Monroeville experience fuels new data center debates

MONROEVILLE — Concerns over data centers and cryptocurrency-related operations are growing in communities across Ohio, including in Ravenna, where residents recently attended a city council meeting as officials considered a temporary moratorium on new projects. Following the meeting, the council voted to impose a one-year moratorium on new data centers in the city. The debate is more than theoretical in Monroeville, where village officials are still trying to recover roughly $1.3 million in unpaid electric bills linked to a cryptocurrency mining operation launched in the village's industrial park in 2024. Their village council, too, in February passed a similar moratorium. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Monroeville village council is hosting a work session at the Monroeville Schools cafeteria, 101 West St., with Decimal Digital, the group that took over the former site of the former site owners, Gray Matter. According to a Decimal Digital email, during the work session, Decimal will present initial information on its proposed data center and begin a transparent, community-facing dialogue with local officials and residents. What happened previously? Monroeville Mayor Joseph Galea previously told the Norwalk Reflector that Gray Matter had agreed to purchase large amounts of electricity from the village as part of plans for a data-center-style operation at 17 Fort Monroe Industrial Parkway. Village leaders initially viewed the project as an opportunity to expand the industrial park, increase tax revenue and add a major utility customer. But according to Galea, the company allegedly stopped paying electric bills within months. "They misrepresented themselves," Galea said in an earlier interview with the Reflector. "Promises were made that were not kept, and it did not turn out as it was represented." Village officials said missed payments totaling roughly $750,000 eventually grew to around $1.3 million once penalties and fees were added. The dispute ultimately entered receivership court proceedings. Gray Matter later ceased operations in the village, but the site itself did not shut down. Instead, the facility was leased through the receiver to Decimal Digital, which Galea previously said has remained current on electric payments. "They pay their bills on time. They appear to be much more reputable," Galea said. Even so, Galea acknowledged the experience changed how village officials view future proposals involving cryptocurrency and large-scale computing infrastructure. "We've learned a lesson from the Gray Matter situation as far as trusting the promises of folks in this sector," Galea said. Part of continuing conversations Now, similar conversations are unfolding elsewhere in Ohio. Jim Ehrman, a former Ravenna resident and who's now a Monroeville village council member, said communities should closely examine proposals before approving them. "This is not an isolated incident. This is going on all across the U.S.," Ehrman said. Ehrman said residents should research data center development carefully and not rely solely on company presentations. "I'm confident they will paint a pie-in-the-sky picture for us at the meeting," he said. "It's up to people to do the research on data centers so they can make an informed decision." He also pointed directly to Monroeville's experience. "Gray Matter promised the same," Ehrman said. "Look where we are now." Ehrman said residents should consider the potential long-term impacts of large-scale computing operations, including electrical reliability, utility costs, and environmental concerns. "Ask yourself — noise 24/7, pollution of air and waterways, unreliable electric service, higher utility rates," Ehrman said. "All for a promise of lots of money." Supporters of data center development have argued that such projects can increase tax revenue and attract investment. Opponents, however, have increasingly questioned whether communities bear too much of the infrastructure burden while receiving relatively limited employment opportunities in return. The receivership case tied to the Monroeville operation remains ongoing.