even located in their home country. It is also very unsettling that it was discussed in the last city council meeting that the structural facade is virtually decided and that some critical decisions regarding noise and light pollution will not be made until the structure begins being built. With regards to our utility costs, there are countless articles that I could cite that are reporting an increase in rates due to the demand of electricity and water required to operate data centers. We have been told by the city council in numerous meeting that this will not affect our utility rates. Even though we have been shown nothing contractual that states our billing amounts will not be subjected to rate hikes due to the increased amounts of water and electricity being pulled into the data center. In closing, I encourage all of you to put the dollar signs aside and to obtain real answers before you decide on a project of this magnitude. As this will not only affect our generation, but for future generations to come. And in the event you decide to move forward with this, please know that we, the people in this city who have elected you, will continue to fight this data center, all the while embodying the same values as our American bald eagle, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Vote no on chapter 100. Thank you,

Belle Thompson Ford. Good evening.

B E R I E L L E spells Belle. My name is Belle Ford. I'm a resident of Independence. My daughter goes to Love Elementary. That's as far as much as you guys need to know about where I live. Good evening. I guess I'm not here as an expert or as a developer. I'm here as a working mother who knows exactly how heavy financial pressure feels in this city and how unforgiving the system can be when we fall behind. I'm going to share like part of the darkest two years of my life. And I nursed my mother through cancer ultimately to her coffin. So, this is the worst. From 19 to 23, I drove the same car. I poured thousands of dollars to keeping it alive because I couldn't afford to replace it. And I knew that. And I couldn't live without it. And I knew that. And when it finally died, my stability died with it. With a car, I learned without a car, I learned that carlessness is next to homelessness. Another fate that I've experienced. I was paying up to 700 a week just to get my husband, my child, and myself to work in school. I lost my job ultimately because I was late too often. Late only because I didn't have reliable transportation. I used my final paycheck to buy another vehicle. It wasn't a good loan. It wasn't a good deal. It was about survival. I worked Uber Eats, Walmart delivery, Door Dash day and night saving to register that car. I was $400 short when I ran over nails delivering in Raytown. Two blown tires, tow bill, Uber from my Uber for me, my child to get home. And when I got the car back, my Tim Tag was torn in half. Eventually, it expired. My savings were depleted and I kept working with my car because I had no choice. Then someone decided to rip off the rest of it. And then we were carjacked at gunpoint. I missed weeks of work, almost lost everything again. And there was no abatement for me, no exemption for me, no forgiveness, just kindness from my neighbors. It took us two and a half years to recover, two and a half years to pay our tax bill in full, but we did it. And that's why I'm standing here tonight and why the proposed nebas data

center. Because what I see is a city that IS WILLING TO BEND OVER BACKWARDS FOR A BILLION dollar corporation while everyday residents are expected to pay every dollar, EVERY PENALTY, EVERY LATE FEE. Let's be honest about what this is. Data centers are not community hubs. They are not small business. They do not fill our restaurants or shop in our stores. They are massive industrial facilities that consume enormous amounts of electricity and water. They they alter land, increase infrastructure strain, and permanently change the landscape of the community that they enter. And we are being asked to welcome that with a 98% reduction in real property taxes, a 90% reduction in personal property taxes, and a full exemption from sales taxes. 98%. If a working family in independence falls 2% SHORT OF THEIR TAXES, they face penalties, leans, and possibly losing their homes, their livelihoods, and everything they've worked for. But this corporation gets 98% discount. If you were going to do this to us, if you were going to approve a massive data center that will disrupt our e our ecosystem, reshape our infrastructure negatively, and prioritize industrial expansion over the community and character, at the very least, make them pay. DO NOT JUST give it away. WE ARE TOLD THAT THIS WILL GENERATE 11.9 BILLION BY 2030. But if they paid their Scarlet, Levon, sit down. But if they paid their fair share, we would get well more than that, exponentially more. Instead, we are subsidizing one of the wealthiest or supposedly wealthiest industries in the world. This is the same city where families were crushed by property tax just a few years ago. Elderly residents forced to sell homes because they couldn't keep up. Where was the abatement for them? Why is the burden always on the people? I WORK 60 HOURS A WEEK. MY HUSBAND'S BEEN AT WORK FOR THE PAST 30 and I have been here with MY CHILD SINCE SHE GOT OUT OF SCHOOL SINCE 4:45. HER BEDTIME IS

8. BUT THIS WAS TOO IMPORTANT CUZ SHE WILL LIVE TO SEE 2030. She will. If this council decides that a data center is worth the environmental cost, the infrastructure strain, and the long-term impact of our community that require real investment, then we require real investment in return. require full contribution. Require You have one

accountability because the people of independence have always paid in full. We deserve a city that fights for us as hard as we fight to survive in it. If these abatements pass as written tonight, the message will be clear. Corporations get relief, residents get the bill. Please reconsider these incentives. If you are going to allow this development, at least make them pay their fair share. Scarlet, come here. This is Scarlet Leavon Ford. It's not spelled phonetically. Take a deep breath. Take a deep breath. This Did you like taking that deep breath? Yes. Do you want to take that deep breath in 20 years? Yes. Do you love your friends? Yes. Do you want them to get sick?

No. Well, these people do. HAVE A GREAT DAY. SORRY FOR THIS. KEVIN, is it Bared? And Kevin, you have three minutes, but you knew that coming up. Did I? Huh? I thought you'd be generous.

