All right, folks, let's uh like to call the meeting to order, please.

It's four o'clock.

I'll I'll go and introduce all the team members again for the committee for everybody so they can see who is who.

You just raise your hand as I call your name.

Um, Brian Sullivan, uh JP Gallagher, Andy Durkin.

Paul Babb.

Have you all had a chance to read the minutes?

Any comments, questions, clarifications?

Okay, is there a second?

Second.

All in favor.

Opposed?

Okay, thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Kelly Sullivan.

I'm the executive director of the Butte Local Development Corporation.

I recently had a conversation.

I recently had a conversation with Darcy Klein, who is the controller at the Port of Quincy, and the Port of Quincy is the economic development authority in Quincy, Washington.

Ms.

Klein is a lifelong resident of Quincy, and so she had a lot of good things to say about the data center landscape there.

Quincy has a population of about 8200 people.

It is primarily an agricultural community, and is currently home to six data centers, which she says have been a boon to the local economy.

There are hundreds of construction jobs that came along with those data centers, as well as the permanent jobs at each center.

They've been very beneficial to young people in the community who now stay versus leaving to find work.

The data centers have been willing and active community partners, assisting with a lot of different projects there that I'll touch on in just a minute.

A company called AHO Construction has built hundreds of homes in recent years to address a previous lack of housing, and I'll show you a little chart on that as well.

And people are now choosing to live, work, and raise families in Quincy versus previously commuting 15 to 45 minutes to Efreda and Winatchie.

She did admit that there have.

Again, these major investments are made by possible possible by increased assessed value.

And these projects demonstrate how targeted tax incentive and economic development policies can translate into tangible long-term benefits for the community.

So talking a little bit about assessed value, when a big new facility is built, its assessed value gets added to the tax rolls.

Before the Quincy Data Center arrived, all the taxable property in the Port of Quincy area combined was about 937 million for tax purposes in 2006.

After the data centers were built, that total value grew to 8.47 billion.

That means about 7.5 billion dollars in new taxable property value was added, largely from data centers, but also from some related development.

And why does this matter to the community?

Well, property taxes are calculated like this, and this is a very simplified model.

The assessed value multiplied by the tax rate equals your tax revenue.

So an assessed value goes up a lot, the community can collect more tax revenue, even if tax rates go down.

Schools, fire departments, hospitals, and inner infrastructure get funded, and existing residents may see lower tax rates because the tax base is much larger.

So here's some updates from SABI.

We're still waiting to hear back from them from their operations team to get some more questions answered.

But I spoke with Maria Randazzo, and she talked a little bit about noise.

She said that SABI's model of data center is much quieter than that of a crypto mining center.

I think some comparisons have been made maybe between Atlas Power in Butte and what this data center could bring, but she said it's very different.

We're waiting on more infrastructure information on lighting.

And then it's very common for them to do a traffic study later in their process.

So the traffic is not constant, but just based on shift work, uh starting in times of shifts.

But she did say that a comparison with a retail center, um, that was a finding from the Quincy study, found that the traffic was much less.

And then I've put up a little link here, SAIB datacenters.com locations.

You can go to on their website, they have some great information there if you want to take the time to look at that.

And then at the bottom there's a chart here that talks about housing starts.

So if you kind of look from 2002 11 to 2025, the total housing units grew, and I don't have my glasses on.

I think it says by 692.

Uh so that is a huge influx of housing in a small community of only 8200 people.

And now I'm just going to turn it over to Kayla.

Can I ask question first before you sorry about that?

Yes.

No, it's okay.

Um, thank you for that.

Uh I know you and I were talking, and and uh Mr.

Gallagher and I were talking earlier.

Um it's just a matter of getting some data on the noise side of it, and I know she said she would go out and get some measurements made, and then we can have a profile of data over time from the fence line or next to the building.

I know some of you folks have visited out there.

Um maybe you can comment if you had any noise issues.

I don't know if you're there at nighttime for light issues.

Uh thank you, um, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh, was not there at night, was there during the day.

Um, so I can tell you that the noise level was um non-existent outside of the um facility, um, even standing right next to a a building, um, still no noise.

Um, we did tour the entire building in the interior, um, went into some of the server suites that we were allowed into, and that is where there was some noise standing next to the servers.

Um, but other than that, I can say that I did not hear any noise.

Thank you.

I think we can just go back to her and ask her if she can get us that data.

Sounds great.

She said she's working on that.

She's working on noise, traffic lighting, and I believe also jobs data for us.

Any other questions for Ms.

Sullivan before?

Yeah, go ahead, sir.

I just have uh a quick comment and then also a question.

The the first comment is in doing research about the um Quincy Tax base.

Um I too saw a lot of articles about um a lot of uh municipal building expansions and things um resulting that were positive in that community about an expanding tax race.

Um thing that did confuse me though, and it may just be how they do their taxes in Quincy, but last year in 2025 they asked for a 6.5%, I believe it was, increase in property tax related to I think um police and fire retirement um funds that weren't being met through their tax base.

But last year in 2025, they asked for a 6.5%, I believe it was increase in property tax related to I think police and fire retirement funds that weren't being met through their tax base.

Did you hear anything about that, Kelly?

I did not.

Okay.

And then my second just apples and oranges thing is that this SAB data center would be built within the tax increment district.

And maybe Kayla, you could answer this.

Sorry.

I apologize.

So Mr.

Chair and Sarah, just to sort of touch base on that question.

I mean, immediately we'll see benefit just because we're adding, you know, someone to the base of our taxes anyway.

So regardless of whether we have a district or not, a new taxpayer is a new taxpayer.

So I'll just start with that.

Um and Director Burns can jump in at any point and and change that or what or you know.

Um and then, you know, as far as the district goes, you know, we'll be collecting that increment off the district.

Obviously, we have to meet the priorities of the district, and that district is set to sunset um in 2038 at this point.

So the life of it, I believe, is 15 years.

Um, you know, I guess when all those taxes would be released essentially back into their, you know, jurisdictions at that point where we're not.

But but I want to make it clear that we're not taking yeah, I'll let Director Burns kind of touch on that a little bit.

Thank you, Kayla.

Um, yes, so um we've talked about this a little bit and already in terms of how the taxes work within a tax increment district, so I won't get into the detail about how tax increment works.

But to answer your question, um Kayla hit it on the head.

The district, the increment provision has a a 15-year life.

Um during that life, though, of increment collection, we could as a board entertain and as a commission entertain a remittance agreement back to all the taxing jurisdictions.

So if we were accomplishing the goals in the plan that Kayla talked about and meeting those measures and had increment that could be remitted back to the taxing jurisdictions, we could enter into an agreement, and that way um those benefits could be felt a whole lot quicker to all of the other um entities in the community um that would be served by that tax collection.

So that could be determined.

Hopefully I answered your question.

JP, I think wants to make a comment and then Andy.

Um Mr.

Chair and Ms.

Bordoon.

Also, I wanted to kind of go back to when the TIFF was came about originally.

It was a 30-year uh commitment in the TIFF that sunset two years ago.

That base now is collected into Butte Silverbow's taxable values that that is has come in.

And so the value that was that came about because of REC and the development that happened during those 30 years is now in Butte Silver Bowl's tax rolls.

That's how that this was created.

This is what the benefit is as it goes along there.

And so now as we started a new TED, it starts at a base.

So all of those those uh um businesses that are in there are that base.

They're already those collections that they're in there.

That is what Butte Silver Bowl collects that goes into our tax base.

Now the increment that builds from that, that's where that base starts at.

And then any increment that now is derived from that now becomes the new increment that comes into it.

So it's very little right now, but when you add a business of this substantial size, it will build increment quickly.

And so that that is the benefit that's the that is the tax strategy and why TIFFS originally came about and why TEDs are really economic development tools for Butte Silverbow.

And I was just gonna add one question that actually Don Patriots had a couple weeks ago was related to some of the property taxes and how that collection works.

