My Email to Commissioner Meuth and a Call to Action
Public meetings are a vital way for residents to engage with local government and voice their concerns. When attending in person is not an option for most Bastropians, finding alternative ways to communicate becomes essential. Recently, I sent an email to Commissioner Meuth, my representative on the Bastrop County Commissioners Court, during one of their bimonthly meetings. A vote to approve an abatement for the Pacifico AI Data Center and personal powerplant was held this morning, August 10th, 2026. Unable to attend in person due to my disability and need for constant care, I chose to participate through this email, which I tried to share with the livestream audience but was unsuccessful. So I share it here.
This blog post explains why I wrote that email, what I said, and why I believe it matters to the community. I hope this encourages others to find their own ways to engage with local government and make their voices heard.
Why I Felt the Need to Write
Living with a disability in Bastrop County presents unique challenges. I require round-the-clock care and assistance with transportation, which makes attending public meetings physically difficult. Despite these obstacles, I have made it a priority to stay informed and involved in county affairs by watching the Commissioners Court meetings online.
Like many in Cedar Creek, TX, I had serious concerns about the Pacifico project, a development proposal under discussion—especially regarding its location. I felt compelled to reach out to Commissioner Meuth directly to express these concerns and invite him to engage more closely with the community he represents.
I also wanted to extend an invitation to Commissioner Meuth to meet with the women of Bastrop County at our upcoming Women’s Club meeting in October. This is an opportunity for respectful dialogue between elected officials and residents, something I believe is missing and urgently needed.
The Importance of Community Engagement
Building strong relationships between elected officials and their constituents is essential for effective governance. Too often, residents feel disconnected from those who make decisions affecting their daily lives. By inviting Commissioner Meuth to speak at the Women’s Club meeting, I aimed to create a space where open, honest conversations can happen.
This invitation is not just about one meeting. It is about fostering ongoing communication and trust. We, the Bastrop County Leftist Women's Club should be eager to hear about the steps Commissioner Meuth has taken as Precinct 3 representative and to press him to share our perspectives on county issues.
The Email in Full
Here is the full text of the email I sent to Commissioner Meuth during the meeting:
Good morning, Honorable Commissioner Meuth,
My name is Jenai Marek. I am Cedar Creek's most recognizable disabled resident, activist, and author. You have heard me struggle through public comment at Commissioners Court several times. As a disabled Bastropian who requires round-the-clock care and assistance with transportation, I am unable to attend this morning’s meeting in person. I will, however, be watching the livestream, as I do twice each month.
Although we have not formally met, I hope that changes soon. I would also like to invite you to join the women of our Bastrop County community at our October Women’s Club meeting. We would be honored to have you as our guest speaker and give you an opportunity to discuss the steps you have taken as our Precinct 3 representative—and, just as importantly, to hear directly from the constituents you represent.
You will have a couple of months to prepare, and I assure you that you will find a respectful audience of reasonable Bastropian women who genuinely want what is best for our entire county. I believe sitting down with your constituents in this setting would be an excellent opportunity to build the kind of relationship between elected officials and residents that seems to be missing right now.
Now, to today’s business.
There is one aspect of the Pacifico project that I simply cannot reconcile: its location. My background working in a civil engineering office has trained me to look at projects not only for what they are designed to accomplish, but also for how they interact with the infrastructure and hazards already surrounding them. I struggle to understand the logic of placing a 710 MW natural-gas power plant immediately adjacent to an existing military ammunition and warhead testing facility in a community already facing significant fire and water-resource constraints.
That is not a minor planning detail. It is precisely the kind of compatibility and emergency-planning question that should be answered before approvals and tax incentives move forward.
Bravos already has a significant presence off Walter Hoffman, including a 300-acre testing facility. Their home office may be farther west on Highway 71, but the testing facility is the property immediately relevant to this discussion. A local employee has confirmed its location.
We are now discussing placing one of the largest gas-fired power plants in the region beside that facility to power an AI data center, with large-scale battery systems presenting additional fire and thermal-runaway concerns.
That combination deserves considerably more scrutiny than it appears to be receiving.
At timestamp 00:47:01 in the video below, Gary Oldham, a fire expert and co-founder of Protect Round Rock, discusses data-center fire hazards, battery thermal runaway, toxic runoff, and the capacity limitations facing local fire departments.
At approximately 01:14:00, you will also hear from a neighbor whose property would be situated between these facilities. They describe their windows rattling during testing at the Bravos facility.
Perhaps there are reasonable answers to these concerns. If so, the public deserves to hear them. Specifically:
What compatibility studies have been completed between Pacifico and Bravos?
What emergency planning has been completed for wildfire suppression and industrial incidents?
Were Bravos and local first responders consulted regarding Pacifico’s plans?
Has the County evaluated whether existing fire stations, staffing, apparatus, mutual aid agreements, water supplies, and industrial-response capabilities are sufficient?
Why was this location selected over locations with fewer surrounding homes, families, churches, schools, and environmentally sensitive areas?
What full-buildout air-quality analysis has been completed, including the specific turbines, stacks, operating hours, emissions limits, modeling, and treatment of related or co-located operations?
These are not unreasonable questions. They are the questions responsible government should be asking before approving a project of this scale.
