On the agenda: Monroeville agenda — data center (Jul 28)

Special Council Meeting July 28, 2026
On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at 6:30 p.m., Mayor Joseph Galea opened the Special Council meeting with a
word of prayer. The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag was recited by those present.
The special meeting for the Council of the Village of Monroeville was then called to order.
Present at roll call:
Chris Raftery
Mark Miller
Sue Rogers
Andrew Brown
Jim Ehrman

and

Joseph Galea, Mayor
Eunice Collene, Fiscal Officer

Also attending: Bonnie Beck; David Luna; Diana Nicholl; Dale Beck; Tom Sitterly; Dan Bemis; Ken
Underwood; Melissa Zehnder; Jill Tangeman; Aaron Pickrell; Joe & Holly Weilnau; and Elisa Brown.
EXCUSE COUNCIL MEMBER
The mayor asked for Council’s approval to excuse Tammy Schlachter from the meeting, due to Ms.
Schlachter being on vacation. Ms. Sue Rogers made that motion, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery. Motion
carried with no discussion.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
The mayor asked for Council’s approval of the agenda. Ms. Sue Rogers made a motion, seconded by Ms.
Chris Raftery, to approve the agenda. Mr. Jim Ehrman asked if the agenda could be amended to allow
time for public comment during tonight's meeting. The mayor confirmed that public comment was not
included in the agenda and would need to be added if Mr. Ehrman is requesting it. The mayor asked Mr.
Ehrman to make a motion if he wished to amend the agenda. Mr. Jim Ehrman made a motion to amend
the agenda to include public comment, prior to tonight’s legislation being presented, seconded by Mr.
Mark Miller. Motion carried with no further discussion. The mayor then asked Council for a motion to
approve the amended agenda. Ms. Sue Rogers made a motion, seconded by Mr. Andrew Brown, to
approve the agenda as amended. Motion carried with no discussion.
ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT RESIGNATION OF VILLAGE ZONING INSPECTOR DAVE MAHL
The mayor asked Council for a motion to accept the resignation of Village Zoning Inspector Dave Mahl.
Ms. Sue Rogers made that motion, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery. Motion carried with no discussion.
AUTHORIZE POSTING OF THE VILLAGE ZONING INSPECTOR POSITION
The mayor asked Council for a motion to authorize the posting of the Village Zoning Inspector position.
Ms. Chris Raftery made that motion, seconded by Mr. Jim Ehrman. Mr. Mark Miller asked the mayor how
quickly he was looking to fill the position. The mayor responded he would like to fill the position
immediately. Mr. Andrew Brown asked if the position is part-time. The mayor confirmed. Motion carried
with no further discussion.
PUBLIC COMMENT
The mayor asked those who wished to speak to step forward to the podium and state their name and
address.
Ms. Jill Tangeman, a lawyer for Decimal Digital at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, spoke about the
ballot question for the Huron County Board of Elections regarding Ordinance 2026-13. Ms. Tangeman
urged Council members to consider the ballot question before proceeding. She said that asking the
question without having complete information is too premature. She emphasized the need for
regulations, including proper locations, setbacks, noise control, and landscaping. She encouraged Council
members to take the time to educate themselves and their constituents, not only about this project but
also about data centers as a whole. She said it’s Decimal Digital's responsibility to ensure everyone
understands the full context and details. There will be numerous chances to evaluate the project and its
specifics throughout the process. Ms. Tangeman urged the Council members to allow themselves and
their constituents to receive all relevant information before posing a question that lacks clarity and does
not empower Council to act in the community's best interest.
Mr. Dan Bemis stated that his property line is adjacent to the proposed data center site. He said that he
recently sent a letter after hearing that Council was considering hiring a lawyer. He said that, with all due
respect to Ms. Tangeman's earlier comments, there is a lot of information highlighting the negative
impacts of introducing a data center to a community. He explained that he was not there to oppose
Decimal Digital or the development itself. Upon reviewing his letter and Decimal Digital's plans, he noted
that his property would be near several high transmission lines. This raises a new set of zoning, safety,
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and health issues. In his letter, Mr. Bemis said that he questioned whether Council planned to hire an
expensive attorney to negotiate a strict business development agreement and a community benefit
agreement. He said that Decimal Digital claimed online they were ready to sign an agreement. He urged
Council not to rely solely on Decimal Digital's statements. People can make promises, but unless they sign
a contract with penalties for not following through, those promises hold little weight. He believed Council
was seeking an opinion on the ballot, which may not be favorable, especially based on conversations with
local neighbors. He was unsure about the noise regulations but was aware of the current levels in his
backyard, at the school track, at Cindy Linley’s home, and at the Bischoffs' house down the street. If those
regulations change, the village would no longer be a quiet community, and that would be unfair to the
residents. He said that Council bringing on an attorney would be money well spent. If the community had
