Apparently, Franklin Co Va has just set a record for government sensitivity to minority public opinion and intimidation.
Approximately 200 residents out of 55,000 coerced the county board to stop the exploration of a potential data center opportunity for the industrial park that was built several years ago, at major taxpayer expense, and has scant commercial occupancy nor tax base.
Perhaps Franklin Co could revitalize their ”downgraded Shine Industry” to help subsidize the ever-increasing tax burden on property and homes and small-business owners.
Not clear what’s the view of the other 99.6% of the residents who didn’t yet have a dog in the fight but are paying for lots of dog food.
-
-
Board of Supervisors member: Resignation was meeting-time decision over data center announcement
https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/08/19/board-supervisors-member-resignation-was-meeting-time-decision-over-data-center-announcement/
(WDBJ) - Franklin County Board of Supervisors Member Mike Meredith was not planning to resign as he entered Tuesday night’s board meeting, Meredith told WDBJ7. He made the decision during discussions at the meeting with the board.
Meredith tells WDBJ7 he abruptly resigned from his position on the board Tuesday night after learning information he had released over the weekend was supposed to be confidential.
“I didn’t want to be the reason Franklin County wouldn’t be attractive to any new businesses or any growth because of knowing you got somebody who could not keep the trust of keeping the information of closed meetings.”
The resignation took place just two days after Meredith told reporters and a crowd that a proposed data center project would not be moving forward.
-
Approximately 200 residents out of 55,000 coerced the county board to stop the exploration of a potential data center opportunity for the industrial park that was built several years ago, at major taxpayer expense, and has scant commercial occupancy nor tax base.
Perhaps Franklin Co could revitalize their ”downgraded Shine Industry” to help subsidize the ever-increasing tax burden on property and homes and small-business owners.
Not clear what’s the view of the other 99.6% of the residents who didn’t yet have a dog in the fight but are paying for lots of dog food.
-
-
Board of Supervisors member: Resignation was meeting-time decision over data center announcement
https://www.wdbj7.com/2026/08/19/board-supervisors-member-resignation-was-meeting-time-decision-over-data-center-announcement/
(WDBJ) - Franklin County Board of Supervisors Member Mike Meredith was not planning to resign as he entered Tuesday night’s board meeting, Meredith told WDBJ7. He made the decision during discussions at the meeting with the board.
Meredith tells WDBJ7 he abruptly resigned from his position on the board Tuesday night after learning information he had released over the weekend was supposed to be confidential.
“I didn’t want to be the reason Franklin County wouldn’t be attractive to any new businesses or any growth because of knowing you got somebody who could not keep the trust of keeping the information of closed meetings.”
The resignation took place just two days after Meredith told reporters and a crowd that a proposed data center project would not be moving forward.
-
Franklin supervisor explains resignation in data center saga
-
-
If Meredith's actions were put into a biblical context, he might be renamed Judas -- you think?
-
-
Franklin County data center project is no longer moving forward
https://wset.com/news/local/franklin-county-data-center-project-is-no-longer-moving-forward-project-flash-rocky-mount-virginia-august-2026
-
'Project Flash' data center proposal fizzles out in Franklin County
https://roanoke.com/news/local/business/article_424a6f3b-d121-431e-9e00-bc6b5212b6c1.html-
-
https://wset.com/news/local/franklin-county-data-center-project-is-no-longer-moving-forward-project-flash-rocky-mount-virginia-august-2026
-
'Project Flash' data center proposal fizzles out in Franklin County
https://roanoke.com/news/local/business/article_424a6f3b-d121-431e-9e00-bc6b5212b6c1.html-
-
-
The phrase "all the fools on our side" relates to a famous line from Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The phrase "all the fools on our side" relates to a famous line from Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
("Hain't we got all the fools in town on our side?
And ain't that a big enough majority in any town?")
-
-
And ain't that a big enough majority in any town?")
-
-
Franklin Co. Data Center Ongoing
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2026/08/franklin-co.html
-
To Data Center, Or Not To Data Center
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2026/07/to-data-center-or-not-to-data-center.html
-
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2026/08/franklin-co.html
-
To Data Center, Or Not To Data Center
http://roanokeslant.blogspot.com/2026/07/to-data-center-or-not-to-data-center.html
-