Well over 100 people cycled through the Mount Pleasant Village Hall Thursday to attend a Microsoft community engagement event, as residents have expressed concerns over the massive data center project underway in the community.
TMJ4 spoke to multiple residents who felt underwhelmed by the format of the event.
“I thought it was going to be different, I really did,” said Alfonso Gardner. “I thought it was going to be an open house where you can ask questions and sit down and talk to people, but I see the people I want to talk to was not here”
Gardner told TMJ4 his main concern was job creation for people in the Racine community. Earlier this year, the company announced its 5-point plan aimed at building “community-first” AI infrastructure. He wanted to learn more about points three and five, which center around creating jobs and investing in local non-profits.
Watch: Neighbors say Microsoft’s Mount Pleasant community meeting on data center fails to provide answers
Gardner wasn’t alone.
“Today’s event is not an effective event for the community because we’re not sitting down with Microsoft and we are not discussing the problem,” said Don Briggs.
Briggs lives in Sturtevant, just north of the facility.
He hoped to ask about whether there would be any progress on his recent complaints that he’s heard a distinct sound coming from the facility, which he can hear at his home.
“It’s all the time. If you were to go to my house right now, today, you would be hearing this. You can actually hear it in my house,” Briggs told TMJ4.
He said no representatives at the meeting were able to answer his questions.
“You can’t get any response. We can write emails and telephone calls all you want, but they have to come to the table,” Briggs said.
TMJ4 requested to interview a Microsoft spokesperson at the meeting, but none were made available. In an emailed response to Gardner and Briggs’ questions, Microsoft offered some answers.
“We’re aware of the noise concerns raised about our Mount Pleasant facility, we're investigating the root cause, we’re in contact with our neighbors, and are fully committed to addressing these concerns,” wrote a Microsoft spokesperson responding to Briggs’ question.
As for Gardner’s questions, Microsoft points to its investments to develop a local pipeline for skills training. The company has been working with Gateway Technical College to build a Data Center Academy.
They also say they have collaborated with more than 40 Wisconsin organizations to learn more about Microsoft's AI resources.
For Briggs, he says communication is key.
“I think if we got together and people talked and communicated better, it would be better,” Briggs said.
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