to do crowdsourcing to fund it, they could do that. He asked if that is something that the village was
considering, and asked when that decision would be made. The mayor said yes, it’s being considered, it
will happen, but it hasn’t been engaged yet. A Finance Committee meeting is coming up, and the budget
would need to be reviewed. Mr. Bemis asked if residents are allowed to participate once someone is
selected. The mayor confirmed and said that he anticipates that will be a part of the process. The mayor
said that he and Council will ensure that, especially for those that live closest to the proposed project. Mr.
Mark Miller said that to date, he had read everything that Mr. Bemis had submitted, and said that Mr.
Bemis had a lot of valid points, which Mr. Miller appreciated. Mr. Bemis also thanked Council for the
recent assistance with a tree stump that was removed in front of his property.
Ms. Holly Weilnau said that she was dealing with challenges regarding data centers in Oxford Township.
In her findings, many data centers are experiencing a backlog of five to seven years in acquiring
equipment and going online. She asked about the minimum investment the village would require from
Decimal Digital if they begin construction but are unable to secure the necessary equipment. Recent
discussions have focused on the maximum investment, but the minimum investment hasn’t been
addressed. She also questioned who would participate in the discussions regarding the community
service agreement. She asked if it would involve the community, or if it would be someone hired by the
village who may not fully understand community needs. If Decimal Digital is informed that the fine is
$1000 and they operate generators for 24 hours due to delays in going online, they might not be
concerned. She said Council should ensure that fines are significant. Given the five- to seven-year
backlog, Council must prevent Decimal Digital from relying on generators due to delays in going online
or insufficient megawatt capacity, as this would lead to increased noise for residents. Decimal Digital
often presents big numbers, but the minimum figures sometimes do not align with community interests.
The mayor noted that outside the meeting, Ms. Weilnau had suggested to him that residents and others
should be involved in creating the community service agreement, and he supports this idea. Ms.
Weilnau said there is a need for community involvement, ensuring that those affected have a say.
Ms. Elisa Brown stated she was speaking as a resident, not as a member of the BZA (Board of Zoning
Appeals). She said her comments were in response to the representative from Digital Decimal today.
Ms. Brown noted that Ms. Jill Tangeman had discussed the power of the Council members. Ms. Brown
said this is something that doesn’t sit well with her. She acknowledged that Council has power and
control over village matters. Ultimately, Council should represent the whole community. The community
should consider reducing Council's power or viewing the ordinance as a data point. A data point reflects
the entire community's voice. Ms. Brown believes that power should be used to represent all those
affected. Another concern is the burden of proof. Ms. Brown pointed out that Ms. Tangeman said
Council is voting based on information they don’t have. She stated it is Ms. Tangeman's responsibility to
provide the community with this information. It is also Ms. Tangeman’s responsibility to convince the
residents that whatever plans Decimal Digital has for their science fair or community meetings, the
burden of proof lies with them, not the residents. If the vote is postponed, the moratorium would be
lifted. The voters wouldn’t have another chance to voice their opinions until May, which would be too
late. Ms. Brown said that educated voters are not receiving enough recognition. Members of this
community are conducting their own research; they are knowledgeable, and this should not be
overlooked. She believes that any zoning regulations must originate from the community itself. The
community should identify its needs, which should then be reviewed by experienced legal counsel to
ensure they are bulletproof and legally sound. Everyone understands how legal processes function,
often using policies from other areas and making adjustments based on feedback. It is important that
the regulations be created from the ground up to reflect the community's interests and then presented
back to the community for approval, ensuring the community is protected. The community deserves
better representation.
Ms. Holly Weilnau asked about the time it took for the village to develop the latest zoning ordinance.
Ms. Chris Raftery said it took a considerable amount of time. The mayor clarified that the latest zoning
ordinance was not seen as urgent, but addressing issues related to the data center is urgent. Ms.
Weilnau then asked when the moratorium would expire. Mr. Mark Miller said that it would expire in
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March 2027. Ms. Weilnau questioned whether it was possible to implement faster zoning regulations for
data centers. The mayor said that it was possible since they are not reviewing hundreds of pages of the
zoning book line by line. They are concentrating on specific issues that need to be resolved within a set
timeframe. Ms. Weilnau asked if the moratorium could be extended. Mr. Miller said that there might be
an opportunity to extend it, and Mr. Andrew Brown agreed. The mayor confirmed and said it would
