Setting The Record Straight on Incorporation

MARA is aware that a few residents are trying to create a new town in what appears to be an attempt to negatively impact its Granbury facility.

In response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted by our company, Hood County has released a series of internal emails related to the recent incorporation petition and election process in Hood County that shows officials knowingly pushed forward an effort to incorporate a new town despite a defective petition, violating statutory requirements and constitutional rights. In the interest of transparency and to help our community understand how these decisions were made, we are making these emails publicly available. We encourage all residents to review these documents and draw their own conclusions.

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What the Emails Show

County officials knew of petition defects but pushed it forward anyway

• Emails between Hood County officials (Attorney Matt Mills, Commissioner Nannette Samuelson, Elections Administrator Stephanie Cooper) repeatedly acknowledge that the incorporation petition for “Mitchell Bend” (sometimes called “Constitution City”) was defective.

• Emails show uncertainty—and later scrambling—about who verified signatures and whether key statutory requirements (registered voters, area qualifications, map clarity) were met before the judge’s order and subsequent steps.

• Stephanie Cooper admitted she had not verified signatures before the judge signed the order, and Mills confirmed neither his office nor Cooper’s verified the petition’s accuracy.

• Mills wrote: “Now there’s arguably an issue with the size and other matters, but we don’t have the time and resources to really investigate all that at the last minute.”

• Mills acknowledged the defects and essentially invited MARA to sue: “If Marathon wants to sue over it, the courts are open.”

A deliberate attempt to exclude the public and avoid debate

• Emails show that county officials made deliberate efforts to exclude the public from the incorporation efforts to avoid public debate

• The process was kept secret from the public, with the issue removed from public meeting agendas and only proponents allowed to speak.

• MARA and other residents were denied notice and opportunity to participate, violating the Texas Open Meetings Act.

• Officials coordinated with petitioners behind the scenes to exclude community members, keep discussion off agendas, and rush signatures and approvals because “time is of the essence.”

Officials encouraged private lawsuits against MARA

• Since April 2024, emails show county officials encouraged residents to hire private lawyers and file suit against MARA, suggesting this was “the one obvious solution” to their grievances.

Evidence shows improper purpose to weaponize incorporation against law-abiding companies – a violation of Texas law

• Emails and public statements show the true intent behind the incorporation effort was to target MARA and another company (Constellation), not to serve a legitimate municipal purpose.

• Petitioners openly stated their goal was to include MARA and Constellation in the new town so they could impose punitive taxes and enact restrictive ordinances so restrictive that these companies cannot continue lawful operations. This is not a legitimate municipal purpose; it is an improper motive condemned by Texas case law.

• County officials were aware of this motive, referencing it in communications and meetings.

Incorporation petition has material defects, making the petition and the election process legally invalid and unconstitutional

Material defects include:

• There is no indication that the signatures collected are from registered voters residing within the proposed city area. Some signatures appear to be from outside the boundaries, and the application fails to meet the statutory threshold for valid signatures.

• The area proposed for incorporation was not an existing town, village, or community as required by Texas law. There is no recognized community called “Mitchell Bend.”

• The proposed city boundaries are vague, gerrymandered, and include two rural subdivisions connected only by a mile-long road. The application does not clearly state the proposed boundaries.

• The petition and related documents use two different names—“Mitchell Bend” and “Constitution City”—for the proposed municipality, violating statutory requirements for clarity.

The Truth About Leading Petitioners

Petitioner Danny Lakey, a local Granbury resident, has been a leading voice in favor of the incorporation.  

On October 30, 2025, KERA News quoted Danny Lakey regarding MARA’s Bitcoin mining site. He stated: “I don't want to incorporate, I just don't have a choice. If we don't do this then I'm going to suffer until we die. I mean, it's just that simple,” Lakey said.

Lakey is the same resident who currently advertises his Granbury residence as “peaceful living” on Airbnb, with nearly a dozen reviews noting how “quiet” the property is. You can read all of them below, and even book the “peaceful” residence yourself.

A recent WFAA article included this quote: “Some people say it sounds like sitting at the tail end of a runway, but the plane never leaves,’ said Danny Lakey, a neighbor who can see the mine from his back porch and has helped lead the incorporation effort.” His Airbnb guests seem to disagree.

Lakey’s own daughter confirmed personal and financial motives

Direct testimony from the petitioner's daughter, Maci Lakey, reveals significant inconsistencies in the narrative presented by key petitioners. In an email to MARA (see below), Maci describes how her parents, Danny and Deanna Lakey, have exaggerated claims about health impacts and noise for legal and media purposes, while simultaneously listing their home on Airbnb and promoting it as a “peaceful” retreat.  

Maci’s account details how her family’s involvement is driven by financial motives and personal disputes, and she explicitly states that some of the claims made to reporters and attorneys are false or misleading.

Since MARA assumed operational control of the data center in 2024, sound levels have actually decreased due to our initial improvements at the site

Independent sound studies, including one by the Hood County government (read the full report here), have confirmed that we continue to operate well below state and county legal sound limits.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact granbury@mara.com.

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