Incident involving Findlay councilman investigated

ARCHBOLD — Police are investigating an incident that took place on the campus of Northwest State Community College, Archbold, on Monday afternoon after a Wauseon man reported that Findlay Councilman Dan DeArment, R-4, struck his camera with a notebook while he was filming. Campus Police Chief Scott Campbell said Tyler Schmid, 34, filed a police report alleging he was assaulted. There were no injuries. DeArment was attending a private, invitation-only event meant to brief elected officials on the risks, benefits and zoning implications of data-center development. Campbell said the incident, which was captured by Schmid's video, doesn't appear to rise to the level of assault. He said officers are pulling school security footage and will send the case to the Henry County prosecutor for review to determine whether charges should be filed. Schmid told police he wanted to pursue charges. Campbell said the event had attracted the attention of protestors online, and that campus police attempted to prepare for a bigger group, but only Schmid and one other protestor were present. When contacted about the allegations, DeArment said he believed Schmid was there to protest and said he was filming "right up in my face." He said the incident happened quickly and he wasn't trying to hurt anyone. The event was organized by the Regional Growth Partnership, a Toledo-based private economic-development group that serves a 17-county region in northwest Ohio. RGP works with JobsOhio and local governments to attract investment, manage site searches and guide companies through early‑stage project development. Because it is privately led, the group often works upstream of public disclosure on large industrial and technology projects. RGP has played a central role in several major developments in recent years, including Meta's $800 million data center in Wood County. The organization is now holding a series of training sessions that outline how data centers operate, what communities should expect during site selection and how local governments can prepare for questions involving property rights, moratoriums and long‑term land use. DeArment said he was invited to the meeting in his capacity as a Findlay City councilman and was there to learn about data centers. Concerns about data centers locating in Findlay surfaced at city council's March 17 regular meeting, as members questioned how they fit into the city's zoning code. Councilman Dan DeLong, R-7, raised the issue after a recent Planning and Zoning Committee discussion, saying members were told data centers are not listed anywhere in the city's zoning code and therefore are not currently allowed in Findlay. He also asked whether council should consider a temporary moratorium while the city reviews the code, prompting a broader discussion among other members. Other council members said they wanted legal clarity before taking any action and suggested sending the issue back to the committee for further review. Law Director Robert Feighner Jr. told council he has begun reviewing the issue with planning staff and will advise whether a moratorium is necessary. Mayor Christina Muryn said the city has received inquiries from data-center developers in recent years, but has not pursued them because the use is not permitted under the zoning code. She added that most operators look for large greenfield sites, which Findlay does not have. She said the city does have sufficient water capacity. Council took no action on March 17 but agreed the issue should return to the Planning and Zoning Committee for further review. The local discussion comes as state lawmakers advance a broader review of data-center development across Ohio. The Ohio House last week approved a bill creating a statewide Data Center Study Commission to examine the industry's impact on electric demand, infrastructure and host communities. The commission, housed in the Department of Development, would be appointed by state leaders and required to issue findings and any legislative recommendations within six months of the bill taking effect. The measure passed the House unanimously and now moves to the Senate. Data centers are large facilities that house servers and networking equipment, and their rapid growth has raised concerns in communities about heavy electricity demand, significant water use for cooling, pressure on local grids and infrastructure, and potential increases in utility rates for residents.