FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — As questions continue to swirl around Google’s data center project in Fort Wayne, an Allen County commissioner says residents deserve clearer communication — even as county officials have limited authority over the development itself. During an interview with WOWO’s Kayla Blakeslee, the commissioner explained that because the Google data center sits within Fort Wayne city limits, county government has little direct control over the project. “Really not much,” the commissioner said when asked what role county commissioners play. “Because it is located in the city of Fort Wayne limits, they have their own jurisdiction. We’re really not involved in any of the permitting and various things.” Still, the county hasn’t been completely hands-off. The commissioner said county leaders remain in contact with public health officials and inspectors to stay informed. “We talk to the Department of Health and make sure our people are safe,” he said. “We talk to our building commissioner and get updates on inspections — but as far as control over what the project looks like, we don’t really have any.” A Project Years in the Making The Google data center has been in development for several years. According to the commissioner, much of the groundwork — including land purchases, permitting, and the public announcement — occurred before he took office in January. “All the pre-work of buying the land and getting the permitting happened in late ’23 and throughout ’24,” he said. At least one building is already operational, with a second expected to come online soon. Ultimately, Google’s long-term plan could include as many as nine to twelve buildings on the site. Why the Public Forum Came So Late Community frustration has grown over what many residents see as delayed transparency, especially after a public forum was held only recently — years after the project began. The commissioner acknowledged the concern, pointing to what he called a common tension in government. “There’s always that balance between transparency and getting projects done,” he said. “This data center is a great example of a tremendous amount of secrecy around it. They called it ‘Project Zodiac’ for the longest time and didn’t really tell anybody about it.” He said confusion surrounding the number of backup generators planned for the site only added to public distrust. “When we’re not clear and open on things, people assume the worst a lot of times,” he said. “This is a good example of that.” The timing of recent city utility requests — including work tied to deteriorating water tunnels connected to the project — just days before the public forum also drew criticism. Some residents labeled it “political malpractice.” “That’s something we always need to be better at as elected officials,” the commissioner said. “If you have questions, talk to your city councilperson. And if you’re not in the city, come talk to me — I’ll filter those questions to the right place.” A Bigger Question: Are Data Centers Worth It? Beyond transparency, the commissioner raised deeper concerns about whether massive data center projects offer enough return on investment for taxpayers. “As a business person and a finance person, I always look at everything as, what is the return on investment for the taxpayer?” he said. “And I have a very hard time with data centers seeing that return.” He cited the project’s scale — nearly 1,000 acres, heavy water usage, and enormous electricity demands — along with the significant tax incentives granted to Google. “They got massive tax incentives,” he said. “And really, for very few jobs. This isn’t like a GM plant with hundreds or thousands of good-paying jobs. This is maybe a hundred.” With Indiana’s Senate Bill 1 expected to reduce residential property tax revenue, the commissioner warned that future development deals must be evaluated more carefully. “We’re going to have to be much smarter going forward,” he said. “When we craft deals for incentives, we have to ensure the taxpayer gets the maximum return on investment. I’m not really sure data centers get us there.” What’s Next for the Project? For now, the next major step appears to be state-level review of additional backup generators designed to keep the data center running during power outages. “That’s the process now that the public is aware of,” the commissioner said. “This is a project that’s going to last for years.” He added that, despite speculation, no additional data centers are currently planned elsewhere in Allen County. “Right now, no,” he said. “There’s nothing else on the drawing board.” A Community in Motion Despite the controversy, the commissioner expressed optimism about Allen County’s future, even as residents juggle multiple major projects — from the North River Fieldhouse and casino development to a new county jail and ongoing tax changes. “That’s exciting,” he said. “This is a dynamic community. There are a lot of great things going on, and I’m excited about where we go in the future.” He said public engagement and accountability will be key as the county navigates growth. “We need to be smart, transparent, and focused on one thing,” he said. “Does this make life better in Allen County? If it doesn’t, we don’t do it.” The post WOWO Exclusive – Turpin Questions Taxpayer Return on Google Data Center Project appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less