Uh Kevin Bear, District 3. Uh, good evening. My comments tonight are my own and do not reflect those of my employer. Tonight, the city council will agree to give a massive tax break to a $23 billion big poller in a deal crafted behind closed doors led by outside corporate interests. The council has done their best to push this through as quickly as possible, which was part of the strategy all along. Data centers have quickly grown to be a pariah in our society, despised by those across the political spectrum. So, they had to move fast. They can't drag this along because as they do, opposition continues to grow. But let's forget about the data center for itself for a moment because it's only one component of this. What's coming with Nebus is a giant methane generation plant that is going to be used to solely power this facility. This pollution factory just about a mile from Spring Branch Elementary School will poison our air with nitrogen oxide, soot, and other particulate matter for years to come, exacerbating respiratory conditions and our most vulnerable populations, like kids. Members of this council who darn well know better have sat before us and said they wouldn't vote for something that would affect the health of its city residents. But they already did and they'll solidify that vote again tonight. But it doesn't stop there. Nebus is looking to build upwards of 400 megawatts of additional generation coupled with its big diesel generators. It's pitiful that anyone thinks this will be good for the city's overall health and air quality. How could it be? And the penalty for this, there really is none. That big pollution factory run by outofstate corporate interest. They pay zero in taxes. No payment in lie of taxes. Nothing. The city has already committed over $21 million in operating funds to buy emergency power capacity

just to make this deal work. Yet now Nebus wants a sweetheart deal to pay only 10% of their property taxes for 20 years. The chapter 100 documents prove there is zero legal requirement for Nebius to create a single job. There are no upfront environmental cleanup costs held in Exc. Instead, listen, Nebus set up a shell company, Missouri ADC Holdings LLC, to own the buildings. If the AI market goes sideways, they can bankrupt the shell company, walk away, and leave independents holding the bag on two million square feet of empty concrete. Everyone involved in the secretive rush process should walk away ashamed. I have never gone into a local election more angry than I am today. In conclusion, my request is simple. No abatements for $23 billion big polluters. If you care about this city, you will insist that Nebius pays their full share of taxes. Next up is Paul Post and then Valerie Burns.

I almost gave your spot away. here. Uh Paul Post. Uh lived in Independence my whole life. I'm 46 years old. Live off of 35th and Nolan. Uh graduated Tumman High School. I sit on the board for Queen City Baseball. Uh I'm also the BA for the Roofers Local. I've been a roofer since I graduated in 99. And from what I've seen in the time that I've lived here, that independence has gone downhill. I'm sure a lot of the people have seen it. Like Lucy's stated, the west side, the center center of independence is decaying and none of the tax dollars that we get from the citizens and small businesses we have now are sustaining it. So, there's definitely a need for a new tax revenue. Uh temporary jobs. I've been, like I said, a roofer since 1999. So construction isn't temporary no matter where it's at. And being all over the city, I have seen construction everywhere and all the other cities growing from all these different developments. And having two kids go through the independent school district, I am deeply deeply saddened by what all the other cities have that we my kids don't get. U they are great schools, but they could be much much better. I do understand the frustration with people that live close proximity, but I've lived here for a long time and it is no surprise to me to see this area be developed and it's something that's just going to happen. It's always been a people grow, people move out, people expand. So, I've paid my taxes in full and uh I still pay my taxes, but as many people said they're going to leave because they of a data center. I'm of the opposite opinion that if uh the city

doesn't start to get more tax revenue and put more into this city, better community centers, better parks, the baseball, like I said, I'm on the Queen City board. The baseball parks that we got for the kids is atrocious. Could be way better. So I I for one in a couple years from paying my house off if we don't get more tax revenue and find better ways of funding the city I'll be moving because of that. So I and support of the data center. You guys have a good evening and have a great night. Thank you. Next up is Valerie Burns then Sarah Wimberly. And Valerie you have three minutes.

Thank you mayor mayor city council members. I'm Valerie Burns. I live in Independence. I also represent the Independence Chamber of Commerce and the Independence Economic Development Partnership. First of all, I thank you. Thank you for listening so attentively to the opinions on both sides of this great project. Um, what I will say is it's been touted before you that your legacy will indeed stand this evening. And in or rather than negate some of the misinformation that was shared tonight um out of fear, out of uh erroneous uh factf finding um I am grateful that as our leaders you have asked all of the questions. You continue to look for the answers. Um, I have watched uh the factf finding go on uh in public in open uh forums such as this and I've seen many people leave before the actual facts were shared. So if there is information that's missing, I I don't think it rests on you. There is plenty of information to be shared. Um rather than try to negate some of those things that have happened, instead what I'd like to talk about is the legacy that is in fact in your hands tonight um there's some fear going on about foreign industries. And what I would like to say is um Annheiser Bush, 7-Eleven, Holiday in, Chrysler, Aldi, Seammens, Nestle, Samsung, and I could go on and on and on and on are industries that are rooted in the United States today because of foreign investment. just alone, Aldi's, which is simply a retailer, has uh over 1,600 locations, many of which we love to shop at, and 80,000 people are employed by that

organization. What I will say is that many of the most successful industrial projects in the US faced fierce local opposition during their planning phases, often due to similar fears. Fears of environmental damage, noise, or corporate welfare. Here are the most notable developments, just a few. From controversial to community cornerstones, BMW manufacturing plant in Spartansburg, South Carolina. The critics attack the state for providing $130 million in incentives to a German company. The success, it is now BMW's largest factory globally. It supports 11,000 direct jobs in the United States and an estimated 40,000 indirect jobs. These projects are happening right before you today. This isn't in some other foreign place. This is in Independence, Missouri. And you have the opportunity to analyze the details to make a good decision. Incentives are a part of the economic development process. It's not unique to us. I'll say it again as I did last time. This is a project with a fair proposition to our community. Thank you for voting in support of chapter 100.

