Blount County Board of Commissioners | 05-21-26

The Blount County Board of Commissioners held a meeting on May 21, 2026, where several budget-related resolutions were adopted, including capital increases for education projects such as track renovations at Heritage High School and William Blount High School, a budget transfer for school fund contracts, and funding for prior year inmate medical claims. Additionally, funds were appropriated for design fees related to an animal center renovation and a change order for a middle school roof replacement. The board also confirmed the appointment of Thomas Lloyd as the Blount County Building Commissioner. A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to public input concerning the potential development of AI-scale data centers in the region. Residents expressed concerns about the environmental, health, and community impacts of such data centers, including water and electricity consumption, noise, pollution, and property values. The commissioners acknowledged their limited jurisdiction over zoning outside city boundaries and indicated ongoing research into possible zoning regulation updates to address these concerns. No specific contracts or procurement awards related to data centers were reported during the meeting.