Embattled Saline Township Board on the Data Center: We Hate it Too

Jim Marion, the longtime Saline Township Supervisor, couldn't remember seeing three TV cameras in the old township hall before.

In front of the cameras, residents expressed their frustration and anger about the township board's decision to approve a consent judgment with Related Digital and the landowners of the property where the data center is planned. In turn, the embattled members of the board expressed their frustration, too.

It all took place during the public comment section of Wedneday's Saline Township Board meeting.

Willow Road resident Josh Lebaron said he lives 500 yards from the affected property. He called out government corruption, the character of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the willingness of DTE to pass increasing costs on to customers and more.

"The water agreement - they will break it. A company of this size, once you let them in, it’s a Trojan horse. It’s over. They will run us over. They will ignore the water agreement. The electricity will go up. If you don’t stop this kind of evil when it's at the door and if you let it in the community, it will destroy this community," Lebaron said. "We either fight it like our lives depend on it right now, or it's over."

Lebaron said he understands the board was in a tough position, but he wished they had fought.

"None of us up here wanted it. We still hate it," said Trustee Dean Marion. "We were read facts and what could happen. The Township does not have the money to fight these big companies. We're not for it. I hate it. I've farmed here my whole life. We hate ot. We were dealt the cards we were dealt and we felt our hands were tied."

While the audience may have wanted the board to fight the project, Treasurer Jennifer Zink said the project had the support of Michigan's most powerful politicians.

"I don’t know what we can do to go back at it if the state wants it here. The judge would have favored it because (Governor) Gretchen Whitmer wants it here. She took full credit for it," Zink said.

Lebaron suggest "No Kings-style" protests at the property, in Clinton, Saline and maybe Ann Arbor to get national press.

Several residents complained they are already impacted by the new lighting on the site.

"I went to talk to them and I was told to get the F off the property. So which one of you is going to get them to turn the lights off?" he asked the board.

Trustee Tom Hammond, also the township's zoning administrator, said to call him .

A Willow Road resident said she borders the land. She said she's got industrial construction light streaming through her window all night.

"I am a Marine Corps veteran. I went to Afghanistan in 2011 and 2012. And I put everything that I earned over there, willing to lay down my life, to earn that money and come home. And now you just shrug. You don’t protect me. You don’t protect my family," she said. "Maybe you can’t do anything about it, but I am angry you didn’t fight harder. How dare you."

Another woman asked if township residents could pull a petition to try have a referendum on the issue. Township Attorney Fred Lucas explained a referendum can be used to overturn a rezoning decision, but it can't be used to overturn a consent judgment decision.

Zink further explained the township's predicament.

"You have to understand that when they came to the board, they said if we voted no, they would walk away. We voted no. They sued us," Zink explained.

Another woman asked why the township had responded promptly to the lawsuit.

"Isn't it true they were going to walk away if you didn't sign the agreement by  Oct. 14? Then why didn't you just let them walk away?" she asked.

Several board members said that while Oracle may have walked away, the landowners still would have sued.

Another woman told the township that she felt sorry for the township board members, who were carrying "an impossible burden for us."

"I have not agreed or have agreed with things you have done. I am sorry all this hate and rage and frustration are being put on your families," she said. "I want to thank you for doing what you can."

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