Sumner County defers decision on Gallatin MOA for temporary server racks, asks for details

Sumner County's legislative committee on May 2026 deferred a proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the City of Gallatin that would allow the county to host a small number of server racks at an EMS facility while Gallatin builds its own data center. The deferral was made "without objection"; commissioners asked staff to provide written answers about location, footprint and how long the arrangement would last.

During public comment, Kevin Beckett (self-identified) raised concerns about the county entering the "data storage business," citing uncertainty over whether the MOA was temporary or permanent, potential energy and water-cooling needs, and monthly operating costs. "I don't think we should get into the data storage business," Beckett said during his remarks, and asked how much the arrangement would cost the county.

Committee members said they lacked sufficient information—several asked for a clear footprint, the precise number of racks, and an estimated timeframe. The chair said Gallatin's build-out could take "a couple of years," and the committee agreed to defer action and to submit a written list of questions to be answered before the next meeting.

The deferral was recorded as an administrative action by unanimous consent ("without objection") rather than a recorded roll-call vote. Staff were assigned to provide the requested details in advance of the committee's next meeting to allow commissioners to make an informed decision.