Protect Kansas Uncovers Secret Meeting with Compass Datacenters

USD 437, Topeka City Council have Secret, Closed Door Event with Multibillion Dollar Data Center Company with Quorum Met

Protect Kansas broke the news that an unpublicized meeting was held by Compass Datacenters that had a quorum of USD437 school board and Topeka City Council that was NOT publicized. Concerns from CJ Online regarding potential KOMA violation here.

Protect Kansas had received anonymous whistleblower information regarding the secret meeting and we staked out to take photos and break the story to news outlets. 

A member of the community reached out to the USD437 board to ask and clarify more than a week in advance of the unpublicized “last minute” meeting between the multibillion dollar company trying to buy out our community. This data center plans to extract our precious resources and subject the neighborhood of Montara - and USD 437 elementary schools Pauline South and Central - to horrific noise, tonal impact, air pollution, water pollution, construction traffic, and more.

On 7/21, A parent in the district emailed the USD437 board, “I was asked about the meeting the school board will be having a meeting with the data center development companies soon. Will this be an open session for parents to attend and when will the agenda be made public?

USD 437 Board President Brad Noller responded that, “At this time we do not have the topic of data centers on a future board agendas.” 

There is a trend of data centers offering big gifts of $ to local school boards to try to sink their claws into the community.

And this all feels pretty fishy. We need you to help pressure public leaders to do the right thing. Silence is complicity. 

The USD 437 School Board officials have not shared any information to their school district about the concerns a hyperscale datacenter will pose to the schools of Pauline South and Central. Reach out to them to remind them to use their elected position of power to advocate to our vulnerable children before it’s too late. 

USD 437 Board:https://usd437.net/board

Read Cap Journal’s coverage of the newstory on our blog here: https://www.protectkansas.org/news/did-topeka-city-and-school-board-leaders-break-open-meeting-laws