So out on the website is a calculation that kind of shows an example of how much becomes increment and what is there.

But I wanted to touch a little bit more on what Karen said about the potential for dollars that get collected by that district as a member of the TED board.

If the TED board didn't have initiatives to spend that money on economic development, that certainly could, if which is a decision that the Council of Commissioners could make rather than fund economic development options out there or any initiatives that the TED board might have, that council of commissioners could vote to essentially move those dollars back into what for lack of a better term is a general fund, all the other taxing jurisdictions.

And I believe at one point in time in the past that did happen for however many millions of dollars at one point did come back to Butte Silver Bow.

Thanks everybody.

I appreciate that.

Next up.

Is that you, Miss Lapin?

Thank you, Miss Sullivan, for what you did.

Appreciate that.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, uh, members of the committee.

Um, you know, just I wanted to give the county perspective on noise traffic and lighting, which is just to reiterate that this district, you know, falls under, you know, an industrial zone that has specific municipal code that speaks to sort of you know all of the noise and the lighting.

And so, you know, as a project comes in to the Montana Connections targeted economic development district, you know, all of those things we feel are addressed in the code.

Um, and so as SABE comes in, you know, will be our as they go to get their permitting, and I'll I'll talk Julia's gonna speak more to that permitting process.

You know, all of those things will be addressed in their in the build of their in the design phase of their building.

Um and so any expected noise, any expected lighting, it it has to be compliant within the district.

And I also want to make the point that um you know, businesses in Montana Connections have historically worked with Butte Silverbow staff to ensure that lighting does not impact nearby businesses.

We're actually working through a request right now.

Um and so you know, I want to say that the businesses that we've worked with have all been you know more than willing to accommodate the needs of nearby residents and and concerns that have been caused by the lighting, and and there has been a lot of growth over the years.

You know, we've received some comment about gosh, you drive out there and it's like lit up.

Um, you know, and part of that is you know, we just have to when you've got workers on 24-7 shifts, you have to make sure that lighting is safe and protective, you know, uh the building.

So, you know, we'll work with them on ensuring that it doesn't impact you know people's quality of life, but we also have to keep people who are working there safe and and up to the code.

So um, and then the other thing I'll touch on is the traffic.

The traffic impacts from this project uh are mostly gonna be the construction phase, and then as alluded to earlier, you know, commuting times.

And you know, there was talk earlier about you know, we were discussing okay, maybe the traffic's a little bit different because this project is a 10 to 20 year build out.

However, you could also argue that we've been building new buildings out there for the last 10 to 20 years, and so we've had new new developments every year, and so we're thinking that traffic isn't gonna be that noticed given that we have had that develop development, you know, going on in the same token.

And so I mean, we just see it as a continuation on of development out there.

So I will turn it over to Director Burns, unless we have questions.

I'll fire away.

Thank you for that.

Um I know we've had this conversation about the roads.

The design of the roads is designed for truck traffic based on the fact you have FedEx, old Dominion, REC, etc.

running a lot of semis as well as uh commuters.

So that that design will continue on.

I've had a lot of comments about bridges, and I don't know if you're gonna touch on that or not, but um you know, we were put in the new bridge over the over the um railroad tracks a few years back, but highway bridges and highway exits, highway roads are not part of Butte Silverbow's responsibility.

Uh correct.

But I'll let you, I don't want to help you.

Yeah, you're right about that.

Um, but you know, we do take that feedback seriously and um can start conversations.

We meet with MDT monthly, and we can say this concern's been raised.

Um, what is you know, what can we do about it if there is anything.

Um and to your point about the design of the Rick Jones way for truck traffic and and what we as Butte Silver Bow own and maintain as our roads out there.

Um that is some of the things if there does need to be expansion of that infrastructure or improvements to that infrastructure based on growth that we are creating in that area.

The incremental that we're increment that we'll be collecting off of this sort of development goes towards making those improvements, and so that allows us to deal with that.

Um so it's an ongoing story out there, as you know.

Um we're continually working on improving the infrastructure in that area, and uh we will continue to do so into the future questions.

Thank you.

Well, we've got a couple of questions.

Okay, go ahead, Miss Mordoon.

You can go first.

Oh, go ahead.

Um just a quick question of comparison of different um construction.

Um the um SABE data centers is saying it will probably take about 500 to 600 construction workers to um finish out the the first phase and then ongoing phases um as they happen.

Um is there a comparable um construction that has happened recently that requires that number of construction workers.

So to answer, oh excuse me, uh Mr.

Chair, uh Ms.

Bordoon.

Um as far as the five to six hundred workers, I just want to clarify that they mentioned that number at peak construction, so I don't know that we'll hit that initial number at phase one.

That is something that we should clarify um with them.

Um and then as far as other developments go, I'll let Director Burns sort of touch on anything that would be comparable.

Um I would imagine you know the initial construction of RAC silicon would be comparable.

That took place, you know, 9697.

That peaked out, it's part of my interruption, but that was 1800, I think.

Okay peak.

Okay, so not a comparison.

But but but on that topic, um, and I don't know maybe I'm getting put the cart ahead of the horse here because I like to do that.

Um the the when we built REC, they put in what we call the construction road.

It was to the west of RP.

And then over time you built the road uh Rick Jones way and paved it and brought it over out to REC where the pavement ends.

Um is there maybe it's too early, but are we planning anything that construction road to help develop that to help with traffic and especially during construction phase?

So you must be reading my mind, Chairman Sullivan.

But so that's what I was just going to suggest.

When you have construction projects of any large size, you often create alternative routes for those for the workers to take and minimize impact on existing businesses.

So construction, it just is a if we do a construction project in town, you know, if you're working on an intersection and it's going to be shut down and it's gonna impact people, you reroute, right?

And so same kind of concept.

Um there is a loop road on the west side of of the park that we could look at making some improvements to, and that could be the construction entrance if that works.

I'm just throwing out ideas.

None of this has been discussed or decided because it's a little yeah, the the the cart is still in the barn and the horses are in the meadow.

Um but at one point they might come together and we need to make these decisions.

Todd, did you have a question?

You're happy.

Okay.

We're here to make you happy.

Thanks you guys.

I appreciate it very much.

Uh thank you.

I'm gonna um try to hit on the topics of um growth and housing.

That was another topic that we had talked about that we wanted to cover today.

Um this is again talking about just how butte Silverbow plans for growth and what we take into consideration as we're looking looking towards that.

Um so Butte Silverbow has our 2020 comprehensive plan that out outloads uh outlines our goals for the intended growth of our community, and this project is aligned with that plan.

Um as part of that plan, we have done more planning.

I'm gonna say plan a lot, but um, in terms of the plans that we have adopted as part of the addendums to our growth policy, they really lay out what we see as our community grows um related to housing and how we can grow um our housing stock with protected housing growth for any sort of development that might come to our community.

We've seen recently a lot of in uh interest in our community for subdivisions that have added to our housing stock.

And we know that there are more projects in the wings right now.

Um Butte Silverbow's housing plan, um, we will have a link to that on our Butte Silverbow website, but we'll also provide the link.

I don't know if it's there.

Oh, we also have a link on the ad hoc committee uh website so people can read our housing plan.

Um, our housing coordinator was hired in 2024.

Her name is Nancy DeRosier, and she is her job is to implement the housing plan.

And in that housing plan, we're calling for 2,000 additional units by the year 2040.

Um I think we're well on our way to seeing that happen.

Um, and Julie and I and others in the Butte Silver Bow have been working with um quite a few developers that are eyeing additional housing projects for our community.

So they see us as a growth community.

I think we're gonna be ahead of the curve as a community and not get caught with, you know, there are growing pains, don't get me wrong, but we are plan, we're planning for this growth, and we have been for the last few years, and so we're starting to implement those plans.

Um we're excited about where we're headed with our uh growth policy, comprehensive plan, housing plan.

