Wapakoneta City Council met for the first time Monday evening after learning about corruption charges the mayor faces.
Mayor Thomas Stinebaugh was charged with 8 counts of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, 8 counts of conflict of interest, and 1 count of theft in the office just over a week ago. Attorney General Dave Yost stated that suspension proceedings would be initiated for Stinebaugh. If he were to be suspended, Council President Steve Henderson would become acting mayor. While the topic of the mayor did not come up at the meeting, we asked Henderson about how council will move forward regarding these allegations.
He said, “We can continue with business as usual. You know that’s pretty much all I can tell you. You know it is what it is. All of the allegations are very fresh at this time. I wish the mayor the best, I feel for the mayor, I feel for his family and everything being so fresh, it’s going to be business as usual.”
Stinebaugh will be arraigned at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Auglaize County Common Pleas Court.