require legal scrutiny. He said that while there are no current plans for an extension, it is possible, and
other communities have handled it similarly. Ms. Raftery stated that Council aims to create zoning that
is enforceable.
Mr. Ken Underwood said that he had talked to the mayor and Fiscal Officer Eunice Collene about
creating a five-year revenue forecast for the data center. Ms. Collene had informed him that she lacked
the necessary data to create a forecast, so she could not determine the revenue. Mr. Underwood said
that Decimal Digital’s Eagle Ridge website mentioned a figure of $100,000 per month, and he
questioned the source of that number. He stated that it is Decimal Digital's responsibility to explain how
they arrived at that figure, which would allow the village to verify if it’s accurate. Mr. Dan Bemis agreed
with Mr. Underwood. He said that it should be clear to everyone what Decimal Digital’s assumptions are
and how the revenue actually flows. The $100,000 figure might represent tax money that Decimal
Digital would owe, but the question is who ultimately receives the revenue. If Council states that the
moratorium will end in March 2027, they would need to hold three meetings before that, which would
be around November 2026. An agreement will likely need to be negotiated. Council should approach it
from the community’s point of view.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS FOR FIRST READING
The mayor asked Ms. Collene if Ordinance 2026-12 needs to be passed as an emergency or not. Ms.
Collene conferred with Village Solicitor Jim Barney. Mr. Barney said the ordinance doesn’t contain an
emergency clause. It’s his opinion that the ordinance should be read, and if Chief Earl wants to pass it as
an emergency, that could be done in August when presented for a second reading.
ORDINANCE 2026-12 An Ordinance amending section 141.04 of the codified ordinances of the Village of
Monroeville, Ohio, regarding fees and compensation for police special services and mutual aid
assignments was presented for first reading. No discussion.
ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS FOR PASSAGE
The Mayor asked for a motion to suspend the rules for the following legislation. Ms. Chris Raftery made
that motion, seconded by Mr. Andrew Brown. Motion carried with no discussion.
ORDINANCE 2026-13 An Ordinance directing the Huron County Board of Elections to submit a ballot
question to the electors of the Village of Monroeville at the November 3, 2026, general election and
declaring an emergency was presented for passage. Mr. Andrew Brown made a motion, seconded by
Mr. Mark Miller, to pass Ordinance 2026-13 by title only. Ms. Rogers said that she agreed with Ms. Jill
Tangeman that Council is acting prematurely on this matter. She said that zoning should be established
first. She questioned the benefit of placing a question on the ballot since Decimal Digital has already
acquired the land and obtained an ESA (Electric Service Agreement). If Council denies the data center,
Decimal Digital could sue the village, leading to significant litigation fees. Mr. Jim Ehrman said that the
ballot question would serve an informational purpose, helping Council understand what the community
wants. The deadline to submit for the November ballot is August 5, 2026. Ms. Rogers said she
understands, but noted that based on previous Council meetings, it seems the community has already
said no. Mr. Brown explained that the ballot question offers Council direct feedback from the residents
they represent, as they were elected to do. This issue could impact the village for many years, so he
believes it's important to ask residents for their opinions. It also provides a more accurate
representation than informal polls. Mr. Brown said that he has been advocating for evidence-based,
reliable information throughout this process. He believes Council members should be held to the same
standards to gather information from their constituents. This method is better than polls, petitions, and
questionnaires, which sometimes reflect only local opinions. It ensures that every registered voter has
an equal chance to voice their opinion while maintaining voter privacy. A formal ballot allows people to
vote without social pressure and creates an official public record, eliminating speculation about
community preferences. Council would have certified election results, and this would help with the
public’s trust in the process. The ballot question lets voters know that Council is listening to what they
say. He understands the cons as well, and the misunderstanding that it’s only advisory is a concern. Ms.
Rogers agreed that people might not realize it’s only advisory. Mr. Brown asked the mayor whether the
language they had discussed prior would appear on the ballot for voters to see. The mayor said no. Mr.
Barney mentioned that he had never done something like this before. When a property tax issue is put
on the ballot, the Secretary of State requires specific wording. He consulted with other attorneys and
the Assistant Prosecutor who represents the Board of Elections. However, this doesn't seem to be
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specifically required. Whether the Huron County Board of Elections wants to review it is a different
matter. Mr. Brown asked if Council could revise the language if they submit it and the Board of Elections
rejects it. Mr. Barney said that typically, if everything is submitted on time and the changes are not
significant, the Board of Elections would permit revisions. Mr. Brown questioned the harm of calling it
