Henry Feldhaus has announced his candidacy for Shelbyville City Mayor in the Nov. 3 general election.

Feldhaus told the T-G that his campaign is built upon his core pillars of integrity, vision, and courage. He believes that by combining his core values with smart growth through economic development, public safety, and infrastructure improvements, it will sustain a better quality of life for every resident in Shelbyville.
Feldhaus is currently serving as a Shelbyville City Councilman. “My experience serving the citizens of Shelbyville provides me with the institutional knowledge for a transformative approach to local government,” Feldhaus said. “I pledge to lead with absolute transparency and bold decisive action. Our family has a tradition of community service, especially helping those less fortunate. We treat all people with compassion and respect. We put others before ourselves.”
At the heart of his campaign, he said, is a commitment to restoring faith in local leadership. “I pledge to enthusiastically encourage dialogue with Bedford County leadership to mutually discuss issues before unnecessary litigation,” Feldhaus said.
Feldhaus emphasized that ethical governance must guide every decision made at City Hall. "Our city is full of potential, but we need leadership that listens and delivers. I am running for mayor to ensure every neighborhood thrives, every voice is heard, and our local government operates with full transparency."
Before launching this mayoral bid, Feldhaus served Shelbyville in numerous capacities, including as Mayor (1987-1995), Councilman (1981-1987 and 2012 to current), business leader, and appointed to numerous committees within the City of Shelbyville over the past 48 years. During that time, he successfully championed new industries from Calsonic to a complete, fully developed industrial park with over $150 million in new business investments. Recently, Feldhaus united the city council and made the motion to institute a moratorium on data centers.
Feldhaus has been successful in recruiting retail development to Shelbyville ranging from major grocery chains like Red Foods and Food Lion to restaurants like Chik-fil-A and Grindstone and helped provide guidance for the downtown business district enhancements and the new Riverview district. He stressed the need to revitalize local business districts and create high-quality jobs by collaborating with Bedford County officials for technical job training initiatives.
Feldhaus was also instrumental in guiding improved education opportunities with a new TCAT and MTSU’s new aerospace campus at our airport resulting in over $100 million in new class space.

“I have positive relationships with leadership inside state of Tennessee departments, which can deliver grants and assist in infrastructure improvements. I have assisted in earning tens of millions of dollars in grants for Shelbyville from Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) $1.8 million, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) $6 million, Tennessee Department of Environmental and Conservation (TDEC) $15 million, Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), and numerous other agencies,” Feldhaus said. “Widening Highway 231 to Murfreesboro and developing the Highway 437 bypass around Shelbyville are some of my
accomplishments in coordination with TDOT.”
In 2025, Feldhaus’s lifelong dedication to Shelbyville and his many accomplishments were recognized by city officials across Tennessee by naming him as the 2025 Local Government Leadership recipient. Further recognition of his abilities came years before this award when Feldhaus was summoned to Washington, D.C. by Congressman Jim Cooper to testify before a Congressional committee on improving rural cable television access.
“Real change demands more than just empty promises; it requires the courage to stand up for what is right for all citizens, particularly when special interests become overwhelming," said Feldhaus.

"Shelbyville deserves a leader who will face our challenges head-on, innovate fearlessly, and always tell you the truth."

Feldhaus, the eldest of 6 children of the late Dr. Henry and Mary Jo Feldhaus, graduated from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1976, with a B.S. in Business Administration. His love for education continued with a master’s degree in business from Middle Tennessee State in 1999, graduating with highest honors. He and his wife, Jenni, have been married for 47 years. They have 5 grandchildren and 3 children, Jennifer, internal medicine and pediatric doctor; LauraAnne, a doctor of physical therapy; and Henry IV, a master’s degree from MTSU.
The election will be held Nov. 3, with early voting scheduled from October 14 through October 29.