Just a quick comment.

Um I was at REC, I don't know how many what the percent of people that work there or live in Anaconda, Deer Lodge, Dillon, and Butte, right?

They're weak community, we had commuters.

But part of that housing plan I would assume includes, even though they're not part of Butte Silver Bow, um, what Anacone is doing.

I know Deer Lodge has a planning for 350 new homes.

Um all that has an impact, whether whether uh Dillon or Anaconda has a plan, whether you work with them or not, I I don't know.

But it does have an impact.

Yes, and I can say um that I do work with them.

Um we sit, I sit on the headwaters board and the headwaters region.

Um, and when we talk about our workforce, I'm taking words out of Kelly's mouth, I apologize, Kelly.

But when we talk about our workforce that's available within our our community and our region, we talk about the surrounding counties because we do really work together on those.

And I do work with the planning director in uh Powell County pretty closely on what they're working on, and we um also I want to say about our housing plan really quick.

Um, it doesn't just focus on new housing starts or development of multifamily housing and for rentals.

We are also focused on rehabilitation of our existing housing stock.

And because Butte Silver Bow is a unique community, as you all know, that has a large pool of existing housing that's not up to livable standards.

And so part of the focus of our housing plan is to develop really innovative, interesting ways to help incentivize the um rehabilitation of that existing housing stock.

So we're focusing in all directions that we possibly can to increase the number of livable housing units in our community.

Thank you, Ms.

Burns.

Any questions?

Ms.

Crane, you're up.

Thank you, Chairman Sullivan.

Thank you to the board.

Uh, thank you to the public for being here today.

One of the questions that has emerged as we have been going through the conversations related to potential siting in the RM2 zone, which is our heavy industrial zone at the Montana Connections Park is the planning and permitting processes.

Uh in Silverbow County, all departments that um or all developments that occur, whether they be commercial or residential, are advised to schedule a pre-application meeting with the planning department.

And on behalf of the local government, we coordinate the pre-application meetings to bring together the departments that will be relevant to each project so that we can provide special guided uh information to them to ensure that they can meet their compliance standards.

In the RM2 zone, because it is heavy industrial, uh, the uses tend to require maybe a broader, more broad set of permitting entities or departments of the local government and even our non-governmental partners.

So, in a typical permitting meeting, um, we typically meet with the planning department so that they can discuss the zoning and land use and design constraints that may be imposed on a parcel in that particular area.

How far away from the lot lines do you have to build, how tall can you build?

Uh, we also invite our colleagues from the public works department, and they cover a broad cross section of policy.

They are talking not just about the road specifications that our access and egress are designed to, but they're also talking with developers about the utility infrastructure, whether it's water or sanitary sewer or our storm system, and how we connect those, how we move that uh waste or that water into a project, and what the capacities available are so that we can determine whether or not increased capacity is necessary.

We bring our fire department and our fire marshal leads on all standards as it relates to the occupancy classification of a building and the requirements that are necessary to meet the code that they operate under and the administrative rules of the state of Montana.

Community development often participates in this as well, particularly in a tax incentivized area like the Urban Renewal Zone or Montana Connections Park.

We bring our building code colleagues so that they can talk about the design of buildings and make sure that whatever is being constructed is to the appropriate occupancy classification and the building standards to ensure that it has long-term sufficiency and safety.

Adding to this in particular for this project, um in the RM2 zone, we have specific evaluation parameters that impose additional uh requirements to ensure that the environmental and safety issues that might be imposed by a heavy industrial development are considered, and so that may include our fire marshal and the fire district, disaster and emergency services, the sheriff, and the Butte Silver Bow Department of Health.

Likewise, uh the transportation system in the RM2 zone is more than just roads, it is also trails, it is access to rail services and the natural gas distribution lines.

And so it's really important for us to collaborate and coordinate not only with But Solar Bow property owners but or the public works department, but our partners with doing transmission of electricity, natural gas, or uh rail transport.

In other instances, there are requirements within the code that necessitate receiving an approvals on all necessary permitting from the state and local government, and that means that we collaborate with them to ensure that we are seeing the full breadth of approvals before we move forward with our review of a proposal.

This might include air quality, this may include vibration standards, this may include lighting.

We also again talk about sewage, water, and other federal or state mandated permits that are required.

I take it by moving the mic, you're done.

Um the dumb question I have.

The the process you just walked through is regardless of the location of a business, size of business, business coming to town.

It's you do this every time any business comes to approach Bus Orbo.

Uh yes, Mr.

Sullivan.

The planning department prior to my tenure as the director established this as an opportunity for the local development community to ensure that there is consistency and efficiency in their development in our community.

Uh what we have tried to provide is sort of carte blanche access to the decision makers that are within the executive branch to ensure that developers don't get caught off guard later in a development.

Um, and the community is confident that we are helping to instruct our development developers and even our resident residential builders to execute a well-planned and a well-permitted project.

Thank you.

Any questions from Ms.

Green?

Other than my dumb question.

Thank you.

I appreciate it very much.

I'll go with Ms.

Sereny.

If you could please and just so the team knows, I've asked when I asked Ms.

Sullivan and Ms.

Sereny to reach out to their equivalent cohorts in the Sabi in the Quincy area.

So it's just to understand, you know, what do they see from the Butte Local Development Corps equivalent and the Chamber of Commerce equivalent?

Um trying to hit everybody on the team so make sure everybody gets a chance to talk.

So we'll have to talk about the school sometime.

Sorry.

Perfect.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh I was able to find out very positive things working with their Chamber of Commerce in Quincy.

It's a very, very small chamber, but it's a mighty community with the addition of SABI.

They had many initiatives that benefited the community.

They had a pay it forward program where they donated 75 computers to the school.

They do the local food drives, they do support their food bank, the things that are really that are important that are in every community, they do, and it's great to hear how positive the impact was.

They worked with the Big Bend Community College and the Workforce Education Center.

They did different programs for the children.

They had another program that they contributed to.

It's called Share the Warmth, that was an organization that SABI had that contributed to providing necessary items for those families in the winter time.

From the educational standpoint, they partnered with the Big Bend Community College and the Grant County Industrial Alliance on a data center technician career launch program for local students, where it was a transition into paid internships for the data centers because there are six there.

This program also helped the kids with other data centers in the community.

They did quite a bit of educational outreach in the Quincy area.

Like I said, they did the food drives and the supported the local schools.

Their big mission is to give back to the community and to hire locally so that they can strengthen the workforce.

And they are going to provide me with more information.

So hopefully at the next meeting, I'll be able to provide some more initiatives that they did.

So another dumb question.

So Quincy is in Grant County.

Same as Moses Lake, correct?

Okay.

I believe so.

I thought so too, because it was all positive.

Well, you know, and and I asked both of you to gather positive and negative.

You know, I wanted the whole sentiment of whatever you gathered.

So if we're not hearing anything negative, if we're not hearing anything negative, it's just the way it goes.

Thank you for that.

Any questions for any questions for Steph?

Thanks.

No, they said they were a wonderful partner in the community to have.

Okay.

Thank you.

Next up.

Ms.

Burke.

You and I.

I'm I'm not going to move though, if you don't mind.

Do you want me to move or should I stay here?

Don't know if you have to or not.

I don't think you have to.

I don't think I need to.

Um did you want to read the I could read, yeah.

So I've asked um Mr.

McLean and Miss Burke to comment on the college.

The the and kind of what you applied to the college in at Grun County.

Um what what are the impacts or what can uh Montana Tech and Highlands College do?

So Mr.

McLean sent me uh an email that I I could read.

Let me see where we um so Montana Tech is not in a inner stance to take a stance on a businesses coming or not, but they'll develop um regardless of where a facility goes anywhere in Montana, they are willing to support a business that comes.

If a data center is developed in Butte or anywhere else in Montana, Montana Tech will certainly be ready to prepare the next generation of STEM leaders.