an advisory question. Ms. Rogers said she is concerned that voters wouldn’t understand that. Mr. Brown
said that voters are more informed than Ms. Rogers believes. Ms. Rogers said that voters could reject it,
yet the data center could still be approved, leading to confusion for those who said they didn’t want it.
She said that she is not suggesting that people shouldn't have a voice in this issue. Mr. Brown said that
in reply to Ms. Rogers' earlier comment on litigation costs, Council has to do the right thing, even when
it’s difficult. If Council needs to advocate for the community's needs, then that’s what they will do. Ms.
Rogers asked if residents would be willing to pay increased utility rates to provide Council with funds for
litigation. Mr. Brown questioned the need to increase utility rates. Ms. Rogers said that she thought
some fees would need to be increased to cover litigation costs. Mr. Miller said that receiving the 1.3
million owed to the village would assist in funding any litigation. Mr. Brown stated that sometimes the
struggle is worthwhile. It’s a risk, but it’s important to do what is right. Mr. Ehrman said that Council
should discuss where the no vote would come from in the community. The community is aware of Gray
Matter and their impact. They are receiving negative reports from the media. It’s Council’s responsibility
to understand the community's desires, create regulations, and inform the public. The community
should have the final say. They cannot make an informed choice without knowing all the information.
Strict regulations would be necessary. Decimal Digital has guaranteed a specific amount of revenue, but
the source of that revenue is unclear. Council is under a time constraint, and months have been wasted
just discussing issues. It’s time to focus and take action. The ballot question serves as information, and
the village cannot be sued over it. It acts as a guide for Council. Mr. Brown agreed and said it’s a useful
data point. The mayor said that the village cannot be sued over the ballot question; however, it could
face lawsuits regarding the use of the information. Mr. Ehrman said that his only concern is that the
ballot wording is controversial. The question should ask voters if they want a data center. Mr. Brown
added that it needs to be specific, asking voters if they agree to a data center as long as it meets the
zoning regulations that Council would establish. Ms. Raftery confirmed, and said if an extension of the
moratorium is necessary, it can be requested. Mr. Brown said that the ballot question should indicate
whether an extension of the moratorium is required. Mr. Miller said that if Council finalizes the zoning
and Decimal Digital complies with the standards, it would just be another business in the Industrial Park.
He also suggested that the power lines should be placed underground. The mayor asked for a roll call on
the motion to pass Ordinance 2026-13. Mr. Andrew Brown, Mr. Mark Miller, and Mr. Jim Ehrman voted
yea. Ms. Sue Rogers and Ms. Chris Raftery voted nay. Motion carried with no further discussion.
ORDINANCE 2026-14 An Ordinance amending or supplementing certain funds for appropriations
Ordinance No. 2025-24, and declaring an emergency was presented for passage. Ms. Chris Raftery made
a motion to discuss Ordinance 2025-24, seconded by Ms. Sue Rogers. Motion carried. Ms. Raftery asked
Ms. Collene to provide details about the appropriations. Ms. Collene explained that the ordinance is
meant to allocate funds to State Highway Fund 202. When employees are mowing or working near the
state highway, they log their hours, and their wages, OPERS, and benefits are paid from Fund 202 rather
than Fund 201. This year, the village did not hire seasonal workers, resulting in higher costs for full-time
employees to handle mowing. Mr. Andrew Brown asked if the employees are working overtime. Ms.
Collene said no, but they are paid from Fund 202 at double the rate of a seasonal worker. The second
part of the ordinance is to increase the wage line item for the Street Department, which also covers
OPERS and benefits. Ms. Collene said that the Street Department hopes this will provide enough funds
to last through the year. As Council is aware, if the village has a bad winter and requires overtime for
snow plowing during year-end, additional appropriations may be necessary. Ms. Collene and the
departments try to maintain a conservative budget. There are two full-time employees in the Street
Department, and they sometimes receive help from Electric Department employees. This leads to those
employees being paid from the Street Fund. The departments work together to support one another.
Mr. Brown said Council may need to consider hiring seasonal staff next year. Ms. Sue Rogers made a
motion, seconded by Ms. Chris Raftery, to pass Ordinance 2026-14 by title only. Motion carried with no
further discussion.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no other business to come before them, the Mayor asked Council for a motion to adjourn.
Ms. Rogers made that motion, seconded by Mr. Brown.
Meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m.

____________________________________
Eunice A. Collene, Fiscal Officer
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Special Council Meeting July 28, 2026

________________________________________
Joseph Galea, Mayor

The minutes of this meeting were recorded by Administrative Specialist Heather Alicea. Fiscal Officer
Eunice A. Collene examined them for both form and content, subsequently approving them as
transcribed.
THIS IS NOT A RATIFIED OR APPROVED COPY

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