Sent: Monday, August 24, 2026 12:13 PM
To: mcre13@gmail.com <mcre13@gmail.com>
Subject: We have new content just for you
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Monday, August 24, 2026
Fw: We have new content just for you
Sent: Monday, August 24, 2026 12:13 PM
To: mcre13@gmail.com <mcre13@gmail.com>
Subject: We have new content just for you
Sunday, August 23, 2026
Buc-ee’s is both — a high-volume gas station and a major destination retail store, packaged as a “family travel center.”
It is not a conventional gas station or a truck stop. Typical new locations feature:
- A 50,000–80,000 sq ft store (food counters, BBQ, bakery, jerky, extensive merchandise, etc.)
- 100–120 fueling positions
- Hundreds of parking spaces (often 600–800+)
- Famous clean restrooms
- A deliberate focus on passenger vehicles and families rather than 18-wheelers
Fuel is important and high-volume, but the retail experience and “destination stop” appeal are central to the brand. People often go out of their way (or exit specifically) for the store, not just the gas.
Do they need highway frontage?
Yes — their model is built around direct interstate interchange access and high visibility from the freeway. Nearly every location follows this pattern. Traffic studies for proposed sites routinely show roughly 90% of customers are diverted from the interstate (people already traveling who exit specifically for Buc-ee’s and then continue).
Key site characteristics they seek:
- 20–40+ acres (commonly in the 25–36 acre range for recent projects)
- Immediate or very close adjacency to an interstate exit
- Strong visibility from the highway (they frequently push for tall pylon signs)
- Ability to handle very high peak volumes without backing traffic onto the highway
- Willingness of local government to work on access, utilities, and sometimes interchange upgrades
An “in-town” site with merely good access to highways is a poor fit for their standard model. Extra turns, poorer visibility, or reliance on local rather than through-traffic would undermine the high-volume, intercept-driven economics that make these stores work. They buy land outright, build large and expensive facilities ($60–95+ million range), and treat the location as a highway destination rather than a neighborhood or typical commercial-corridor retailer.
Practical takeaway for attracting retailers
If your site lacks direct interstate frontage/interchange access and the scale (roughly 25+ acres with strong visibility), Buc-ee’s is unlikely. Their Kansas City, Kansas project (listed in the article you shared and now under construction near the Speedway / Village West area off I-70) is a classic example of the type of location they pursue.
For a non-interstate site with strong highway access, you would generally have better odds targeting other large-format convenience, QSR, or destination retail concepts that can succeed with arterial visibility and good access rather than pure freeway intercept traffic. Buc-ee’s is highly specific about location type; most other retailers are more flexible.
If you share more details on the site (size, exact location relative to interstates/arterials, zoning, traffic counts, etc.), I can give more targeted thoughts on what kinds of users might actually fit.
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Here is the verbatim closing statement from Mayor Spencer Duncan at the end of the Compass Datacenters portion of the meeting (right before the intermission):
Mayor Duncan:
All right. Now I think we’re… we do thank you for being here. It has been much appreciated.
I’m going to say two things as we wrap this portion up. First is just to the community. As we said, this will be the first of various conversations, not just with Compass, but with other stakeholders in the community. And I think everyone’s seen that we’ve taken steps to make sure we can continue to have those conversations.
I also want to remind folks that there are other things we’re looking at. As you saw, our planning commission is looking at certain zoning laws and just making sure those are cleaned up because moving forward, that’s a best practice. We are working just like the county is on putting together some sort of impact study. And that is moving forward and we’re working with our sustainability board to have input into that. So that has citizen input into that process. It’s not just us dictating how that’s going to go. They’ll also be part of the… several of our members will also be part of the process to select the company and be an integral part of that. So those are just steps we are taking as we continue to listen to the community.
I’m going to leave you with… I think you can take this as advice if you want.
You know, I was born just down the street. I’m probably… that direction. I’m probably going to be buried just down the street, that direction, in this community. I am a Topekan through and through. I tell folks this community is my friends and my family. And they don’t all love me, and that’s the nature of the beast. But not just as being one of them, but also as being their mayor, I will fight for them every single day, right? Whether I’m in this seat or not.
My mother also grew up in this community. So we are… we are here and we are not going anywhere. I know this community well. I know the people in this community well. I sit in rooms with them where they pat me on the back and I sit in rooms with them where they want to push me out a window. And I will tell you, sometimes those conversations where they want to push me out the window are the most productive and informative that I have. We don’t always end up agreeing on something, but we find some common ground that lets us continue to have those conversations moving forward in the future.
I can’t do this job if I don’t build some level of trust with the community. Trust does not mean agreement, but it at least means an understanding with the people in this city that when we have a conversation, they can believe what I say. They can trust I’m going to do what I’m going to do and that we are on the same page and I will continue to fight for them even in those moments of disagreement.
