Shelbyville mayor criticized after comments on data center opponents

In short: The mayor of Shelbyville, Indiana is facing backlash after he was filmed insulting residents who oppose a proposed $2 billion data center.

What happened

A large data center project proposed for Shelbyville, Indiana has turned into a local political fight. A data center is a big building full of computers that store and process information for online services.

The debate intensified after Mayor Scott Furgeson was caught on camera commenting on “No Data Center” yard signs. In the video, he said he only sees the signs at “shitty houses,” and added that “most of them are rentals.”

People in the clip pushed back right away. One person said the residents were “working class.” Another person said that even if homes are rentals, “they’re still human beings.”

Local residents told news outlets they felt insulted and disrespected by the mayor’s language. The mayor declined to comment further, but a spokesperson for his office released a statement saying the mayor “regrets that his choice of words may have caused offense.”

Why it matters

Big data centers can bring construction spending and some jobs, but they can also raise concerns about noise, traffic, and heavy electricity and water use. When local leaders talk about these projects, their tone matters because it can shape whether people feel heard or ignored. For many towns, these decisions are like choosing a new neighbor that takes up a whole city block, and people want a fair say in what moves in.

Source: The Verge AI