Cedar Creek is not an empty industrial tract waiting to be filled. Families live here. Children attend school here. People retire here. Churches, homes, wildlife, and natural areas are already part of this community. The fact that Cedar Creek lacks the zoning authority necessary to prohibit massive industrial development should not automatically be interpreted as an invitation to build it.
There are also larger concerns that the County should be willing to raise with the State.
The revised filing reportedly pairs approximately $2.237 billion in investment and 710 MW of generation with only 25 applicant-projected permanent jobs. That scale-to-jobs tradeoff deserves public scrutiny.
Fire and water readiness also remain insufficiently established. We have documented drought conditions and a significant regional wildfire history, yet the public still needs clear information regarding project fire-water capacity, station-level staffing, apparatus, mutual aid, and industrial-response capabilities.
And a full-buildout air review is still not adequately available to the public. Approval should never outrun disclosure.
This brings me to transparency.
You hold Commissioners Court meetings twice a month. At least one should be scheduled outside normal working hours so that residents who work during the day can participate. The people who cannot attend should not be mistaken for people who do not care.
If you believe only a few hundred residents are concerned, I strongly encourage you to test that assumption by making participation genuinely accessible.
The current situation did not arise overnight. A lack of accessible meetings, timely information, and meaningful opportunities for public dialogue has contributed to the distrust you are seeing now. That can still be changed.
I am asking you to encourage your fellow Commissioners to take a more deliberate position on regulatory safeguards for Bastrop County residents. You have an opportunity to call for tabling Pacifico-related permits while the County, its residents, and our state legislators work toward appropriate safeguards for data centers and their associated power infrastructure.
We are asking the State Legislature to give County Commissioners limited zoning authority so rural Texas communities have meaningful tools to protect themselves. State law may limit what you can do today, but that does not mean you are powerless to advocate for what needs to change tomorrow.
So here is what Cedar Creek residents need from you:
1. Make the information public.All information necessary for residents to make informed decisions about major industrial projects should be readily available on the County Commissioners’ website.
2. Create a dedicated public-information page for major industrial projects.Residents should be able to easily find project filings, environmental analyses, emergency-response plans, water requirements, projected employment, tax incentives, permits, and other relevant documentation.
3. Require meaningful evaluation of fire and water capacity.The County should establish whether existing infrastructure and emergency services can realistically support projects of this scale before approvals are granted.
4. Require full-buildout environmental disclosure.The public should have access to complete air-quality modeling and information about all turbines, stacks, operating limits, emissions, and related operations before decisions are made.
5. Make public participation realistically possible.Schedule at least one Commissioners Court meeting each month outside normal business hours.
And finally, Commissioner Meuth, please reach out to me.
I would sincerely like to know how you intend to encourage your colleagues on Commissioners Court to take a stronger stance on safeguards for the people who elected you.
I also hope you will seriously consider joining us in October.
We are not asking you to walk into a hostile room. We are asking you to sit down with your constituents.
There is an enormous pool of intelligent, educated, experienced people in this community who are willing to work with our elected officials. We may disagree about solutions, but disagreement is not a substitute for dialogue—and dialogue does not require surrendering your principles.
Come sit with the women of Cedar Creek. Hear our questions. Tell us what you can and cannot do. Let us tell you what we believe needs to change.
You may discover that many of the constituents who are challenging you are not trying to make your job harder. We are trying to help you do it better.
That is what representation is supposed to look like.
I respectfully ask that you grant us the gift of your time in October. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Your Cedar Creek Constituent,
Jenai
Why Location Matters for the Pacifico Project
The Pacifico project has been a topic of much debate in Bastrop County. While development can bring economic benefits, it must be balanced with the needs and safety of residents, especially those with disabilities or limited mobility.
The location of this project raises concerns about accessibility, environmental impact, and the strain on local infrastructure. For residents like me, who rely on reliable transportation and accessible services, these factors are critical.
By addressing these concerns directly with Commissioner Meuth, I hope to encourage thoughtful consideration of how projects like Pacifico affect all members of our community.
Encouraging Others to Participate
If you cannot attend public meetings in person, do not let that stop you from participating. Writing emails, making phone calls, or joining online forums are all effective ways to communicate with your representatives.
Here are some tips to make your voice heard:
Be clear and concise: State your concerns or questions directly.
Be respectful: Officials are more likely to respond positively to communication that is direct, matter-of-fact, and with a real effort to hold ourselves to a standard of decorum that Commissioner Glass has abandoned.
Offer solutions or invitations: Like my invitation to the Bastrop County Leftist Women’s Club, suggest ways to engage constructively.
Stay informed: Come back to this blog regularly, watch meetings in person, online, or read minutes to understand the issues.
Moving Forward Together
The relationship between residents and elected officials shapes the future of Bastrop County. By reaching out to Commissioner Meuth, I took a step toward bridging the gap between government and community.
I encourage everyone to find their own way to engage, whether in person or remotely. Our voices matter, and together we can work toward a county that serves all its residents fairly and thoughtfully.
Thank you for reading. If you want to learn more about the Pacifico project or how to get involved in local government, please stay tuned for updates and future posts.
This blog post is informational and reflects the author's personal experience and views.
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