Don Wiesehan for County Commissioner, Southern District

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This week brought two significant developments from neighboring counties, and I want to commend both Marshall and Cass County leaders for their actions. Marshall County commissioners approved a permanent ban on data centers after previously implementing a one‑year moratorium, citing many concerns. Cass County reached a similar unanimous decision, reflecting the same caution and prioritization of residents’ interests.

As I’ve said before, there are still far too many unknowns surrounding data centers, and the promises made by companies are too good to be true. In the short time these projects have been in the public eye, the potential downsides from infrastructure strain to safety risks have become very evident. 

Marshall County Commissioner Jesse Bohannon has been vocal about these concerns, emphasizing the need for strong protections for the local residents. 

If elected, I plan to reach out to commissioners in both of these communities to learn from their experiences and findings. I will seek to understand if a permanent ban would benefit the people of Kosciusko County. I have already made it clear that I would never consider allowing a data center here unless it was only on industrial‑zoned land and even then, with extremely strong regulations to ensure our residents and their futures are protected.

I’ve heard excellent things about Commissioner Jesse Bohannon of Marshall County including his leadership on this issue, and I would welcome the opportunity to seek his insight along with that of others who have taken a proactive stance of protecting their residents. 

At the end of the day, the people of Kosciusko County deserve to be the ones guiding decisions that affect their future. So I want to hear from you: Where do you stand on this issue?

While I understand why data centers may appear financially attractive in the short term, there are far too many unanswered questions and too many promises that are either unproven or already broken. Short‑term revenue should never outweigh the long‑term impacts on our residents, our land, our water, and our overall quality of life.  
Communities that rush to embrace data centers often focus only on immediate financial gain. I’m not willing to gamble with our future. I respect the counties that have chosen moratoriums or bans because they are putting people first — and that is what truly matters.

Residents will always be my top priority. I will keep an open mind and continue to learn, but I firmly believe data centers do not belong on agricultural land. People choose to live in the country for a reason, and that choice deserves respect. Industrial land is the only reasonable location for such facilities, and even then, they must be held to very strict standards before I would even consider that as a option. All county residents deserve if we were to ever even discuss a data center on industrial zoned land, I would want strong regulations such as:  
- guaranteed well protections  
- strong meaningful setbacks  
- enforceable water‑use limits  
- strong electric use limits
- noise controls  
- property value protections  
- county‑held bonds  
- no tax abatements  

These decisions should never be rushed. Unfortunately, some communities are moving far too quickly. The public deserves transparency, honesty, and a genuine voice in decisions that shape our future, especially decisions of this magnitude. The opinions of county residents must be part of the process.

Trust is one of the biggest issues with data‑center companies, and I am not willing to expose my neighbors to the potential downsides. I will not risk the well‑being of future generations. My life is rooted here, and I will always work to protect this county.

I was especially disappointed when while meeting with residents, a couple from the southern part of the county told me that when they attended a commissioners meeting last year that covered a proposed data center, Commissioner Conley asked them why they were there and said, “Do you have a dog in this fight?” That remark is deeply troubling. Decisions of this scale affect everyone, not just the immediate neighbors. Every resident deserves to be heard. I will never approach a citizen with a statement like that. If elected it will be my job to serve all residents county wide. 

My life is rooted here, and I will always protect this community.