Prospect council adopts cybersecurity program to meet state requirement

The Prospect Village Council on May 18 adopted Ordinance #1492, a cybersecurity program required under Ohio Revised Code 9.64, and declared it an emergency to expedite implementation.

Assistant Clerk‑Treasurer Jenny Lauer told the council she completed state training and identified free resources sufficient to cover security for three to four village employee computers. She said she and Assistant Village Administrator Isaac Van Gundy prepared an IT security policy designed to meet the statutory requirement.

Councilmember Larry Brown moved to suspend the three‑reading rule for Ordinance #1492 and Councilmember Doug Schultz seconded; the suspension motion passed by a recorded vote of Yeas 6, Nays 0. Councilmember Rob Ramey then moved to pass Ordinance #1492 and Councilmember Jim O'Dell seconded; the council again voted unanimously to adopt the cybersecurity program.

Rob Ramey suggested contacting Tammy Riley, clerk for the Battle Run Fire Board, who was seeking quotes for that board's cybersecurity program; he said coordinating quotes or services could reduce costs. The council assigned staff follow‑up to implement the policy and report progress to the clerk's office by the end of June.

The ordinance text and implementation timetable were not recorded in full in the meeting transcript; staff noted the initial coverage plan targeted a small number of employee devices and would be scaled or adjusted as needed.