Madison County approves three-year moratorium on data centers

MADISON COUNTY, Ark. —

The Madison County Quorum Court approved a three-year moratorium on data centers during its Aug. 17 meeting as officials consider how to regulate the industry and its potential impact on the county.

The moratorium, approved on its third and final reading, took effect Aug. 17 and will remain in place through Aug. 31, 2029. It applies to data centers, digital asset mining businesses and other large-scale computer or server operations.

The ordinance says the moratorium will give Madison County time to study data centers and develop regulations addressing their potential costs and benefits.

The court had already held two public hearings on the proposal. No members of the public spoke during Monday’s meeting.

The quorum court also approved a resolution allowing Madison County to serve as the administrator for a Drug-Free Communities grant awarded to the Madison County Health Coalition.

The grant provides $125,000 annually for five years, or $625,000 total, with the possibility of additional funding for another five years.

Brandi Holt, the grant’s project director, said the funding will support youth substance-use prevention efforts throughout the county.

“The goals of the grant are twofold,” Holt said. “First, to build coalition capacity, and then second of all, to build on that foundation to continue to add youth protective services throughout the county.”

The county will serve as the grant’s fiscal agent, while the health coalition will oversee programming and youth outreach.

The court also approved an $81,000 grant to create a social work coordinator position for the Fourth Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office.

Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor said the position will help public defenders connect clients with services such as drug treatment, employment assistance and transportation while allowing attorneys to focus more on their cases.

The social worker also will remind clients about court dates in an effort to reduce failures to appear and keep people from unnecessarily returning to jail.

“If we don’t, then they get in more and more trouble before they get their case in front of her,” Taylor said. “So, to kind of slow things down and help get it into treatment and get into some help.”

Taylor said public defenders handle more than 2,000 clients each year and that the grant-funded position will initially last one year, subject to renewal based on the results of the program.

The quorum court also approved resolutions supporting a grant application for a new emergency vehicle facility for the Kingston Volunteer Fire Department. The department said the building would provide space for a 3,000-gallon tanker truck and other equipment.

A separate motion involving former Madison County Sheriff Ronnie Boyd’s service weapon ended in a 4-4 tie. Because the county judge does not vote on quorum court matters and instead has veto authority, the motion to give Boyd custody of the weapon did not pass.