We're absolutely committed to contributing to our local and regional workforce development as Montana's STEM university, which I want to tell them is the uh flagship university, but I get in trouble by the two to either side of me.

Um we'll continue to do so through an array of STEM programs from our strong engineering programs to our first class healthcare programs.

Programs specific to responding to new data centers might include some of the following construction technology, welding, electrical engineering, computer science, and software engineering, civil engineering, construction management, mechanical engineering, and so many more.

Um so with that, I will I'll see what what Highlands College impact is.

Um I actually spoke with Sean Devine, who's the director of operations and Quincy about the actual workforce needs and and what they require and how Highlands College could be a part of that.

Um Highlands College is already positioning for growth in Butte for both the construction industry looking at expanding to restoration of older homes, um older buildings, as well as uh growing our commercial construction.

So right now we have a home building program and we're looking at expanding our construction programs.

We're also looking at um adding a heavy equipment operations training program, which would be extremely instrumental in the build out for any growth in Butte, whether it's SABI Data Center or anything else.

Um so those two things would definitely be in a needed thing for any construction that's happening in Butte.

Um we have a cybersecurity program, we have a web development and um internet IT program, so they would definitely be able to use those folks inside.

So what Sean basically said is there's sort of two tracks.

There's the data center operations and then there's the actual IT side.

So that this data center operations side would require full-time HVAC, electrical control systems, security systems, the construction type of work.

So he did say that because these centers do run 24-7, that the eventual amount of employees is you know 200 or more.

He said on a daily basis at their data center, it's 250 to 300 people in and out of the gate.

Should we end up getting one?

So that could mean uh a pretty good job.

Um, a lot of jobs for our students at Highlands College that they wouldn't have to leave their local community.

And we do get so many local kids here who want to stay at Highlands College.

We we find that a lot.

Um our lineman program also we get a lot of those kids who go through our alignment program that would be qualified to do a lot of this work because they do get heavy equipment operations and some different things.

The construction kids, of course, would be able to stay, so that would be really nice.

Um I think the the big things would be that it wouldn't just benefit Highlands College, but we're we're absolutely prepared to respond to any needs for training, whether it's for a data center or any other business that would come to Butte that's large enough to require new training.

So yeah, I think we're he did mention that they they had that relationship with Big Bend Community College and Valley Community College, and they worked with them to create a specific program, a workforce training program for students.

Um so I appreciated hearing that they had involved their local community college for workforce needs.

So yeah.

Are there differences between and you and I have had these conversations?

It was just so everybody knows I've had 101 conversations everybody in the room.

Um the state of Washington dealing with an equivalent of board of regents versus what you have to deal with and your flexibility to modify curriculum, add curriculum.

Is there is it any different or is it a big deal or similar?

Um he did mention their board of regents as well.

Um the good thing about I think the type of training that this would be is more short-term training.

So these are going to be short-term certificates versus two or you know, for the technician side of things or like our heavy equipment operations, that's going to be a short-term training program.

So this would be something that doesn't have to go all the way through the two-year process of the board of regions, the planning process, um, which does make things it's a campus approval for a certificate of technical studies.

Um it does give students uh the skills that they need, and then if they choose to go on, they are stackable credentials if they want to go on for a certificate to an applied science and then to a bachelor's degree.

So all of the trades programs at Highlands um two plus two to tech in the business department, so they can go as far as they want super, thank you.

Any questions for Tammy?

It's no secret, I'm a huge fan of Highlands College and one time tech, so um tickled.

I'm pretty tickled.

You have a question now there, Mr.

Gallagher.

I just wanted to add, um, you know, part of the program that we worked with the Highlands College really came through our ARPA funding that we supported really to to develop programming that that hits workforce needs, and that's and Highlands College is taking that and around with it in their house building and their CDO program and and all the programs that kind of came around with it, but that's that's added to when we went to the you know, did our housing plan, did all those other things.

All of that was hit and addressed in preparation for the need for workforce in our community.

Thank you.

Anybody else?

Thanks, Ms.

Burke, appreciate it very much.

Um is uh SABE are they online?

Do they is there any update that they have for us at all?

Um who's online.

Folks from SABE, if do you have any update at this time?

Um really, this is Karen.

Could you uh could you maybe repeat yourself?

I apologize.

We didn't have a great speaker.

No problem.

Uh can you guys hear me okay now?

Or at least a little better now.

Yes.

Okay.

Uh no updates at this time.

Um I think most of this group goes will be going in front of council tomorrow for a due diligence extension, um, which we've discussed thoroughly with city staff, so appreciate the work on that.

Um, and then just thank you to the committee for uh continued engagement around this and for members of the public for uh showing up.

We know this is uh, you know, during work, during school pickup, and and everybody has lots going on.

So we really appreciate the community engagement around this, and uh I am working on responses to anything outstanding, but as always, if uh questions come up or if there's anything that we can help clarify, uh please just let me know.

I think most folks have my contact information, so if it's helpful to wrap questions through me, feel free to do that.

One piece I did want to clarify.

Um we did perform a traffic study um for a location.

It was not uh in quinty, it was for another site.

So just wanted to be clear on that point.

Um and and um Ms.

Sullivan was absolutely right on that point.

That's uh something that we would do um further along in site considerations.

So uh if I can provide additional context or information around traffic, I will certainly try.

Um but that's all I have right now.

Thank you to this group, and uh please let me know if there's anything else that we can do up.

Go ahead, Ms.

Burdoon.

Quick question.

Thank you, um Chair Sullivan.

Um Karen Burns and SABI.

I'm I'm wondering if Director Burns and Savey.

I'm wondering um if it is uh a normal procedure to extend for a year um when there are extensions for due diligence and um in the past at Montana Connections, um, if if that's been adequate or if they some kind times get extended beyond that.

Uh thanks, uh Ms.

Pordoon.

Um yes, so uh we have entertained extensions on many of our purchase and sale agreements, and I'm looking at our board chair and um our board member Andy and Todd in terms of all the projects that we're working on.

We've recently extended uh purchase and sale on uh Sonata, and that is their third extension, I believe.

Um, and I think that's been for about two years now, maybe almost three.

Um we had extensions with another project that did not come to fruition on the Develop project.

I believe we extended that one at least three times.

Um so it is a very common thing that when we enter into that initial purchase and sale, um, it has a 12-month time period, but or sometimes six months, depending on what the project thinks they're gonna be able to do.

Um but sometimes they take a lot longer.

Um and I would we've had so many conversations, I'm just gonna throw a little anecdote at you guys too.

So in terms of project development, they can take a really long time.

Projects have to work through so many different processes.

Um I'm gonna compare a retail development that's going on in our community that I know a lot of people are very excited about.

Cornerstone Plaza, everybody wants the Chick-fil-A, woo, right?

Um uh plan of fitness, but mm our initial engagement with the developer that ended up actually pulling the trigger and and doing that project began nine years ago.

That was our initial conversation.

And so just for context, sometimes these things come together very quickly because pieces of the puzzle fall into place very easily.

This is a project, you know, of an enormous size, and so taking your time and figuring out what's right for everyone is the best course of action, and so this is my this is my stump to uh to uh say that that's the extension is a very good idea.

Thank you for that.

That that's a great explanation and some some good examples.

Um thank you, Maria, for your comments.

I appreciate it very much.

Next item, and I apologize I'm not talking real loud, I'm kind of fighting ahead cold if you haven't noticed.

Um Bob Morris, Mr.

Morris is not able to be here today.

Uh he's traveling with Mr.

McClain.

Um, but he wanted to clarify um data center water use presentation that he did.

And I'll read an email from Bob and I think you have it correct, McKenzie for record.

Uh several people have asked why I'll say I, it's Bob, why I delivered the data center water use presentation rather than having SOBI data centers present it.

SAIBE, sorry, apologize.

Data centers present it.

And who requested that I do so.