Next up is Sarah Wimberly and then Karma Majors. Sir, you have uh five minutes.

Good evening, city council and Mr. Mayor. I'm here representing the Independence Ministerial Alliance. I live in the historic district on North Union Street. And I guess I told my kids the other day, I've lived in Independence now longer than where I grew up. So I guess I'm from here. I don't know how that works, but it's pushing up on 30 years. As clergy and faith leaders serving the independence community, we are called to speak when decisions threaten the well-being of our neighbors, the stewardship of our shared resources, and the moral trust between residents and those in power. Scripture reminds us to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and ensure justice for those being crushed. We write with deep concern about the proposed largescale AI data center plan for the little blue corridor. Across faith traditions, we share core commitments to protect human dignity, to care for creation, to safeguard the vulnerable, and to ensure that decisions affecting many are made with honesty. humility and accountability. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. And we are not only entrusted as its owners, but as stewards of what has been given to us. I won't go over details that have already been said by others in respect of the time as much as anything. But I would say to you that we are especially troubled by the manner in which this project has moved forward. Many residents report learning of the proposal as others have said only after key decisions were already underway. Community members seek clarity and have too often felt dismissed rather than engaged with respect. And yet we know and I know as a leader in the faith community that we are called as leaders to a higher standard.

Transparency and humility are not optional values. They are moral obligations. Faith teaches us that economic development must never come at the cost of sacrificing some neighbors for the benefit of others. Is it not a sin to show partiality? Promises of future revenue or workforce training cannot justify placing long-term risk on specific communities, particularly those with the least ability to bear harm or recover from it. We are also mindful of our responsibility to f future generations. A good person leaves an inheritance for their children's childrens. That's Proverbs 13:22. And that inheritance includes clean water, livable neighborhoods, and a healthy environment. Stewardship calls us to look beyond shortterm gain and consider the lasting consequences of our choices. For these reasons, we respectfully call on city leader leaders to pause this project, increase transparency, release all relevant agreements for for public review, and engage in genuine dialogue with residents and community stakeholders. Plans succeed with council and wise leadership listens before it decides. We offer this not in anger, but in hope that independence will choose a path forward rooted in justice, stewardship, and love of neighbor. We understand the pressure that you are under, but please consider and put this on a slow consideration. Thank you.

You next up is Karma Major, then Jason White, and then Andrew Jonas.

Hello, my name is Karma Major. I live off of Chrysler and 23rd Street. First, I'd like to say to all of the council, thank you so much for holding this public forum. I know that it's late and we're probably all very tired, but we appreciate the opportunity to speak. I was born here and I grew up here and I've lived cumulatively in independence for 12 years. Like all of us, I want our city to see positive growth and I want our businesses to flourish. I want our social programs to benefit and I want to see our residents thriving. Harvard has found that data centers pollute the air with fine particullet that cost $20 million in respiratory illness treatments annually. The International Energy Agency estimates that hyperscale data centers consume the same amount of energy as 100,000 homes and the UN has reported that global water demands are pushing our most crucial resource to an unreoverable point of crisis. The risks involved with Nebius's tax abatement application is considered an insult to myself and other taxpayers that are gathered before you today. I know the pilot is attractive for its potential and it seems as though our schools and other public programs have been persuaded into believing that these funds will be to their benefit, but the amounts are only a projection at the moment and the city will be operating at a major loss considering the tax revenue this data center would be providing and the unforeseen costs from the burden on our utility services, infrastructure, and emergency services. The pilot is not $32.5 million gained annually, but it is instead everything over that amount that we would lose over 20 years of a fixed 90% abatement. Other states like Virginia and Georgia are already reporting billions of dollars in lost tax revenue. At the meeting on the 23rd, a representative stated that if they don't receive these abatements, they doubt that they will move forward. Nebius is a company worth almost $25 billion. They're projected to make

between seven and 10 billion dollars in 2027. And yet here we are being asked to accept this proposal to subsidize them for the next 20 years. A company that makes over 116,000 times the median salary of the average independence resident is asking the working families who already face rising taxes, utilities, and inflation to give them a break or face the threat of them not coming to our city. We're being told that this is the cost of growth, but real growth strengthens our full tax revenue. It invests in our infrastructure and invests in the people. The Chapter 100 plan and pilot proposal removes as flexible financial responsibility while giving us a fraction of the revenue in return and all the long-term risks. And those risks are not hypothetical. Economists are already warning that AI data centers boom is outpacing demand. We're seeing projects canceled and facilities sitting empty across the country when this bubbles burst as bubbles historically will. Where will the city turn? Certainly not to a foreign billiondoll corporation, but it will fall on people like me and on the people in this room, the families who did not ask for this. The city recently reported a series of questions posed to them regarding this data center. What chemicals are being used in these operations and how will they affect the air that we breathe, the soil that we till, and the water that we drink? What risks does this project pose? And what studies have been done on the long-term impacts? If this data center causes harm to residents, whether it be through their insurance rates, their property values, or god forbid, their health, will the company compensate these citizens? The answer, this is a question for Nebius. It's hard to believe that this deal is being done in our best interests when our city won't even take the responsibility to demand answers for us. We deserve full

transparency. We deserve being treated better than a collateral in a speculative corporate venture and we deserve investment. I would like to take a moment before my time is over to remind the city council members that at the end of the day, corporations are not the ones who are electing you to your seats. You have one minute, ma'am. Thank you. Nebius does not vote in our elections. The residents like myself and everyone gathered before you today do. I urge you to stand with your constituents over a multi-billion dollar corporation and I urge you to vote no and stand with the residents of independence. Thank you again for your time. Thank you.