The community looks at that relationship as they do all relationships. If you want to come into this community and be a part of it, you have got to have those conversations with the people who live here. It’s critical and it’s imperative and it’s essential for anyone who wants to build a relationship with our citizens and have a future in this community. And so that is the bar that we have tended to set around here and I want to make you aware of that.
So I am glad that you did the informative session a couple weeks ago with citizens. I really hope that was not the one and only. I don’t know what the outcome of this will be, but I can promise you if you want to have any sort of path, it’s got to be with us, yes, but with the citizens who are going to be impacted by this. And so my advice to you is have more of those. Sit in the room with these folks, whether they want to pat you on the back or push you out of the window, and at least know that that’s going to be a path to all of us having better conversations on this issue as we move forward.
So that is why I am… part with you today. We are very thankful you are here and we hope to keep this conversation going. So, thank you very much.
(Compass responds briefly, someone jokes about there being no windows in the room, and then Duncan calls a short recess before Evergy comes up.)
Here’s a clear, plain-English breakdown of what Mayor Duncan is actually saying in that closing statement:
Core Message (stripped of the padding)
Duncan is doing three things at once:
- Signaling to the public that the city is taking the data-center issue seriously and is not just rubber-stamping anything.
- Putting Compass on notice that if they want any path forward in Topeka/Shawnee County, they must do a lot more direct engagement with ordinary residents — not just city officials.
- Personal branding / credibility move: He is emphasizing that he is a lifelong Topekan who will “fight for” residents, even when they disagree with him.
Line-by-line substance
“This will be the first of various conversations…” He’s telling the public: Don’t treat tonight as the final word. More meetings and discussions are coming.
Zoning cleanup + impact study + Sustainability Board involvement These are process signals. He’s listing concrete steps the city is taking so it looks like they’re doing due diligence rather than rushing.
The long personal section (“I was born just down the street… buried just down the street… Topekan through and through… friends and family… pat me on the back or push me out a window…”) This is the part that feels like word salad to many people. What it’s trying to do:
- Establish authenticity and local roots.
- Claim he listens even to hostile feedback.
- Position himself as someone who will defend residents’ interests.
Whether it lands as sincere or as political theater depends on the listener. Structurally, it’s a classic “I’m one of you” appeal.
“I can’t do this job if I don’t build some level of trust…” He’s saying trust ≠ agreement. He wants people to believe he is acting in good faith even when they disagree with the outcome.
The direct advice to Compass This is the sharpest part of the speech: “If you want any sort of path… it’s got to be with the citizens who are going to be impacted… Sit in the room with these folks, whether they want to pat you on the back or push you out of the window.”
Translation: One open house is not enough. You need ongoing, direct, public engagement with residents if you want political and community permission to proceed.
Overall Assessment
The speech is longer and more rhetorical than it needs to be. A lot of the language is circular and emotional rather than concrete.
When you cut through the personal storytelling and repetition, the actual policy content is relatively modest:
- More conversations are coming.
- The city is doing process work (zoning, impact study, citizen input).
- Compass needs to talk to regular people a lot more if it wants any chance of success here.
- Duncan is presenting himself as a local who will advocate for residents.
That’s the substance. The rest is style, positioning, and political signaling.
Footnote - He left the meeting with Mike Morse
Special Governing Body Meeting Work Session – Data Centers (Topeka City Council, August 19, 2026).
https://youtu.be/JRTeTbv9QJo?si=clWSEHTEOedMIxDT
This is the official recording of a special Topeka City Council work session (City of Topeka channel) focused on data center issues, particularly a proposed Compass Datacenters campus in unincorporated Shawnee County. No public comment was taken. The session included roll call, a lengthy presentation and Q&A with Compass, a short intermission, a presentation from Evergy Kansas Central, and further discussion before adjournment.
Compass Datacenters Presentation (Brett Collard, SVP of Land Development, and colleagues)
Compass (founded 2011; backed by Brookfield Asset Management, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and KKR) develops, owns, and operates long-term “Class A community-first” hyperscale data center campuses. They stressed they do not flip land or build purely on speculation and design for multi-decade (“100-year”) operation with externally accessible mechanical/electrical systems for upgrades.
Proposed project details (SW 85th Street / Wakarusa area, also fronting SW 77th Street and adjacent to US-75, within the 2012 South Topeka Economic Growth Corridor near the Walmart distribution center and Mars plant):
- Up to 10 single-story, low-profile buildings built in phases.
- ~$4.5 billion total investment; ~400 MW IT capacity.
- Construction targeted 2028–2031; full operations beginning ~2031.
- 54.5 acres of floodplain left undeveloped.
- Pre-filing independent studies (environmental, wildlife, stormwater, traffic, air quality, and 11 days of on-site sound measurement) already submitted as public records; additional details requested by county staff, with a supplement planned for August 28.
Claimed benefits (from an FTI Consulting economic study for the first full year of operations):
- Roughly $55 million in property taxes to Shawnee County alone in year one (about half of the county’s total 2023 collections from all properties), continuing annually thereafter; school district share projected to more than double Auburn-Washburn USD 437 local revenues.