No one asked me to give the presentation because I chose to do it myself.

I made this decision because I wanted a firsthand understanding of the Butte Silverbow Industrial Water System design and capacity as well as a clear independent understanding of how the proposed data center cooling system operates.

It's expected water use and any resulting discharge.

To do this, I reviewed available literature on the Butserbo Industrial Water System, toured the system, and consulted with SABI regarding their cooling system design approach so I could focus on the appropriate design, appropriate technology.

Apologize.

I also reviewed manufacturer specifications for comparable cooling systems, requested SABI's estimates of water consumption, and consulted with a licensed mechanical engineer who specializes in industrial heating and cooling systems.

By developing this understanding directly, I'm more confident in the information the ad hoc committee is providing to the Buserbo Council of Commissioners.

I will not be present.

Thank you, Bob.

So um just a lot of people were asking why Bob did it.

And and Bob being a power guy, it made sense for him to the power side of it.

Um but with Jim uh you two working on that water system that was very helpful.

And I think it helps Bob was just interested in on understanding how the cooling water worked and what the needs were.

So I think that addressed some of the public comments that we received.

Um questions for me?

The knot I can answer.

Mr.

Chair?

Over here.

Yes, sir.

Mr.

Trigger.

I don't know if everybody just in the interest of keeping everybody up to speed on the committee.

I don't know if everybody's aware that we met.

Oh, thank you.

Usually I don't have to need a microphone.

The Montana Connections Board did meet last Friday.

I don't know if everybody's aware of this or not, and we did entertain the one-year extension at our board meeting to include the extension and some additional language that addressed um Butte Silver Bows of you know clearly addressed with SAB Butte Silverbows process and all the steps that included the final sale.

Um so that all of that, including the extension language, uh we did end up approving that five to one, and that is being sent we on a recommendation to council that that extension be approved by council.

So just as an update for the for the committee, the board did mate, and so that process, that formality has taken place, and so is it tomorrow night, Karen?

Okay, so that will be addressed by the council tomorrow night with the board's recommendation.

Thank you for that.

Sorry to make you use the mic.

Um so I think we've hit all the topics.

Oh, got a question, Miss Burns.

Um did we did we talk about wastewater all the way through, or was that still something we were gonna do?

I'm just gonna I just wanted to make sure.

I'm looking at I'm looking at Ms.

Mordoon.

Um Chair Sullivan and Director Um Burns.

It's it's a good question because I I feel like we we got to the point in the wastewater queries that um we did submit some questions to SABE.

Bob Morris did to SABI I had designed the questions and Bob Morris submitted them to SAIB.

I haven't heard from Bob that he has gotten the answers to those specific questions.

Some of those questions um became um not as needed to um pursue an answer on because of the type of cooling system that they were using and the statement last week that they would be not discharging to the surface and collecting coolant water.

So the part that is treated with a coolant um would be collected and shipped elsewhere to be treated elsewhere which would be I imagine Director Crean fall into what you just presented on that that would, you know, as more is known if there are contracts being drawn up that the whole permitting process for that would be understood up front before they would be constructing.

And so I'm not sure there's more to present on that if that's what's going to happen.

I'll comment real quick.

I talked to Bob the other day.

So to be clear you have a closed loop system for the cooling system that cools the the uh servers the server room and that system when it goes through a maintenance activity where they want to clean that system is where they use the detergents to get any kind of scale off the internals of that system.

That's the product that gets captured and shipped off site to somebody whoever takes it I don't know who they use right the spray system that comes from Silver Lake system is something that's only used when the ambient conditions are above 80 degrees Fahrenheit and they're sprayed on the outside of the condensers to get more heat exchange and the intent from talking to Bob is that and I'm sure this will come out in design which I will have a couple of comments on in a minute but that spray would hit those condensers and would evaporate and therefore you won't have puddles of water hitting and seeping into the ground is the intent.

Now whether they put in concrete catch basins or something to capture any residual water like that but the the one of the questions I have on this the comment is you use Silver Lake water to water cemeteries is what you told me last week or two weeks ago whenever we talked about it.

Mr Keenan Mr.

Chairman just asked correct one cemetery near Crockerville.

So so the the I mean Silver Lake water is pristine clean water.

So any water that has a um an additive to it or I don't even want to call it a water it could be a a solution that has an additive that they use detergents to clean on the internals will be captured trucked and shipped off.

And the intent of the design of the spray is to try to balance that spray so you don't have any excess water just enough to to uh evaporate and get better heat exchange.

We did that at REC as well so um it's pretty common practice thank you I just wanted to make sure we covered the topic I think we have if we get more information about it at some point we can add that to our our final deliverable so thank you check checked it off I've got a little list.

Check mark I get it I don't I we I don't want to be repeating I think one of the questions I have and I'm gonna look all over the place primarily here is there's just still a big design phase.

I mean get a lay's comments and questions and some of the stuff they're just not ready yet.

They don't have the information they don't have the full design the full impact of what they're doing um and so that design like you had mentioned they bring the design has to meet code go through the right reviews through the right departments within Butte Silverbow as well as the state of Montana the timing of that design and that design review is kind of still up in the air if we go for an extension because I think the biggest part of the problem is probably dealing with the public service commission and getting the power figured out that'd be my guess I'm winging it that's gonna be a sorry Mr.

Chairman that's gonna be a regulatory regulatory you know we if if SAIB data center or any other large load wants to go before the commission for a large load tariff we would welcome that right so just a timing issue of doing design and getting you know between regulatory state et cetera just takes time so again kind of a cart before the horse question is there anything we're overlooking because this is really it for us for the most part we I think we've hit that you know what I what I talk about is the the four big topics that we've really have beaten quite a bit was uh power taxes jobs and the fourth one water.

Because this is really it for us for the most part.

We I think we've hit that you know what I what I talk about is the four big topics that we've really have beaten quite a bit was uh power taxes, jobs, and the fourth one, water.

Yeah, thanks.

Um we hit a bunch of other topics with school uh BLDC permitting, et cetera.

So if there's any topics I'm that we need to address or discuss, let me know, but I'll let you go first, Mr.

Bebe.

Mr.

Chair, um I think one of the things that came out of these meetings when we first started is the public really wanted transparency and wanted the opportunity to get their questions answered.

And so we came up with the different topics.

The way that this will proceed, I'm hopeful that the council, tomorrow night with that extension, that that's something that the extension, you know, that we're allowed to move that forward so that we can do our due diligence.

SABI can do their due diligence, because if if the extension is turned down, um our work, the recommendation of of the Montana Connections Board, it really just stops everything.

And I think it for our community, we need to be able to to put all of the information forward and it goes through a process which it is doing, and then the council has the ability when it comes down to the final decision with a resolution of two-thirds vote.

And when we're talking as Director Byrne said, when you're talking about economic development, it takes time.

And I heard time and time again from the public that said, you know, we don't want this rush through.

We want to get the facts, we want to do our um our due diligence, and we want that information transparent so that the community can access that.

I think this ad hoc committee has done a really good job of trying to answer questions, uh, moving questions that we couldn't answer on the night of the discussion, moving it to another um to another date where we could get that information.

We're not even gonna be able to present to the council until the 18th when I looked at the agenda.

That's when we're we're on the on the council agenda.

So I'm hopeful that council members will not stop this process because I think it's something that we can set a model going forward that you know, hey, we're we're listening to the community, it's transparent, um, it's recorded, we're trying to get the information out, and then it really comes down to the governing body on what as the elected representatives, what's the best decision for our community.

So I'll leave that there.

And then also Chris Um Kellogg said that as the as a principal of Ramsey School, he's gonna reach out to the schools in Quincy, and he'd like to have that as something that he could report back to the to the ad hoc committee.

That's a great idea.

I apologize for not to get into assigning him that task ahead of time.

Uh appreciate him volunteering.

We'll the the and then I think you have a question too.

