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Residents urge investigation into cybersecurity, ethics and leadership at New Lebanon meeting
Summary
Multiple residents used public comment to raise concerns about alleged misuse of an OHID account, potential charter violations, and calls for administrative leave and independent investigation of village officials. Commenters cited specific charter sections and asked the council to preserve evidence and request outside review.
During public comment on July 21, several New Lebanon residents called for independent review of alleged cybersecurity and personnel issues and read detailed concerns about the village's handling of credential access and internal investigations.
A resident (reading on behalf of Council member Joy) urged the council to place acting village manager Shannon Bemis on administrative leave pending an independent investigation and asked that the law director be relieved for failing to recommend evidence preservation and outside review. "Place acting village manager Shannon Bemis on administrative leave pending an independent investigation," the statement read, and asked that the mayor and law director be held to account if they did not follow charter and records-preservation standards.
Another speaker reviewed village charter provisions cited by commenters (including code sections identified during public remarks) and said the questions about access to an OHID account and whether credentials were used appropriately raise potential compliance, security and confidentiality issues. Speakers asked that digital evidence be preserved and for the Ohio Attorney General's office to review the matter; one speaker said those actions were already underway.
Council did not take immediate formal action at the meeting on those demands; several council members and staff said the matters were being reviewed and encouraged individuals to submit formal complaints to the appropriate offices. The mayor and staff noted that criminal or civil investigative steps, evidence preservation and decisions about leave are governed by applicable policies and state law, and that the Ohio Attorney General's office can be engaged for formal review.
The public-comment period also included calls for greater transparency about personnel decisions and for the council to convene a special session if necessary to address cybersecurity and records-preservation questions.