Next up is Jason White, then Andrew Jonas. Uh Jason White. I live at 1024 South Forest, Independence, Missouri. I've been active around town. Most of you know me. Uh I cut my teeth when I was 19 going after the core of engineers over a blue great blue heron rrookery. It buy me a beer and I'll tell you the story sometime that that got me to be a lifetime Sierra Club member. Uh last 15 20 years I've been active with a group called Indie Energy. We took on the city of independence because you own two coal power plants. you all shut them down. I don't remember any of the people behind me being involved when we were said to the city council. There's clear and decisive evidence, not whatifs, not whatifs, but clear and decisive evidence on the damage of coal right now. You got a huge pile of of heavy metals out there. I don't hear anybody there wasn't anybody here dealing with that. My point isn't to disrespect anybody because passions are important in local government. Heck, I was out here when we did advance uh ex mother-in-law cottages, ADUs, and oh my gosh, you had a full room. And if you'd have paid attention to those folks and voted, the worry was that we were going to overload the electric system and the water system. That was two years ago. The world didn't end. about 15 years ago now, we we got into a row and and you had more people then on on the metering system to be on the electronic the electric meters. We didn't finish it, but you know what? Quietly, you all have moved forward with 85% of the rest of the United States because they don't cause cancer. The Russians don't give a rat's patoot what I'm doing in my house and they don't cause fires. My point is, you've got a tough job to figure out what's the chief in the air. And the real issues, the

real issues are pretty comfortable and rock solid before you. There are data centers all over the country. You don't need a whole bunch of long-term studies. It's time delaying issues. We know the e the impact of these things. There are no fumes. There's minimal environmental impact. a closed loop system. You got to worry about the chemicals in the water that they use to keep it clean. There are thousands of industries in the United States that use water as a cooling mechanism. It goes on daily. These are these are hypers sensitive issues because people in the neighborhood are concerned and they are to be respected for that. Make your decision on hard facts and not a whole bunch of whatifs. If you go back 30 years, the city invested in two big roads out there in the valley. The plans were for mixed use. They were for light industry. They were for housing. They were for commercial. That's why we put in two big roads. We didn't put in two big roads to just support residential because this is a bedroom community. you know that the tax base is terrible because it's all on us human beings. It's limited on commercial because our retail has gone to to uh to uh you know Amazon and the guy that shows up at my door and we don't have any industry. So you've got an opportunity here. The folks here in the room point out to you they're voters. Well, I would tell you there are also voters that want a bus system in this city and they don't have it because you couldn't find the money. I don't blame any of you. I don't all agree with all of you all the time, but everybody up there's honest and you're hardworking and so is the city city management that worked on this deal and Joe Hegendeer. You couldn't have a better power light director and you hired the right legal company to do this. It's nothing against Jeremy and

his firm, but you hired a company that knew industry, electrical production issues to help guide you through that conversation and get a good contract. You all have taken the right steps except for communicating.

I think we probably could have done a bit better in communicating and maybe some of that's on. But at the end of the day, you've got a deal. It's a package deal. Would we love more money back instead of the degree of the pro? But you had to give a deal to Wallally's. It's okay. The benefit from the there are few to any identifiable negatives that you haven't dealt with. The positives for the economic development in this community are significant. Please vote yes. Thank you. Next up is Andrew Jonas and Andrew, you have five minutes.

Thank you, mayor. Thank you, council, for letting all of us have our voice here tonight. Uh, my name is Andrew Jonas. I'm born and raised resident of Independence, Missouri. Live right down the road, um, 720 South Ker Drive. And I'm a plumber by trade, union plumber at that. Spent the last three years of my career building data centers up in Smithville and they're popping up like crazy everywhere. Do I love them? No, not at all. Um, but they got money and they make for damn good jobs. They they are fantastic construction projects to be a part of. They treat us like royalty in the trade. Something we aren't really used to. Um, don't have to go out in a cold cold or super hot Johnny. You actually got a flush toilet to go in. Um, that's that's pretty nice. They keep us fed. Um, all kinds of giveaways. The thing about that though is how much money they do have. And what I don't love about this deal is that 90% tax abatement. You know, you're talking about billion-dollar corporation here. You know, the difference between what do they say? A million seconds is 11 days. A billion seconds is 33 years. It's a lot of money we're talking about there. So, that's just something I would like for the council to consider. Um I I don't know if it's a done deal. I hope it's not a done deal, but that's that's my take on it. So, with that, thank you for my for your time.

That brings us to the consent agenda. Mr. Mr. Mayor, please proceed. I move for the move for the approval of the reports and recommendations of the city manager. Thank you. Do we have a second? We've got a motion and a second for the approval of the recommendations and reports of the city manager. Does anyone want to pull any of the items for separate consideration? Mr. Mayor, please proceed. Uh, item number two, please. Council member Perkins pulls item number two.

Okay. Anyone else want to pull any of the other items? One, two, three, or four? Going once, going twice. Okay. Um, Council Member Perkins, the floor is yours. Okay, let's vote on the consent agenda. Madam City clerk, please call the role. Council member Pierce, yes. Council member Perkins, yes. Council member Stewart, yes. Council member McCandless, yes. Council member Wy, yes. Council member Vot, yes. Mayor Roland, yes. Council member Perkins, the floor is yours on item number two. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I'll make a motion for approval. Thank you. Second.

Got a motion in a second. The floor is yours.

