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Council adopts emergency cybersecurity ordinance requiring incident reporting and council review of ransom payments
Summary
Ordinance 2026-13 establishes a city cybersecurity reporting program and requires the legislative body be notified and approve any ransom payment; staff said the change standardizes reporting and preserves council discretion on payments.
Huron City Council adopted Ordinance 2026-13 as an emergency measure, approving a cybersecurity program that standardizes incident reporting and requires the legislative body to be notified — and to deliberate — if a ransom payment is proposed.
City staff explained the ordinance as an effort to align local practice with updated state guidance. Mr. Hamilton told council the draft requires that cybersecurity incidents be reported and that the city notify the legislative body if a ransom is requested so council can “deliberate on whether you want to spend the money to the hackers or ... not.” He also emphasized the council retains discretion: “we still have the discretion as to whether to pay or not or how to handle the ransom.”
Council approved waiving the three-reading rule to consider the ordinance as an emergency and then voted to adopt it. The clerk recorded affirmative votes from members present. Staff noted the policy formalizes reporting and the process for bringing ransom requests to the council for a decision; it does not remove the council’s authority to decide on payments.
