Shelbyville Mayor Apologizes for Viral Video

SHELBYVILLE, Ind.–The Mayor of Shelbyville Scott Ferguson released a video on social media this week where he said he is ashamed of a viral video that came out two weeks ago. He was caught on camera saying that people who oppose data centers are renters who live in “sh***y houses.”

As you can probably imagine, his comments were met with criticism online from people both in and around Shelbyville.

“The comments I made in a recent video were wrong. They were disrespectful. They were hurtful and they do not reflect the respect that every resident of this community deserves,” said Ferguson in his apology video.

Ferguson says he takes full responsibility for what he said.

“Shelbyville is my home. I love this community. Our community is filled with hardworking families, dedicated city employees, business owners, homeowners, and residents who care deeply about our city. My words failed to demonstrate that,” said Ferguson.

In the video, he said he promises to do better.

“Elected officials should be held to a higher standard. In this instance, I failed to meet that standard,” said Ferguson.

He believes the City of Shelbyville has a lot of great opportunities ahead of it.

“Realizing our full potential requires trust, transparency, and open communication. I’m committed to strengthening our working relationship with the Shelbyville City Council and engaging our community more openly and more often. We may not always agree, but every resident deserves to be heard, respected, and informed,” said Ferguson.

Despite his apology, people flooded the social media with comments expressing skepticism and anger.

“I acknowledge that Mayor Furgeson issued a public apology and stated that he should never have made those remarks. That apology was necessary, and I am glad it was finally made. However, for many residents, this issue goes far beyond a single statement. The frustration in this community did not begin with those comments. It has been building for months as citizens attended meetings, signed petitions, voiced concerns, and repeatedly asked elected officials to listen to the people of Shelbyville regarding the proposed data centers,” said Jill Bell in a comment on Facebook.

“He’s almost laughing as he’s reading this from a script,” said Brandy Conner Brown.

“He’s not sorry for what he said, he’s sorry that he got caught. Next,” said Brittany Hood.

“A resignation would be the proper form of accountability. We’ve had enough,” said Jessica Couch.