Florence council votes to create ad hoc data-center advisory committee to "separate myth from fact"

The Florence Town Council voted to advertise for five members of a new ad hoc data center facility advisory committee, a panel councilmembers said will focus on fact-finding about data centers and provide research-based recommendations to council.

Councilmember Maldonado, who introduced the proposal, said the group's mission "is to fact find" and to "erase any myths" about data centers. Councilmember Bencina (Bencina/Bena spelling appears in the record) seconded the idea and referenced a recent Arizona Alliance Data Center Alliance forum as background for the effort.

During discussion, several councilmembers and speakers emphasized that appointees should be subject-matter experts and that members should not have a financial stake in data-center development. Councilmember Buchelato said she wanted assurances appointees would not hold a "financial vested interest" in data centers, and another councilmember suggested coordinating with Pinal County and using experts who understand power, operations and community concerns.

Council moved the motion to advertise for committee members and select five to be appointed at a future meeting. The motion passed by voice vote; no roll-call tally was recorded in the public transcript. The advertisement will be posted and applicants returned to council for appointment at a subsequent meeting.

Councilmembers also debated process considerations such as whether to pause new data-center approvals while the committee studies the issue; one councilmember suggested a moratorium as a protective measure until the ad hoc vetted findings are available.

The action is limited to creating and advertising for an advisory body; no development approvals or regulatory changes were made at the meeting.