Thank you. So, this this item here is actually for the um roundabout that is in Englewood at Northern and Winter. I know it doesn't sound very sexy or exciting, but it truly is for the people of Englewood. This has been something that's been in the works since 2013. Finally got the funding and stuff to do that. So this is going to be a nice capstone from the development that's taking place from 24 highway to complete street which is one of the largest u cost share programs that the state has uh and the city has to develop 24 highway. This will also will begin the connection. This will also be the capstone to the connection from 24 in winter all the way to hedges. Then this is going to be an additional project there that will have a complete uh infrastructure reimprovement. So this is something that's been in the works for a long time. We're excited about getting that and I will uh be voting for this. Anyone else other further discussion on item number two? Well, Council Member Perkins, if I can just give you some applause on this. Some of you have been worked on it for years and years and years and you know you finally got to fruition and congrats because it takes a long time to get something like this done.

So well done. Any further discussion? Seeing none, Madam City Clerk, please call the role on it number two. Council member Pierce, yes. Council member Perkins, yes. Council member Stewart, yes. Council member McCandless, yes. Council member Wy, yes. Council member VA, yes. Mayor Roland, yes. That brings us to the regular agenda. Madame city clerk, please proceed.

A public hearing for the application to resone the properties at 315, 317, and 319 South Osage Street from I1 Industrial and C2 general commercial to R30PUD highdensity residential/planned unit development and approving a preliminary development plan. New information only. And if I can open the public hearing, I know this is a public hearing for new information only. Scanel, please proceed.

Good evening, mayor and members of the council. My name is Tom Skinnel. I'm the community development director here for the city. Uh this resoning is located uh just south of the uh square at 3:15, 317, and 319 South Oage. Uh this uh resoning and development plan was considered by the planning commission on January 13th. The plan commission did recommend in in favor of this re reszoning. The property owner essentially u has three properties here. He is uh seeking to combine the three properties into one property uh one parcel lot and correct the uh zoning so that the zoning will match the use that has been in existence on this property for a number of years. Uh I have no new information to report on this case. Thank you. Close the public hearing. Any discussion on this item? Madness to the clerk. Please proceed. 26-018, second reading, an ordinance approving a reszoning from district I1 industrial and district C2 general commercial to district R30/PPPUD highdensity residential/planned unit development and approving a preliminary development plan for the property located at 315, 317, and 319 South Oage Street. Second reading.

Any further discussion on 26018? Seeing none, Madam City clerk, please call the role. Council member Fierce, yes. Council member Perkins, yes. Council member Stewart, yes. Council member McCandless, yes. Council member Wy, yes. Council member Vot, yes. Mayor, yes. 26018 passes. Seven in favor, zero opposed. This brings us to 26017. Madam City clerk, please proceed. 26-017 second reading. An ordinance adopting amendments to the fiscal year 2025 2026 budget which was approved by ordinance number 1 19682 second reading.

Any discussion on 26017? Seeing none, madam clerk, please call the role. Council member Fears. Yes. Council member Perkins. Yes. Council member Stewart. Yes. Council member McCandless. Yes. Council member Wy. Yes. Council member Bot. Yes. Mayor Roland, yes.

26017 passes seven in favor, zero opposed. That brings us to 26019. Minister the clerk, please proceed. 26-019, second reading. An ordinance approving a plan for an industrial development project authorizing the city of Independence, Missouri to issue two series of taxable industrial development revenue bonds in a combined principal amount not to exceed 150 bill632 million and authorizing and approving certain documents and actions in connection there with second reading. Thank you. Any further discussion on 26019? Mr. Mayor, please proceed.

So, I just wanted to make a couple of comments. You know, all of us here have felt the enormous weight of this decision. Um, we have spent hundreds of hours, um, I'll speak for myself, hundreds of hours reviewing data, looking at communities where data centers have worked, communities where they have not, looking at projects where they put in few protections for the community, uh, and learning from them to see what sorts of protections we can put in for the citizens of independence. I've read lots of health data, so you know that I am not going to vote for something that would endanger myself, my family, my community. I've read all of your emails. I have received lots of um form letters from folks from cities in Missouri and Kansas. So, a broad set of interest in this project in independence. I have heard your concerns about global warming, about outside investment dollars coming to our community. Um, your environmental concerns. I really hope that we have built a set of protections inside of the chapter 100 and inside of the energy services agreements uh that address some of the concerns that you've raised some of those about protecting against failure. We've set up protections inside those contracts. The key questions that I had coming into this were about water usage, discharge of storm water, electrical usage and grid stability, protection against power outages being at the expense of the residents instead

of the company. What kind of local employees it would bring, the sorts of jobs, especially for our labor partners. It is hard to think that you would imagine that we don't think about our community, that we don't care about our community. We live here, too. And we want the best for independence. I know that there are 150 people in the room tonight. Some of you for, some of you against. We have 120,000 people that we have to think about when we make these kinds of decisions. So for that reason I will be voting yes on the chapter 100 bonds. Thank you.

Anyone else other further discussion? Mr. Mayor, please proceed.

Um so this is the biggest issue and the most difficult decision that I have faced since being elected. And there are strong feelings on both sides of this issu is issue and I get that. I live here. My family lives here. My family lives near um near the area. Um so I wanted to meet with the community and I held a public meeting so that I could speak with residents face to face. I've spoken with neighbors and others across the community. I've received emails, calls, and thoughtful questions. Those questions were brought forward and answered. Many questions were also asked of staff and bond counsel. It was very important for me to understand the risks, the protections, and the long-term impact before making a decision. I've also had residents tell me they're worried about empty promises and revenue from past projects that didn't fully materialize the way it was projected. I understand that concern. When expectations don't match reality, it affects trust. Because of that, I'm not looking at this through projection projections alone. No one can predict the future with certainty. What I'm focused on are the protections, what is in writing, what is legally enforcable, and what safeguards are in place if things don't go as projected. I also believe that our staff has worked hard on this process, and I appreciate the time that they have invested. I spent a great deal of time reflecting on this like day and night for months. Um, and I take this responsibility seriously. So after careful thought and reflection, this is the decision that I feel led to make for our city as a whole. I will be supporting the chapter 100. Thank you.

