In My Opinion - by Bob Ruth
May 27, 2026 — Bob Ruth
Mayor Ike Stage’s administration appears to be using two diametrically different tactics in dealing with a proposed data center in Grove City, critics allege.
On one hand, the administration seems ready to forward a proposal for the 300-acre project to City Council in less than two months, a timeline critics say is far too fast for a project with so many complex health, environmental, high-tech and economic issues, critics allege.
On the other hand, Stage’s administration appears to be taking an inordinately long time to respond to public records requests from citizens who want information related to the hyper-scale data center, critics add. Public records requests often turn up information that proves uncomfortable for office holders.
Critics worry that Stage appointees and members of his administration are in charge of the pre-City Council review process for the data center. Stage’s appointees also handle responses to public records requests, critics note.
Stage has repeatedly said he has not yet decided whether to endorse the data center. But critics note Stage was one of the main cheerleaders for a smaller data-center proposal that was rejected unanimously by Council three years ago. In addition, City Hall insiders predict Stage will publicly endorse the new data center project before too long.
Stage has emphasized he will order his administration to handle the data center no differently than any other land-use request. But the data center is far different than any land-use issue the city has ever considered, critics say.
The data center, being promoted by Headwaters Site Development of Dallas, Texas, presents a whole host of complex issues that are not normally part of a land-use application, critics say. The sheer number and complexity of questions surrounding the project should require City Hall to slow down, critics say.
Also, the vast amounts of power and water consumed by the 50 data centers already operating in the Columbus metro region are major reasons electricity and water rates for homeowners are increasing sharply, critics argue. Adding another electricity-hungry data center in Grove City would only exacerbate this problem, critics argue. It’s the old rule of supply and demand. When demand outstrips supply, prices rise.
Land-Use Review
Headwaters Development filed its land-use application for the data center with City Hall today (May 27). It will be reviewed by the Development Department and the Planning Commission before it is forwarded to City Council for a final vote.
Critics note that virtually all the people involved in the pre-Council review process are employees of Stage’s administration or Stage appointees, such as all five members of the Planning Commission.
Public Records
Like the review process, public records requests are handled by Stage administration employees and appointees. Community Relations Manager Pat Kindig, a member of Stage’s administration, oversees such requests. Law Director Stephen J. Smith, another Stage appointee, sometimes reviews the inquiries.
Information unearthed through public records requests can be pivotal in informing the public of inside information public officials might rather keep quiet.
For instance, a public records request filed on April 9 revealed Headwaters Development representatives began lobbying Mayor Stage as early as October 2025. And they began behind-the-scenes contacts with City Council members as early as February, information from the request revealed.
But at least Stage’s administration responded to this request in about a week. Since then, responses to inquiries involving the data center have stalled.
One of these other records requests was filed on April 29. It asks for information about any possible agreements between Headwaters Development and City Hall to redact or otherwise fail to make public details of the data center. The request includes any non-disclosure agreements.
Another inquiry was filed on May 6. It asks about the hiring of a company to help insert information about data centers into the city’s taxpayer-financed website.
To date, the Stage administration has not responded to either request.
The Ohio Public Records Law does not impose a hard-and-fast deadline on complying with requests. However, the attorney general’s manual on public records advises such inquiries should be handled “promptly” and within “a reasonable period of time.”
News media reporters usually are skeptical of government agencies that appear to be dragging their feet in responding to public records requests. Such delays too often occur when a government agency believes the information requested might embarrass a public official, reporters suspect.
The Franklin County commissioners handle public records requests a bit differently than Grove City. The county notifies a public-records requester if his/her inquiry will take additional time to fulfill. In such a case, the county commissioners inform the requester of an estimated timeline for fulfilling the delayed response. Grove City has no such policy. Grove City public records requesters are left dangling.
