Mayor disputes WCPO reporting on village administrator, says outlet used biased source

Mayor (name not specified in meeting record) used the public portion of the July 3 council meeting to criticize a recent WCPO investigative report about the village administrator and marshal, Justin Haydick (name appears in the record with variation). The mayor said the station used an apparently biased source and misstated key facts and that agency guidelines on sourcing and editing were not followed.

The mayor said WCPO reporter Dan Monk contacted village staff with limited advance notice, and that the station’s final story included archival material and partial quotes that altered context. The mayor said the correspondent should have verified claims and disclosed the source’s known bias; he identified the primary complaining source as a recent mayoral opponent who has been publicly critical of the department and who, the mayor said, has a history of property‑maintenance disputes and online campaigning against the police department.

The mayor and legal staff said village officials provided WCPO with records and with offers for on‑camera or unedited interviews that the station did not use. The mayor said the village had provided additional documentation to the reporter but that the station nonetheless aired material the mayor described as misleading, including an assertion that arrest warrants would be issued for failing to mow grass — a claim the mayor said was false and not under consideration. The law director and a retired law‑enforcement official on council said they had reviewed personnel materials and that disciplinary and notation issues in a former employer file had been addressed and, in some cases, exonerating letters had been added.

Mayor’s statement emphasized: “We do not appreciate their continued report on unfounded claims about mister Haydick’s past. It will not alter our unwavering support for his leadership.” Council members who have reviewed the hiring process said the administrator’s hiring included extensive interview panels, background checks and documented steps.

Ending: The mayor said the village will continue to provide public records and to respond to factual inquiries, while encouraging residents and journalists to verify sources and context; legal counsel noted that remedies for alleged journalistic malice are difficult and costly, and the village limited its public response to correcting record and providing documentation.