So um well, I'll why don't you I'll give you the floor.

You can ask your question before I ramble.

Thank you, Chair Sullivan.

I don't think you've been rambling.

Um I I do I did remember one last possible subject.

Um I I think I know the answer to this, but it is the e-waste part of a data center.

There's a lot of um, you know, server waste, so to speak, that I know there are third party industries that receive waste, but also there's more reporting that there has been international shipping of e-waste that's inappropriate.

So I guess I just would hope that um there's uh some diligence that SABE data centers would be using uh an e-waste um collection and recycling third party that is reputable and and tr transparent also.

This thank you for that, Ms.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Gallagher, you have a comment on that.

Yeah, thanks, Mr.

Chair, and Ms.

Bordoon, and and I that is a regulatory thing that Butso Revo can control.

We can decide what goes into our into our landfill, how it's disposed of, and we can that could be part of the regulatory piece that we have control of locally here.

So um that's yet to be determined of what that is because it hasn't been brought forward, but that is something that is controllable by local government.

And and we discussed that a little bit um with how servers life useful life dissipates so quickly on electronics, laptops, TVs, et cetera.

And and I know you know there's a possibility, yeah, our phones.

Is a possibility that maybe they would work with NCAT, because I know NCAT does a big collection time, but these guys are gonna be so big, I've got a feeling they're gonna be truck on their own.

Maybe we throw that as a an action item that we can ask SAB how they handle um disposing of servers, server waste, e-waste, uh timing.

I don't know how I don't know how we we discussed it with um depreciation as well and tax generation and how fast servers and technology is changing so quickly it's hard to keep up.

Correct.

So you'll take that on Ms.

Burns.

I appreciate that very much.

Um yes, sir, Mr.

Babb.

Fire away.

Mr.

Chair, I I think it would be helpful from a from a waste water standpoint.

I I think we've defined the the water very well, but I still think there's some questions that are hanging out there by committee members and also the public, and I think it can be easily answered through our um metro department is define how they would take care of their sanitary, their storm water, um any of their industrial just discharge that you know, because I don't even know if they're gonna have a discharge permit, and then what they would do with their industrial waste if it's going into metro.

And so I think if we understand those different waste streams, um some of them might not even be relevant, but I he I have heard folks say, you know, is it gonna be is there gonna are they gonna be discharging somewhere like REC does?

And I don't think that's the case.

That's not the case, yeah.

I think it would be good to have that those questions answered, and then it can be on the website and we can have that so the public knows that we can do that because I th I thought that the the industrial water was just enough spray just to evaporate and not have any kind of above ground discharge because that's a huge permit issue, right?

And then the connection to the metro line was going to be kitchens, restrooms, um typical sanitary waste.

Correct.

Um but we can make that clear on the slide deck.

Exactly.

So I think to to um member Babb's point, you know, we will make that very clear.

Like here is the question, here is the answer on our final deliverable.

And we might want to make it uh you might want to cross-reference or direct people to if I was to connect to industrial discharge, what that permit, what it takes to do that, right?

I don't know if that's a simple answer.

Because it because it varies on what you're how much you're giving discharging and what the constituents are.

And I do believe that the gentleman from our metro plant were here last week and talked about that process um exactly how it works.

We just need to make it clear in our slide deck.

Exactly.

That's all I'm saying.

Yeah, it's on us to make it clear.

But we received the information from them.

Right.

Um Ms.

Bordoon, fire away.

Chairman Sullivan, I did submit a slide summarizing Eric Anders and um Bill and Drini's presentation last week, um, and I submitted it to McKenzie.

So it's rudimentary and without um diagrams, but it did contain the information that they um said was the process.

Super, thank you.

For so for next week.

I guess the the conversation needs to be how do we compile everything we put together into a into a slide deck.

I know everybody that did slides, I think they all ought to go to McKinsey.

We'll bury McKenzie with slides, and you're on your own.

Um of course I'm kidding.

So um it's going to be the idea.

I think the intent and the idea was that we would have the time to gather these facts, centralize them into a slide deck, and then this committee reviews that slide deck next week.

Um, you know, we can issue it out ahead of time.

But I don't know if you want to do working teams, do it, you know, to have you guys are all in the courthouse together to help McKinsey out.

I'm out of the office Thursday, Friday, and Monday, which includes Saturday and Sunday.

Sorry.

Um I just get a direct, apparently.

So you voted me to do.

Um but I I think the intent would be simplify the slides with this, you know, we can talk about it as we do them, but with the with the facts of all these topics that we hit, and then all that background information could be additional packaged paperwork that that goes out to the council commissioners to accompany the slide deck for data because the like Bob's two-page electrical write-up.

Because the like Bob's two-page electrical write-up.

Um we need to summarize it in the slide deck and then have that information on the side.

That am I out to lunch?

anybody?

Um it would be nice to have the slide deck.

Do we want to have it out in advance of Tuesday's meeting so we can read it and be prepared to have comments and have a working meeting on Tuesday?

I think so.

And I don't know if anybody else wants to chime in.

I feel like we could have it together fairly quickly in a rough draft form that this committee could then look at before Tuesday.

And then the format issues you guys can deal with backgrounds and all that stuff, whatever, whatever beats overboard.

Is this becomes an official but sorbo document?

I'm looking at McKenzie over Julia's head, but I think we can come with a really cool format.

No.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, nothing fancy.

But so if for us who are giving McKenzie slides, if we keep them simple and then she can figure out how they fit the buttons or bow look.

I didn't give you any assignments.

Just sit there and look good.

Um then let's so two weeks from now we would are we on the agenda for the council.

Mr.

Chair, we would we would put it on so we it would uh it would go forward so um technically we submitted a your communication has been submitted.

Submitted already.

Yeah, it's already been submitted.

Schedule for presentation.

That's right.

Thank you for reminding me on that.

Thank you.

And it's been submitted already for uh so that will be approved, well, and you know, hopefully approved this week, and that allows for the presentation on the 18th.

Super.

Um with the website that's been put together and and the a lot of questions have come in, so I think we'll have to, as far as the slide deck goes, we'll have to I keep looking at you, I apologize.

But um I think we would go through those the information we gathered to put into the slide deck, and then is there as there's questions that came in from the community that we can answer and address.

I think that you know we need to make sure we go through the which helps with the transparency and that we get questions and comments put into the slide deck that the council can take to Yeah, thank you.

Um so I would want to make a comment that um Kayla Lappin has been gathering all of those questions.

She has been answering those um as quickly as she possibly can.

She's actually been you know answering the questions that have been posted, but she has those, and so she can disseminate those into things um either categories or things that should be definitely included on the slide deck.

Um those can help inform our slide deck as well.

So she she does have that information.

Thank you.

Anything else for the committee?

Yes, sir, Mr.

Dragija.

Mr.

Chairman, Mrs.

Burns.

Do you are we getting I mean, in my mind, the slide deck is meant to answer all these questions.

So I'm curious if we're getting a lot of questions that we don't have answers to, and if so, how are we are are there future agenda items that are derived from those unanswered questions?

That's a good question.

Um more questions?

I'm just kidding.

Um but I can say that um we have been able to answer uh the majority of the questions that have been submitted through the website with the information that we have already gathered.

Um I don't think that there are any outstanding, if there are, if it if it does come up that there is one that we will, you know, we will elevate that to address for sure.

I can say that some of the questions that have been submitted are not questions at all, but rather comments that I would not repeat in public.

And some of those questions, uh Mr.

Tegidja are ones that are probably needed to be answered during the design phase, and that's why I brought the design phase up that we may not have the answer yet, but and they but the specific answer, but the answer is going to be that that'll come out through the design phase and come out through the zoning and permitting process.

And that but that's an answer.

And that's an answer.

And that's that's the answer we have at this time.

Thank you.

Mr.

Beppy Mr.

Chairman, I I think it's important for the public to know though, we don't see this ad hoc committee stopping.