Quiet, please, as we're deliberating here. Anyone else would like to speak? Mr. Mayor Pro Tim. Councilman Fears.

So tonight's decision is really straightforward. Should the city approve chapter 100 tax incentives for the Nebius project? Many residents have also raised questions about water, noise, lighting, power, and site aesthetics. Those concerns are valid. Most were addressed when the property was zoned for industrial use in 2022 and they are governed by existing city code requirements that Nebius must meet before operations can begin. Ongoing testing and compliance monitoring will help ensure those standards continue to be met. In addition, we have embedded these safeguards into the chapter 100 tax abatement plan itself. If requirements are not met, the abatement is at risk, creating a strong incentive for full compliance. Residents have also asked how the project's power usage might affect households. The city has put contractual protections in place to ensure residential taxpayers are not harmed. Based on those agreements, the project is expected to provide significant net benefits to Independence Power and Lights overall operations. I've also been um been heard concern that this project is moving too quickly. In fact, it has been discussed publicly for roughly three months with ample opportunity.

Please with ample opportunity for review and questions. Additional delay is unlikely to change the core facts before us or materially improve the quality of the decision. As to the chapter 100 incentive of itself, these tools exist to attract investment that might not otherwise incur. If we don't approve this plan, it is unlikely the project would proceed at its intended scale. An outcome an outcome that would Mr. Mayor,

please let's maintain decorum. We gave everyone the opportunity to speak. please or we'll take another break. Okay, let's continue and let's be respectful of each other. Thank you. If we don't approve this plan, it's unlikely the project would proceed at its intended scale, an outcome that would forego substantial benefits to the community. To be clear, if this isn't passed, there will be no tax revenue. Part of our role is to balance the concerns of a particular group of residents with the broader gains that responsible development can bring, including benefits for our schools and other taxing jurisdictions. During my door-to-door contact with over 600 residents in the month of February, relatively few have raised issues with me. Actually, less than 25. Now, I'm good at math and I do understand there are more than 25 people here that are opposed to this, but that's been my experience out knocking doortodoor. Of those I've talked to, views have been mixed, but I do believe every perspective matters. And I want to be clear, I respect both concerns and appreciation of the project. These conversations along with the discussion with Nebius, the governor staff, a personal visit to a data center, letters and emails from people on both sides of the opinion, and my personal research are all part of my deliberation. Ultimately, our responsibility as a city council is to weigh the risks and benefits for all 120,000 residents. The

potential benefits of this project are significant, including more than a thousand construction jobs supporting skilled labor and local businesses. 30 million plus annually in revenue to schools, and other taxing jurisdictions, 35 to 55 million annually to the city's general fund to benefit streets, parks, code enforcement, and much more. approximately 30 million annually to IPL operations. These outcomes are paired with enforceable standards through city code, ongoing testing, and the conditions within the chapter 100 agreement that hold NIBUS accountable for performance and compliance. In short, having considered this issue from multiple perspectives and hours of data collection and review, I believe the long-term benefits to independence outweigh the concerns. And I'll be voting in favor of this project.

Anyone else? Anyone else?

I'll go. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Big night. Thank you everyone for being here. Thank you for the engagement that we've had, the emails that we've received, the ability to read your emails, listen, digest the information that we've had. This is a very heavy topic. There's none of us here that take this lightly. There's none of us here that have thought this was going to be a a quick answer, something that we can just move fast and move quickly. I know how many hours I put in this thing. My My wife could tell you, too. I know how much staff time has been put in here or legal time has been put in here. Not only doing the the background work, their due diligence as any type of economic incentive package comes to the city of independence. We approved u mediumsiz incentive package package just months ago. We had a uh study session last summer for a economic package to help develop 40 highway and um Nolan Road. That economic package is way more complicated than this thing by a million million miles.

Please. So, as we're as we're reviewing this, we do take this serious. Question was asked, has have any of us uh spoke to anybody on Bllye Road? Answer is yes, I have. And just a little bit Mr. Mayor, if they keep calling out, can we clear the room?

That's a possibility, and I don't want to do that. But but no, seriously, this is a business meeting. I understand the passions, but we have a responsibility to conduct the business of the city. I do not want to clear this room. That is the last thing I want to consider. But if this body considers it, then we will. And you can watch it on the on the on the over the uh on the on the screens out there. I don't want to do that. I know that you can be respectful when others people are talking. Okay? Please, I beg of you. I do not want to do something that drastic. Okay? So, if you can please, please, please maintain a quorum in the chamber while we conclude the business. Okay? Thank you.

Thank you, mayor. So, just a little bit about me. It was asked, "Have you spoken to anybody on BL Road?" The answer is yes. But more specifically about me, I went to Spring Branch Elementary School. I spent a lot of my pre-teen or some of my pre-teens and some of my teenage years on the top of BL River. It's beautiful up there. It's a great place to live. But let's also be very clear. I represented the second district from 1996 to 2004. When we built that roadway out there, that whole valley was to be developed. Obviously, that we have not done that. It was zoned to be industrial, commercial, residential. I have a 2001 study session report and within that for the valley which had a steering committee, advisory committee, technical advisory committee from the independent school district plan commission study sessions. The amount of public comment and the amount of public input that was there was quite a bit. And the folks who have lived around that area for 20 and 25 years were a part of this or should have been a part of this. Within that development, market analysis, if it was been built out, 7,100 new dwelling units, 20,000 people, 350,000 square foot of retail, 750,000t of office park, 2 million square feet of industrial park, which would have been

built closer to the independence power and light. I could go on and on. Independence Missouri Council Economic Study for Development 2025 or 2005. Whether this development moves forward or not, the valley is going to be developed. That's why we engaged North Point. So looking at this holistically, I looked at what was it that North Point promised us work with us as a partner. Nibius didn't come to us because we're poor or broke down or only have three tires. They came to us because we engaged with North Point who is a developer who we are in partnership who came to us went through the proper zoning community meetings planning commission hearings public hearings to zone the property and then go get industry. That is why they're here. So I looked at what is it that they promised within that within the community um communications that they have. They took into account the the eagle and offset and moved some of their buildings. They've took into account of stream buffering, more green space, more water uh amenities that has been taken into account as they begin to move and work out there. So, so far I have no reason to not trust them.

