A man was forcibly removed from a heated community meeting in Iowa after confronting officials over plans for a new Microsoft data center, as opposition to the rapid expansion of the facilities continues to grow across the state.
The confrontation took place on Monday at the Woodward-Granger High School auditorium, where residents gathered to hear about Microsoft’s proposal to develop a data center campus in Woodward, a small city northwest of Des Moines.
Troy Bellon, 53, challenged Woodward Mayor Todd Folkerts during the meeting, asking whether residents could vote on the proposal. After Folkerts answered “No,” the exchange escalated, and Bellon was removed following a physical confrontation involving security personnel and Woodward police.
Bellon was not arrested, the Des Moines Register reported.
The clash came as residents expressed concerns about the development's scale, its potential environmental and quality-of-life impacts, and how the project has been presented to the community.
Newsweek reached out to Folkerts for comment.
What Is the Proposed Data Center?
Microsoft has purchased about 600 acres of land zoned for industrial use in the Woodward Eco Business Park. The site obtained certified-site status in 2018. The project is still in the early stages, and Microsoft representatives said the facility has not yet been designed.
In a statement to Newsweek, a Microsoft spokesperson said: “Microsoft has purchased land in Woodward for the purpose of datacenter development. This project is at the earliest phase of planning and development and we look forward to working with local leaders and community members as our plans move forward.”
The spokesperson added: “In any future development from Microsoft, the community of Woodward can expect that we will pay our way to ensure our datacenters don’t increase electricity prices, minimize water use while replenishing more water than we use, create jobs for local residents, add to the tax base, and strengthen the community through investment in local technology training and nonprofits.”
Woodward's City Council would need to approve a development agreement before the project could move forward, while a site plan would also eventually require council approval.
The Perry News reported that Microsoft Government Affairs Infrastructure Director Cloteal LaBroi told residents the company would pay for all the infrastructure needed for the development, including water and sewer upgrades, roads, paving, and electricity.
Why Are Residents Opposed?
The controversy reflects wider concerns surrounding Iowa's growing data center industry.
Residents at the Woodward meeting raised concerns about environmental impacts and changes to the community's quality of life. About half a dozen demonstrators also protested outside the meeting and said they opposed data center developments in Ames and Boone.
Others focused on how the Woodward project had been handled. The city restricted the October 12 event to Woodward residents, checking identification at the entrance after the city's normal council meeting was canceled. That prompted concerns about transparency from some residents and government-transparency advocates, according to the Des Moines Register.
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Microsoft already has a sizable data center presence in Iowa.
The company says that, as of 2025, its operational centers in the state employed approximately 540 people and that new facilities being built in West Des Moines were expected to require approximately 1,660 construction jobs at peak activity.
The Woodward project would therefore add to an established and expanding footprint, while the dramatic scenes at Monday's meeting highlight the increasingly contentious local debate over where that expansion should take place.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story for comment: Ben Kelly and Sam Wilson.