OCALA, FL (352Today.com) – A Change.org petition launched by Marion County resident Joel Hickman on Friday, July 24, 2026, calling for the postponement of a planned Board of County Commissioners workshop on data centers has gathered more than 5,150 verified signatures.
The petition asks the current Marion County Board of County Commissioners to reschedule the workshop, set for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at the McPherson Governmental Campus Auditorium, until after newly elected commissioners take office in November 2026.
Hickman and supporters argue the timing is problematic. The workshop falls only a few months before the new board assumes responsibility, and they contend that long-term decisions about data centers, which can affect infrastructure, electricity, water use and community character, should involve the officials who will oversee any outcomes. The petition emphasizes transparency, democratic process and giving newly elected commissioners a direct role rather than leaving the discussion solely with the outgoing board.
It targets the five-member Marion County Commission, including District 3’s Matt McClain, District 4’s Carl Zalak and District 5’s Michelle Stone, among others. As of the latest available data, the petition shows roughly 201 new signatures in a recent single day and lists no formal “victory” or official response from the commission.
Commissioners voted unanimously on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, to schedule the workshop after public comment at that meeting heavily opposed data centers. Residents raised concerns about water consumption, power demand, noise, environmental impacts and preserving Marion County’s rural character. No data center applications are currently pending.
County officials, including Commission Chair Carl Zalak III, have framed the session as proactive and educational, creating guidelines and a regulatory framework before any developer applies, especially in light of Florida Senate Bill 484, which was made effective July 1, 2026. That law preserves local zoning authority over data centers while setting statewide rules on utility cost allocation and requiring reclaimed water for cooling where feasible. Officials have stressed that workshops themselves involve no formal votes or binding decisions; any later code or comprehensive-plan changes would require additional public hearings.
Hickman himself spoke at the July 21 meeting, urging that workshops not feel closed off from public input.
As of August 3, 2026, the September 1, 2026, workshop remains on the calendar. The petition continues to collect signatures and has not produced a public postponement or formal reply from the Board of County Commissioners.
Hickman said his goal is to ensure Marion County residents have the opportunity to fully understand the potential impacts of data centers before any major decisions are made.
“This takes time. This petition simply asks that the workshop be postponed until after the newly elected officials, whomever they may be, take office so that they have adequate time to make a decision on the building of a data center and so that the public has confidence their voices are being heard,” Hickman said.