When it comes to the data center, put the time and energy and and effort into doing, you know, study from information that has been given here, doing my own study research. Um, I know we were made fun of for for calling the mayor that was in in Finland understanding the economy of scale, but why would I not why would we not at least call a mayor and at least ask, have they been a good partner? Why wouldn't we do all of that? But we were made fun of that. So doing the study, working with the city staff, understanding the water issues. I mean, this was news to me. The amount of water this thing is going to use is less than most of any of our other industries. That was probably the most surprising thing. We worked with our power. That power agreement to protect our citizens, to protect our rights, is something that was foremost in my mind. And I've said it before, this is probably the third time I've said it. If we didn't have the professional staff, the understanding of of working with the power plant with all of the nuances that that has with the expertise that this city has, working with that industry, Department of Natural Resources, the federal regulations, it would be very hard for me to say yes as an aspect that I would use as a matrix, but we do. And I've had the opportunity to work with this professionalism.

Chapter 100 bonds, big number that wasn't lost on me or wasn't lost on anybody here. Is the process the same that we walked through with other developments? We have an economic policy that the city council uh approved seven years ago. This falls in line with that. Our economic policy also falls in line with the developments that we have done in the past. The developments that we are looking into the future which are tax abatements tax incentives to bring industry here to bring development here to get rid of blight here. I've heard people want to get rid of blight. Well, some of these considerations that we are going to have is going to do that. This tax incentive is chapter 100. Some of the ones that we're going to look at is a CID, possibly an NID, a TDD, a TI, a TIFF, and a chapter 100. This is exclusively a 100. Very much more simpler, streamlined. And then with this actually gives us more protection than without. If we vote this down and and Nubius wants to build, they will still fall under the guidelines and regulations of the state of of what we provide, lighting, water usage, electrical usage, and we would use all the hammers that we have, but we wouldn't have the ability to yank the Chapter 100 bond from them. which would really get their attention

more so than you can not imagine. So, the protections are there and I've worked through that with our staff and I feel very comfortable with this for future economic development. This is the only beginning for the valley. The valley is going to be developed out. We want to do it in a way that makes sense and that is smart and has the allowable zoning in place to do so. Thank you for being here. Thank you for the conversations. This will keep going obviously as the devality as the valley develops. So, thank you and I will be voting yes.

Anyone else? Please proceed.

Thank you. I do want to thank everybody for coming tonight and I I've heard some people say through this process that they don't feel heard and I just I don't we have really I have listened I know my colleagues have listened I've read everything I can I've read your comments um I've listened to you tonight I have a book full of your comments and this has been a very difficult decision for me this has weighed on my mind a lot and I have felt a personal responsibility to do as much research as I can. I've that's what I've spent the last couple of months doing. Our staff includes scientists, engineers, and experts in their fields. We are working alongside the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the EPA. There are enforcable protections in place, and I'm confident that if any issues arise during the building permit process that our staff will deal with it. That is their responsibility, and I trust them to carry it out. At the end of the day, my responsibility is to balance opportunity with protection and I believe that this agreement does that. Thanks. Anyone else?

I just want to say thank you to the staff for all the work that you did. I know you've worked in as bond counsel, as staff members. You've done an extraordinary job getting us to this point. It's been hours upon hours upon hours. Um, I know you put together the the the questions that were answered from the last uh meeting. I know you put those FAQs on the website. Where's Rachel at? Is she still here? I'm here. I want to personally apologize to you. I didn't send those emails to you. The answers were done and the answers were put on the FAQ, but I want to take personal responsibility for that. That is all on me. that it's not on anybody else on this

dasis. I

Well, anyway, we're not having a debate. I just wanted to apologize to you for the information. Um, with that, I just wanted to say thank you to the staff for all the work you've done. I just wanted to say thank you for the protections that the legal department has put together for this. uh there's been just tremendous amount of effort put together to make sure that the city is protected with this process as it goes forward. So um there are protections in place to protect the city going forward and protect citizens in this process. This is a difficult process. No question there's a lot of passions on both sides of the equation. But um I just wanted to say thank you to my colleagues for all the work. I know I know you've spent hours on this. Um, I know there are there are members on this council who spent hours going through that contract to make sure that the legal contract was all of the protections were there. This these these these members in this body did not take this lightly. They worked extremely hard to make sure that your interests were protected and they have the difficult choice of falling on one side of the fence or the other. Uh, but they have worked very very hard to protect your interest and and the staff. I cannot say thank you enough for all the hard work that you've done uh for everyone that's put on all of the hours for this. It's been an incredibly difficult task to get us to this point. Uh but we've all worked very hard to get us here. So unless anyone else has anything else to say. Uh we'll call the the question. Anyone else? Madam City Clerk, please call the role.

