KLC says claim Cave City leaders signed NDAs was a ‘fact checking error’
The organization apologized after incorrectly stating Cave City officials signed nondisclosure agreements during data center discussions.
CAVE CITY, Ky. — The Kentucky League of Cities has revised an online article after acknowledging it incorrectly reported that Cave City officials signed nondisclosure agreements related to discussions about a proposed data center.
The Kentucky League of Cities, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Kentucky’s cities and provides training, insurance and other services to municipal governments, published an article titled “Cities vary responses to data centers,” outlining how communities across the state have responded to proposed data center developments.
In its original version, the article stated: “Kentucky Industrial Alliance, LLC had engaged in discussions with city leaders, subject to a complete nondisclosure agreement, to locate a large data center on 380 acres of property.”
Nondisclosure agreements, commonly known as NDAs, are legal contracts that restrict parties from disclosing specified confidential information. In economic development projects, they are sometimes used during negotiations before a proposed development is publicly announced.
According to a Thursday email sent to Cave City Mayor Dwayne Hatcher and members of the City Council, KLC Director of Municipal Law Morgain Patterson acknowledged the statement was a “fact checking error on our end.”
Patterson apologized on behalf of KLC and said the organization “endeavor[s] to provide accurate, timely information on important issues that concern our members.”
“This error is not reflective of our commitment to advocate for our cities with well-researched media,” Patterson said.
The revised article no longer references nondisclosure agreements involving Cave City officials. Instead, it focuses on the city’s moratorium on new data center projects, the lawsuit challenging that moratorium and how other Kentucky communities have approached data center regulation.
Barrenside previously submitted an open records request to the city seeking any nondisclosure or confidentiality agreements related to the proposed data center. Cave City responded that it had no responsive records on file.
Reached for comment Friday, Cave City Councilwoman Leticia Cline said she was “so upset” when she learned of the article. She said the statement was inaccurate because no city officials had signed nondisclosure agreements.
Barrenside also contacted KLC seeking additional comment about the correction and the circumstances surrounding the error but had not received a response by publication.
