Whitehouse committee approves draft IT/cybersecurity policies aligned with new House Bill

The Village of Whitehouse Committee of the Whole approved draft IT and cybersecurity policies Jan. 13 after Deputy Administrator Joshua Hartbarger presented the documents and described how they satisfy the guardrails of a recently enacted House Bill on municipal cybersecurity.

Hartbarger summarized recommended measures that will be incorporated into the policies: annual user acknowledgements of acceptable use and behavior; prohibitions on reuse of personal passwords for Village accounts; restrictions on USB drives and external media; limits on sharing identifying information; role‑based access controls; prohibitions on modifying or bypassing system controls; requirements to report suspicious activity; and guidance on password storage. Hartbarger said the drafts have been reviewed by legal counsel and that staff will ensure the Committee’s suggested clarifications are included.

Council President Steve Fine and Councilman Dave Riggenbach asked about equipment security and staff responsibilities; Riggenbach emphasized that issued devices should be secured and not left unattended to reduce crime of opportunity. The Committee approved the policies with modifications and 6–0 recorded support. Administrator Jordan Daugherty said the action will generate two Council agenda items for formal approval.

The Committee’s approval is a policy‑level step in the Village’s compliance with state guidance. The Committee did not adopt an ordinance or formal regulation at this meeting; final approvals will be processed through Council as separate agenda items.