WCPO 9's Sam Harasimowicz covers Clermont County. If you have a story that you'd like Sam to look into or a news tip, email him at sam@wcpo.com.
MONROE TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Monroe Township Fire Chief Greg Lang has been placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation, according to minutes from a Board of Trustees meeting on April 30.
On April 30, at a special meeting, trustees entered executive session to discuss the "employment, demotion, discipline" of a public employee; when trustees returned to regular session at around 4:07 p.m. that day, trustees voted unanimously to place Lang on administrative leave, effective immediately.
Lang was ordered to leave his keys, car, laptop, passwords and cell phone at the township building as well, the meeting minutes say.
A motion to appoint Michael Welch as active fire chief, effective immediately, also passed unanimously.
Trustees then voted to hire Holly Isaacs, Bethel's current village administrator, for "a Township investigation," though trustees did not clarify what Lang may have done to prompt an investigation.
Watch to see the latest update on the fire chief's administrative leave:
The Clermont County Sheriff's Office said the Surveillance Analysis and Forensic Evidence, or SAFE unit, was requested by an assistant prosecutor to analyze Lang's township cellphone.
But that's the extent of the department's involvement, according to a spokesperson who said that the Clermont County Sheriff's Office is not investigating Lang at this time.
The results of the cellphone analysis were passed to the Clermont County Prosecutor's Office. We reached out to Prosecutor Mark Tekulve, who said he will look into the situation and get back to us.
We spoke to Monroe Township Trustee Lindsey Aranyos, who confirmed Lang was on administrative leave, pending an investigation, but she said she couldn't provide any additional information.
Aranyos also said this is the second time Lang has been placed on administrative leave in the past six months.
Lang was previously placed on paid administrative leave by township trustees in December. Just days before the decision, he was arrested and charged with domestic violence. Court records showed that a judge acquitted Lang of the charges.
Trustees later voted to allow Lang to return to work, according to Jan. 8 meeting minutes. Tom Peck was the only no vote. Peck did not return our phone call on Wednesday.
Lang is not the only Monroe Township Fire & EMS employee to have recently been placed on administrative leave. According to meeting minutes from May 8, trustees unanimously voted to place Emily (Hope) Rodriguez, listed on the fire department's website as a firefighter EMT, on paid administrative leave.
Chief Michael Welch, the sitting Monroe Township Fire & EMS chief, confirmed both Lang and Rodriguez are still on administrative leave in a phone call Wednesday. He could not confirm whether the decisions to place them on administrative leave are related.
Welch said he has not spoken to the chief and had no further comment.
Details on why either was placed on leave are not yet available. We were not able to reach Lang or Rodriguez by phone.
Have a story idea or tip for WCPO 9 Clermont County reporter Sam Harasimowciz? Email him at sam@wcpo.com.
