By Joshua Ferguson — October 14, 2025
Tonight, I watched the Meade County Fiscal Court meeting live from home, since I’ve been under the weather. What unfolded was both tense and telling — a packed courtroom full of citizens, a controversial rezoning request, and a clear message from the community: we don’t want an AI data center here.
The issue at hand was a proposed 138-acre rezoning along Joe Prather Highway, where developers wanted to change the property from agricultural to light industrial to make way for an artificial intelligence data center.
The Meeting and Who Was There
All county leaders were present — Magistrates Gary Chapman, Donald Dix Jr., Thomas Goddard, Billy Sipes, Trey Webb, and Steve Wardrip, along with County Judge Executive Troy Kok. You could tell from the start that citizens were ready to make their opinions known, and the room was packed wall to wall.
Sidney Durham’s Statement
Before the public had a chance to speak, County Attorney Sidney Durham stepped up to address the crowd. She told everyone that citizens would not be allowed to present evidence about why the rezoning should or shouldn’t be approved.
Her words were, “Citizens cannot provide evidence at this time.”
That statement immediately struck me as odd. Why hold a public meeting if the public can’t provide evidence or documentation to support their concerns? It didn’t make much sense, and you could feel the frustration ripple through the room.
The Citizens’ Reactions
Even though the rules limited what they could do, citizens still made their voices heard. The uproar was powerful — people were fed up with being ignored and wanted the Fiscal Court to understand what was really at stake. From environmental concerns to traffic and safety, the crowd’s message was loud and clear: this project didn’t belong there.
Nancy Tate’s Misstep
At one point, State Representative Nancy Tate spoke up, and honestly, it wasn’t a good look. She acted like she didn’t know much about the proposed AI data center — and it showed. Watching from home, I couldn’t help but shake my head. It felt like she was unprepared and out of touch with what was happening in her own community.
The Final Vote
After all the discussion, the Fiscal Court decided to follow Planning and Zoning’s recommendation and deny the rezoning request. When that decision came down, the reaction was clear — citizens were relieved, even emotional.
🗣️ Community First. Always.
The Muldraugh Register will continue to cover county decisions affecting residents— ensuring that transparency and accountability remain at the forefront of local government.
📍 Report by Joshua Ferguson
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