So if the council moves forward with an extension and we give our presentation, and as it goes through whatever phase that might be, we need to hold these so as questions come up, we can address those and then use this as the conduit from the community to the governing body.

So I think we stated that at the beginning, but I I think that that was JP can speak to that.

But uh that was my understanding.

Mr.

Chair and and committee and and public.

That's that's exactly what our intent is.

And that and that's why we uh truthfully we're not even rushing to try to get something rushed into the council as well.

The intent of this committee is to answer the questions of the of the community fairly and factually without bias.

And and so that's that was the intent of this committee, and we want to make sure that we continue to do that.

And there may be questions that come up if this project continues to move forward and how though those may come up.

So there may be something that hasn't been addressed.

And if something comes up between now and next week, even if we put the slide deck together, that is the time that we could be adding something for the presentation to the council of commissioners on on that date.

But the intent is not to stop this committee.

I think that that this can be a model as as we move forward on some of the things that we've done that because it's nothing that we have done really out at the Montana Connections.

We've had multiple businesses out there that have gone through the exact process that that the SAIB data center is is going through as well, but we haven't gathered these facts and and done done those things.

Now I'm not saying every project's gonna be vetted out the the exact same way, or we're gonna get to together like this every single project, because that's probably not feasible.

But when we have something of that is, you know, there's this many questions about the type of business that may be coming and what their uses may be and what the what the impact is going to be the community, then that's when we may utilize this model again.

But I think that this one is through the continuation of this project as it moves forward, the intent is to keep this committee together to be able to as needed meet again, answer questions to the community and keep moving forward.

Yeah, I agree, and I th I think that going through this process has been an education.

I know for me on what what are all the steps when a business comes to view, right?

Or wants to come to view it.

There's a ton of steps.

And I get pulled in when it's a manufacturer, which I appreciate.

Um but I don't know all the steps that happen, and and I know there's you guys are up to your eyeball when it does happen.

And hopefully for the community, this is an education as well.

The the one of the biggest educations for me has been the the Silver Lake Water System, right?

Heard about that system all my life.

Heard about the lake that doesn't have a bottom, right?

I want to want to know which one of my family members lied to me about that one when I go fishing.

But I think that's important to know the history of that system, why that system is there, how it got there, and and who owns it, what's the use, et cetera.

I thought that was excellent job and and so educational.

Um and so I think this whole process has been an education for me, hopefully for folks out in the audience as well, that that things just don't happen without a whole lot of work going on and a whole lot of regulations and zoning and permitting and communications and discussions.

And um so for next week, everybody get your information to McKenzie that you can.

We'll we'll figure out somewhere to do um maybe a work and meeting just to make sure that it says the right things so we don't miss state anything and then um action item for the principal to get us something I can meet, I can email him and and see what he can we can hear from the high school level.

I didn't even think of it when I was doing the college level.

Yes, ma'am.

I have a question about our next meeting.

Same time, same place.

Same back channel.

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Yeah, so next Tuesday night, next Tuesday afternoon here, right?

Four o'clock.

Okay, just make and sure.

They got a lot of questions why we do it at four o'clock.

But um public questions this time, anything and before we do anything else, anybody else have any questions, comments, and then I can open up to the public once I figure out how to do this machine uh introduce yourself and fire away.

Yeah, there.

Hi everyone, I'm Lori John Sandrish.

Um my address is 549 Whisper Ridge Road.

Say that three times really, really fast.

Um before moving back to View Four years ago, I was the global senior environmental health and safety manager for Microsoft's data center business unit.

So I've worked in about 60 data centers across the globe, including um the Taquilla Data Center for SABI, where we had some employees that were based there kind of long term because a lot of that lease was actually Microsoft servers, and so we had employees based there to work on them.

My experience with them was wonderful.

I did audits on um emergency preparedness, um fire protection systems, and I found them to be one of the best that we actually had work with.

But what I really wanted to mention was to add on to the comments about Little Quincy.

I started working out there in about 2010 through about 2018.

So I watched it go from this little farming community where the best thing is Grant County potatoes.

If they ever had Grant County Potatoes, they make the best French fries.

And most of the young people there who couldn't afford college, that's where they were gonna go work.

They were gonna go to the potato fields or the orchards or the vineyards.

And if they did really well, maybe they would get into the Lamb Weston French fry factory that was there, and that was it.

And then over about five years, I just watched it change.

And I'm glad you mentioned the standup of the Big Bang Community College IT Tech program, because Microsoft, SABI, and NTT were fundamental in creating that program because we simply couldn't get enough folks to do IT technician work.

And they replicated that in Boyton, Virginia, Cheyenne, Wyoming, um, San Antonio, Texas, and I'm forgetting one.

So the need for that particular role was so great.

We had to set up a training program for them.

The equipment in the data centers ages out, you were right, five about five years, just like your cell phones.

And so it's not like it's going to get stood up and there'll be all this flurry of activity and then it'll kind of die.

That's going to be a constant, depending on who their clients are, their tenants are at that data center.

So these are good jobs for young people to be able to stay here and raise their families here and be close to their grandparents, which a lot of us didn't get to do because we had to go work somewhere else.

So I really appreciate you mentioned that about Quincy.

The other thing that's really important economically is in 2021, the Alcoa Aluminum factory in Winatchy closed.

That was their primary employer.

So instead of everybody going to live in Winatchie, Winatchie folks were driving the other way to get jobs in the data centers in Quincy because of the availability of those jobs.

So that was just what I wanted to add, Dan.

Thanks for all the good work.

Thank you.

Uh just so you know, I I don't know how to get oh no, it's working.

Never mind.

Wasn't working.

Wasn't working a minute ago.

Yeah.

Okay, Don.

Hi, Don Patrice, 2804 White Boulevard.

Um again, I just want to thank the uh committee.

I think you guys have done a good job on uh on a big task.

Uh I appreciate communications that or the information that you're providing, because I think it's important that everybody out in this audience understands and knows what you guys are talking about.

That we can't have backroom deals done and nobody know anything about them.

But I think it's important that you get that information out.

But I do want a couple of things that came up in my mind.

Um the growth out of Montana Connections has been huge, and I think everybody can see that driving by it on a whenever you headed out west.

And at one point, uh with the number of people employed out there, when will they need a fire department out at their, you know, you never know when that type of emergency would need.

When what what is the threshold that they would require their own fire department?

And who would pay for that?

Would that come out of TED?

Or would that come out of taxpayer money?

I think that's something you better figure out in the planning stages for this and in the extent of that.

My next the other question I got on and I coming out with jobs and taxes again.

Um the information today, you're talking about six data centers in in Quincy.

We're talking about one here.

So are the jobs and taxes that you're talking about, are they scaled to the six data centers, the 200 jobs, or are we talking about 200 jobs per center?

I mean, we're talking about one center here.

So we're, you know, that's a little confusing.

I mean, you can't be telling us that there's 200 jobs and they got six data centers.

It's not an it's not apples to apples.

I think, sir, you brought up an apples oranges uh comparison.

If you're gonna provide information to us, tell us the exact information, please.

I mean, that's when the confusion and I'll get off, Brian.

I'm sorry.

No, you're fine.

But I think you need to be clear on that.

What are these jobs?

What are the technicians and give us a breakdown of these jobs and who is needed in in these?

I think it's great.

But I do have questions that I have reservations.

And when we don't have clear information, the reservations go high.

Okay, that's all I have.

Thank you.

Don, thanks.

Um, Pam Dietrich, uh 2031 Utah Avenue.

I'm confused on the process.

Um when does SABE give us the design?

Is it before we actually sell the property or is it after?

I don't know.

I'm you know, it's like, well, it you know, the design has important.

So uh just ask the questions.

We'll document the questions and and then formulate answers later.

We don't engage with the public.

The other thing I am concerned about is is when will they require another power supply?

