Shelbyville Mayor Scott Furgeson was filmed without his apparent knowledge making derogatory remarks about residents who had placed “No Data Centers” yard signs, saying he only sees the signs “in sh***y houses” and suggesting the opposition comes mainly from renters rather than property owners. When a woman in the conversation described the residents as “working class,” Furgeson replied, “Most of them are rentals, so…” and added that the properties were “very, very unkempt.” The video spread rapidly on social media, drawing sharp criticism from residents who said the mayor was dismissing constituents for not owning property. In a subsequent statement, Furgeson declined to apologize, saying only that he “regrets that his choice of words may have caused offense” and claiming his remarks referred to property maintenance rather than the character of residents.
The episode reflects deepening friction over data center development across central Indiana. Shelbyville is the site of a proposed billion-dollar project that would convert 429 acres of farmland into an 11-building complex; more than 2,000 residents signed a petition against it, yet the city council advanced the plan in April over loud public objection. Similar projects have drawn resistance in Pittsboro, Henry County, Morgan County, and multiple Indianapolis neighborhoods, with concerns over higher energy bills and water consumption widening the divide between elected officials and their constituents. Tensions have turned severe in at least one case: an Indianapolis city-county councilor’s home was allegedly shot up after voting to approve a data center.