Council member Fierce? Yes. Council member Perkins? Yes. Council member Stewart? No. Council member McCandless. Yes. Council member Wy. Yes. Council member Vot. Yes. Mayor Roland. No. And the motion passes. Five in favor, two opposed. That brings us to first readings. Madam City clerk, please proceed. 26-020. First reading. An ordinance amending chapter 12 of the code of ordinances of the city of independence, Missouri, by adding a new article prohibiting the sale of certain intoxicating cratom derivatives and restricting the sale of cratom products to persons 21 years of age or older. Sponsored by Mayor Ring

Please maintain order, Mr. Mayor, can we just take a fiveminut recess? Yeah, we'll take a fiveminute recess. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Lee. Clerk, please remind me where we were. I just finished uh reading 26020. All right. 26020. This is an ordinance on U. I'm not going to ask the council to vote on this until we get the health commission to take a look at it. So, I'll work with you, madame city manager, and make sure that we've get that coordinated before we take this to the council. So, we'll see if we'll that off. Do we have to do anything to Is it something you'd like to formally postpone or just work to get with them? I think we might be able to get it done before it's up on the agenda. If it comes up the agenda, then we can just postpone it at that point. That's kind of what I'm thinking. Okay. If that's fine with everybody here,

but I just wanted everybody to know that. Okay. U Madam City Clerk, please proceed. 26-021 first reading. An ordinance approving a special use permit to operate a bed and breakfast at 134 South Maywood Avenue in Independence, Missouri. First reading 26-022, first reading. An ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance Chapter 14 of the Independent City Code pertaining to accessory buildings and structures. First reading 26-023. First reading. An ordinance amending the Unified Development Ordinance Chapter 14 of the Independent City Code pertaining to temporary signs. First reading. 26-024. First reading. An ordinance authorizing final disposition of certain city records that have met all requirements to be eligible for such disposition. First reading.

Thank you. That brings us to C city council members comments. Council member Fears, the floor is yours. Honestly, Mr. Mayor, I'm so tired. I don't think I have anything to say. Thank you, Council Member Stewart. Nothing tonight, Mayor. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member Vot. Well, I feel like mine's pretty important. So, I do have a small update regarding Nolan Fashion Square. Um, there's a project that's scheduled to go before the TIFF Commission on April 21st, and the developer has submitted an incentive request. So, this begins the formal review process. I don't have um additional details at this time, but I will continue to um share information as it becomes available.

That is all. Thank you, Council Member. Council member WY. Nothing tonight, Mayor. Thank you, Council Member McCandless.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh as you have been following along, you recall that we have been working on selecting a new city manager since the resignation of Zack Walker in uh August. Um we have been doing our diligent process as we have gone through. We have started with a large panel. We have trimmed that down. And yesterday uh many of you came out to meet our uh potential candidates. We have four of them. Uh we interviewed them today. Uh there was a panel of community members. There was a panel of staff. Uh and then the city council. Uh this is one of the most important tasks that a city council has. It is outlined in the charter that that is the responsibility of the city council to select and manage the city manager. Uh probably one of the biggest decisions besides today uh of things that we will do as a body. Um we will hopefully have a selection soon. Uh, I know that I have to tell interim city manager Lisa Reynolds what a wonderful job she has done in the meantime being pressed into service. Uh, I know that she doesn't love sitting in front of the council and answering questions, but you've done a very nice job. So, I hope you'll have the opportunity to welcome someone wonderful to our city who will help lead us forward into the new opportunities ahead. So, I will continue to keep you updated. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you. Council member Perkins, please proceed. Nothing tonight, Mayor. Thank you.

Very good. I just want to give a shout out to council member McCandless for all the work that you did to get us to the point of getting the for the city manager search. You've done a great job on that and and for all the staff that did that. I know that all weekend long they had the candidates here. They took them in tours. They took various sites at the cities, took them for four or five hour tours. So, I just want to say thank you to everyone that was involved with that process. We're still continuing it. We're going to gather together and and uh do that. So, I just want to give a shout out to my colleagues. Uh, this has been a really, really long day. We've been here since about 7:45 this morning. Did candidate interviews all day and then had uh quite a a meeting tonight. So, if you want to run for city council, look forward to days like that. Anyway, with that being said, I will turn it over to you, madame interim city manager. Only one quick thing this evening. Um, mayor and council, I failed to mention at our last meeting that we did get a three-year deal with the Mavericks resigned. So, you can look forward to independence hockey for at least another three years. And with that, I've got nothing else for the evening.

And they are having an extraordinary year. They're like 40 and eight or something like that. It's just an extraordinary year. Customer service moving. Customer service is moving this weekend or Friday. Customer service moving. and customer service is will be in the process um starting Thursday will be closed Friday um back open in the commons on Monday. So let's let's take a breath and do that from the start really clear so everybody knows what's happening with that because that's a really important thing.

Okay. So customer service utility billing is relocating from the old independence utility center at 23rd and 291. They're moving to the municipal commons and that work will have them um closed for safe relocation and all those things on this Friday. They'll be working through the weekend and opened again on Monday at the new location at the municipal commons. And the kiosk at the utility center remains open. People can make payments there. Correct. They can. And then um we plan of course to have those um one at PD and possibly one at Truman Memorial Building um at a point in the future. So that option is still available.

Okay. And we we are examining the opportunity for a drive-thru drop off as well. We are there's no current drive-thru at the Commons. Um the kiosk does come in a version that allows drive up. Um so we're investigating. We're going first with the walk up kiosks, make sure functionality is everything we hope they will be, and then look at um potentially putting one of the drive up units in one of the islands in the parking lot. Fantastic. Thank you. Anyone else other thoughts before we wrap up? I can't believe I can say this, but we'll call this meeting adjourned.