MONROVIA — Morgan County pushed forward on a controversial data center plan this year despite keeping the interested company's identity secret through the process. The company has now revealed itself as Google.
“We are always planning for future capacity needs, which includes evaluating options to expand our data center presence in markets across the United States," Google Data Center Public Affairs Manager Broderick Green told WRTV in a statement. "In Indiana, we can confirm we are exploring a potential development in Morgan County. We appreciate the collaboration with both Morgan County and state leadership as we evaluate the opportunity together.”
Morgan County Commissioners approved zoning a total of more than 500 acres of agricultural land outside of Monrovia for Google's potential data center on Oct. 6, even after hearing from dozens of residents opposed to the project.
The site is between State Road 42 and Antioch Road, which is right across the street from Ken Haltom's home.
"You can't buy a lot like this anymore, the sunsets are out of this world," said Haltom, who has lived in his home for more than 20 years. "I really don't want them there. I hope we can still see our sunset."
Preliminary infrastructure work started this week to convert the site, according to Haltom.
Morgan County Council president Kim Merideth told WRTV last month the Google proposal is too valuable for the county to turn down.
"Google's regular taxes would be $2,026,000 per year, even with the abatement," Merideth said. "In comparison, the property that they have purchased brought in roughly $33,000 in taxes per year."
Haltom believes some of the money should go back to the neighbors who can see Google's construction from their front windows.
"I'm hoping they give us some kind of cash or some kind of benefit package for putting up with this garbage and inconvenience in our lives," Haltom said.