Um there when will they require to use their own power, which I do believe might be nuclear power.

Um and and is that part of something we're gonna look at too because it may not be, but uh, we have to look at it because that's where everything else is going.

And people that are doing data centers across this nation are talking about small modular nuclear reactors.

Um we have to be real when we consider these things.

Um I'm not saying it's gonna happen.

I'm just saying I don't think it's feasible, but that's my opinion.

Professionals should look at it.

Thanks, Pam.

Hi, I'm getting to be a regular Lila Klovacar.

I live in Buxton, and my address is 116079.

But I wanted to congratulate all of you on great presentations and putting it out in like slides so we can all follow along and understand.

And um, Chairman Keenan, I really appreciated your heart and desires of Silver Lake and how it would come in and how you think it will be just fine for this data center.

And you did show the other water supply that comes into Butte, but we all are residents that have wells out there, and I know we're talking about wastewater and stuff, and I wish that there was something more concrete so we know if there is something that doesn't get loaded on a truck that is contaminated, how is it not going to get in our aquifer?

Because we are all on wells, and that is a big concern.

And I appreciate your heart and soul for all the water coming into Butte, but we are not on that water source coming into Butte.

And um I'm not sure what else I wanted to say.

I always get up here and I have a lot to say, but I appreciate all of your hard work.

And it's not that we're a hundred percent against it, but I feel like we are giving SABI a lot of real estate, and I'm not sure that we have to give them that much real estate.

Um I think if we could size that down and leave some of that property available to other development, um, I think that that would be wise so we get more bang for our buck.

Thank you.

Linda Trevanna, 3475 St.

Ann.

I get um confused or I feel like kind of misled when you hear of all the wonderful things that has happened in Washington with school growths and hospitals and fire departments and everything because of SABE.

So that would mean that their tax money went directly into the community.

My understanding here in Butte is SABE's money is out improving the and I I refer to it as well a TED, improving TED, until the commissioners would otherwise direct those tax dollars to Butte.

So it's not a for sure thing, and I think the people at Butte need to understand those dollars aren't coming into our community unless something else is changed in the design.

Otherwise, it stays out there totally for the next 15 or 18 years, from what I understood.

Mr.

Chairman, members of the committee.

Like everyone else, I want to express my appreciation for your efforts.

We produced a lot of information, a lot of good information.

I don't think we uh now.

I don't think we've done it far enough or fast enough.

Uh when the uh the appointment came out, uh chief executive expressed that he wanted all the information together before the vote was to be taken on the extension on the 11th.

But so it's scheduled for tomorrow night now.

We don't have all the information.

Uh I think our information on jobs is sorely sorely lacking.

Uh we're still working on generalities, 200 jobs.

Okay, how many are direct?

How many are secondary jobs, job quality?

What that is is just say be give us a memo, right?

Uh I don't see any great research on jobs.

Uh the it's so it's pretty vague on the job front.

On the taxes front, I agree that we're continuing to be kind of misled that there's gonna be a bunch of available tax dollars.

That prime industrial development line we have out there still needs a lot of infrastructure.

It doesn't need increment to be sent back into town.

It needs infrastructure to be invested in that place so we continue for decades to fill it all up and to put and to have the infrastructure to do it.

So let's not kid ourselves and pretend like we're gonna give it to people in town when we needed to develop that for the right kind of infrastructure.

I appeared before the uh uh committee on Friday and said I supported the uh some of the uh what's going on with the language that's suggested to be added.

I do, uh, because it has some protections in it about the two-thirds vote of the council, which was not previously with it.

I firmly disagree with the time frame of it.

Let me give you an example.

As me when it came in, 550 million dollar project in today's dollars, that's 1.1 billion.

Big project.

How long did it take for how much how long did we hold up land for that project?

We got a uh first contact the day after Thanksgiving.

We got a closure on when we were on the deal and a commitment to to move ahead uh on Valentine's Day.

Eighty days, eighty days, less than three months.

What is this provision?

Remember last year when when uh came before the council, and uh let's put this thing through and let's rush it through.

I said, why don't we take it slower and do it better, make sure we know what we're doing better.

Okay, at that point, nine months had already been passed.

Okay, now we've added, and I'll be quick on it.

Now we've added 10 more months, because this thing we've gone through ten more months since last April.

Okay, and now we're gonna add 12 more months.

And then there's a quicker of another month, actually a month and a half, in the document itself.

What that is is 32 months, 32 months, almost three years of tying up three separate non-contiguous parcels.

You can't build a something on three parcels at the same time.

We need to be talking real development with these guys and getting the best thing we can get.

So let me just uh just say that I would I would suggest we have no leverage with them if we sign this thing.

It's not your decision.

But you know what?

If we say no to it and in good faith go back and draw up a new buy-cell, because there's a lot of mistakes in the buy sell that were done that by going too fast, we're either going too fast or too slow.

But let's take the time to do it right.

Thank you.

Make this our last one.

I think we're pressing against 530.

If you need to go.

You go.

I'm Cindy Sanderson, uh, PO box 231, Butte, Montana.

And I really agree with what uh Mr.

Barrett had to say, and I'd like to warn the whole council that uh they need to consider several things.

One they're doing well on the environmental impact statement.

But how about an impact statement of our current beat citizens?

This will hit big and hard, and the adjustment period will come later.

So that really, I haven't heard that here.

And then also the opportunity cost of uh tying up the resources for this plan, as Mr.

Barrett talked about.

Um that can be huge, and we need to look at what if we have another project coming in or something like that, and we have these things tied up in contingencies.

So I would ask that you do a study on the individual citizens.

That probably should be our first priority in this.

How will it impact the people we have here right now?

So uh and the time framing for that.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Okay, I guess I'll do one more.

This will be my last one, though.

I'm Mike Houston.

I live in up in Centerville.

And I've been kind of concerned about some of the safeguards and protections for the human life involved in this project.

And I was wondering if there's a like a draft agreement or a template or something that's been set up as far as I guess maybe like a buy sell or something, but would outline uh outline things more like uh will a human life be prioritized over the data center?

And what I'm referring to is if we have like a blackout like they did out down in Texas three years ago, and they tapped into our uh our grid and took money or money um energy from Montana and shipped it down to Texas, and I heard there were blackouts and stuff up in northeastern Montana because of that, and also Northwestern Energy has come out since then saying that they had to go out on the open market and and buy more energy uh and and increase our rate, our ratepayers like millions of dollars because then they had to buy on the open market to make up for that energy that was shipped down to down to Texas.

But what I'm thinking is we'll uh we'll say we'd be on a separate system or something, so that if there's a blackout, they'll be able to determine who's gonna you know Northwestern Energy or whoever it'll be then will go around and shut off meters and stuff.

But is the data center going to keep running or are they gonna close down to allow for the uh individuals and humans in this thing?

Because we don't want people dying and and freezing to death because they can't get electricity.

Um and just last week we could had the option of a possibility with a coronal mass ejection from the sun, which could have fried some electrical grid if it hit it just right.

We we missed the bullet on that one, but these these things are coming.

Um and then the other thing, if anybody has given any thought to uh uh how much reclamation bond um the data center should be charged, just like hard rock mining.

Why aren't we charging them a bond for if they decide to pick up and leave in five years and leave all this junk out there?

This billion dollar uh facility, who's gonna clean that up and who's gonna pay for it?

I think they should be treated just like hard rock mines and have a bond posted.

And uh then the other thing is whether built silver bills going to retain an absolute water right for our water right that they're gonna be using so that there isn't some kind of a uh uh legal manipulation that pops up where they're gonna have some kind of a power over the distribution of that water route or something.

It's just but that's my main question is there's is there some kind of a draft agreement that's in the works or has been done that we're working on, or is that just still up in the air?

So thank you.

Thank you.

Is Lizy power by hyperbolic?

100% hyperbolic power.

All right, thank you everybody.

I appreciate it.

Um dismiss.