A delegation of city and county officials from Frankfort and Clinton County traveled to southern New Jersey this week to tour one of the nation’s most advanced, energy-efficient data center developments and meet with two companies involved in its construction.
The purpose of the visit was to gain firsthand insight into how data center projects can partner with local manufacturing industries to create both high-tech and high-skill employment opportunities. One of the companies visited is a major precast concrete manufacturer employing more than 500 people at its East Coast headquarters. The company produces the structural components used in large-scale data center construction and has expressed interest in opening a new facility in Clinton County to better serve Midwestern projects.
The delegation also met with an international technology firm that specializes in building renewable-energy-powered data centers designed to achieve net-zero environmental impact.
Commissioner Bert Weaver said the trip underscored two significant opportunities for Clinton County.
“We were very impressed by the sustainable design and by the manufacturing company’s interest in expanding its operations here,” Weaver said. “This could be a win-win — a chance to bring both advanced technology and manufacturing jobs to Clinton County through environmentally responsible growth.”
Local officials on the trip included County Commissioners Bert Weaver and Kevin Myers; County Council Members Alan Dunn, Carol Price, Todd Corrie, Mary King, and Jeff Chynoweth; Area Plan Director Liz Stitzel; Frankfort City Council Members Clarence Warthan, Joe Stevens, Eric Woods, and Steve Beardsley; Joe Palmer and John Virtue with the Frankfort Redevelopment Commission; Russ Kaspar, Vice President of the Clinton County Economic Advancement Foundation; and Shan Sheridan, Executive Director of the Clinton County Chamber of Commerce.
Council President Pro Tem Eric Woods said the visit helped address public questions about the implications of such a development.
“I’m glad we got the opportunity to see one of these developments up close and talk directly with those involved in the actual building and operation of the facility,” Woods said. “Our constituents have raised many questions about how such a development may or may not fit into our community, and I felt compelled to explore this further and get these concerns addressed.”
County Council President Alan Dunn described the trip as a key part of the officials’ due diligence.
“We want to fully understand how data centers operate, what impacts they have on local communities, and how they can be designed to benefit both the economy and the environment,” Dunn said. “Seeing how another community successfully managed that balance was incredibly valuable.”
Frankfort City Council Member Robert Stevens shared a statement with KNS Radio:
As promised, I wanted to share what I learned about the proposed data center. I traveled to New Jersey on Wednesday with other local officials to tour a similar facility, and I learned more there than any of us had previously been told.
To be clear, neither the Mayor nor the general City Council was formally informed about these details — at least I wasn’t. I’m speaking strictly as a private citizen and offering my personal opinion.
The company interested in building the data center is partnered with a major precast concrete manufacturer — the kind that builds the large overpasses and solid wall structures you see transported on semis. They want to establish a North Central Indiana operation here, which would need to be built first before the data center itself.
That concrete facility alone would bring a significant number of local, good-paying jobs and steady tax revenue. Only about 300 acres of the site would actually be used for the data center, but the overall plan could include additional businesses tied to the project.
If handled properly, this could represent real, long-term growth for our community. I’ll share more information as I receive it.
Officials said discussions with the companies will continue in the coming weeks as both sides explore potential investment opportunities in Clinton County