- 700+ permanent jobs across the metro area (~300 on-site), supporting >$85 million in annual GDP.
- ~1,700 construction jobs per year across Kansas (2028–2031), generating >$500 million in labor income; typically ~75% local hires.
- ~$810 million spent in Kansas during construction (labor/materials, equipment, and ~$69 million in professional services).
- Operations wages 30–50% above average; construction at or above prevailing wage.
- Discussions underway with Washburn Tech on a data-center training/pathway program (no prior experience/degree required, with scholarships).
- Voluntary community investments (roads, schools, parks, workforce programs) modeled on ~$277 million spent across prior campuses; willingness to work with local leaders on specific needs and to write benefits into agreements. They stated these are not contingent on incentives.
Responses to common concerns:
- Water: Zero municipal water for cooling since founding (closed-loop systems filled once and recycled). Campus domestic use roughly equivalent to 20 homes per year. They have asked the county to make water commitments enforceable permit conditions.
- Power/rates: Direct connection to high-voltage transmission; Compass fully funds substations and related upgrades so costs are not socialized onto other ratepayers. Demand-response capability to shed load during grid stress events.
- Noise: Modeled <50 dB at the property line (quieter than normal conversation; below EPA residential guidelines), based on independent acoustics work after on-site measurements. They described past responsive fixes at other sites.
- Environment/sustainability: UNESCO sustainable development partner; multiple independent certifications (construction quality, sustainability, water neutrality); generators on clean-burning HVO biofuel. Independent studies already completed.
- Differentiated themselves from speculative developers who acquire land/power rights without building or who exit quickly.
Short third-party videos (including commentary from a former municipal water utility director/Erin Brockovich Foundation co-founder and a local association chair near an existing Compass site) reinforced the water and community-engagement points. Council members then asked extensive questions over a substantial portion of the multi-hour session.
Evergy Presentation
Evergy Kansas Central addressed utility/infrastructure impacts of large data-center loads. Company representatives emphasized that data-center customers are required to cover the costs of necessary new generation, transmission, and related infrastructure so that existing residential and commercial ratepayers are not subsidizing them.
Context and Outcomes Noted in Coverage
The proposed site is outside Topeka city limits, so Shawnee County holds primary land-use/zoning authority (the city’s one-year data-center moratorium and related utility-connection restrictions apply inside city limits). The meeting was framed as an early information-gathering session; a new Committee of the Whole on data centers was referenced, with more discussions expected. Mayor Spencer Duncan later characterized the Q&A as productive, with many good questions asked and most (but not all) answers provided in satisfactory depth.
The recording runs through the presentations, questions, and adjournment. Local reporting the following day highlighted the economic projections, infrastructure-cost-shifting assurances from Evergy, and ongoing council scrutiny of transparency and impacts.
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
KORA
Sent: Monday, August 17, 2026 2:43 PM
To: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Cc: Brzon, Jonathan <Jonathan.Brzon@snco.us>; Schmitt, Lisa <Lisa.Schmitt@snco.us>
Subject: FW: KORA
Henry,
Please see attached. There is not an employment contract with Mr. Eckert. Also personnel records, performance ratings or individually identifiable records pertaining to employees are not required to be disclosed pursuant to K.S.A. 45-221(a)(4) and are therefore not included.
Thank you,
Kristine Miller
Administrative Officer
Shawnee County Clerk’s Office
200 SE 7th Street, Room 107
Topeka, KS 66603
785-251-4216
From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2026 7:39 PM
To: County Clerk <countyclerk@snco.us>
Subject: KORA
KORA Request
To: Shawnee County Clerk From: Henry McClure Date: August 16, 2026 Re: Kansas Open Records Act Request – Contract for County Attorney Rich Eckert
Dear Shawnee County Clerk:
Pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215 et seq.), I hereby request a copy of the employment contract (or any similar agreement, including any amendments, addenda, or codicils) between Shawnee County and County Attorney Rich Eckert.
I am primarily interested in the terms and conditions of the contract, including any codicils, provisions governing duties, term of office/employment, termination, renewal, performance standards, conflict-of-interest rules, and other non-economic clauses. If the County believes any economic or compensation-related information is exempt from disclosure, I have no objection to redaction of those specific items so long as the remaining terms, conditions, and codicils are produced in full.
Please provide the records in electronic format (PDF preferred) if available. If the records cannot be produced electronically, hard copies are acceptable.
If any portion of this request is denied, please cite the specific statutory exemption(s) relied upon and provide the non-exempt portions. If the cost of production will exceed $25, please notify me in advance of the estimated cost.
Thank you for your attention to this request. I look forward to your response within the time frames required by the Kansas Open Records Act.
Sincerely,
Henry McClure Topeka, Kansas mcre13@gmail.com 785-383-9994