LEBANON, Ind. — The Boone County Auditor will remain in office for now, despite a Boone County Commissioners voting 2-0 Monday to approve her removal.
County Commissioners vote on county auditor matter
“We oversee a multi-million-dollar county government,” said Commissioner Scott Pell before his vote. “Our taxpayers and employees deserve competent leadership, financial accountability and responsible management.”
Boone County Auditor Debbie Crum has been in the hot seat since an internal investigation found Crum emailed the names and Social Security numbers of all 290 county employees to the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS).
The data leak, which happened on June 30, prompted concern from many people in the Boone County community. Crum apologized, but county commissioners and council members are considering removing her from office.
“I ask my fellow commissioners and council members to consider one question—if the repeated failures have been documented and corrective action plans have been promised and problems continue, how can we justify looking the other way?” asked Commissioner Pell.
“Our obligation is to protect the employees and taxpayers of Boone County and the integrity of the government they depend on.”
The Boone County Commissioners’ 2-0 vote Monday is not enough to remove Crum from her elected position.
The proposal would also need approval from the Boone County Council, who would then send the matter to a Boone County judge for consideration.
Boone County Council did not vote on Crum
On Monday morning, the Boone County Council members did not introduce a motion to remove Crum and thus, they did not vote on the matter.
“We were afraid that could happen,” said Commissioner Pell. “Not making a motion makes it available to come back on another agenda. We will leave it up to the council to make the next move.”
Debbie Crum cried and hugged her supporters after the meeting concluded.
“I’m glad that today is over,” said Crum. “I took my fault in the part of that DCS breach. Not 100 percent of it was mine so I will continue to work moving forward with IT to set up and work with commissioners on setting up a policy on how we can prevent breaches like that in the future.”
County attorney Beth Copeland said Crum’s mistakes extend far beyond the data leak.
During a public presentation last month, Copeland alleged Crum repeatedly shared sensitive information over email.
Copeland also said Crum had a history of poor bookkeeping, payroll issues, paying invoices from incorrect funds, and failing to upload contracts to a transparency portal. She alleged these errors cost the county thousands of dollars.
On Oct. 6, commissioners and council members spent hours listening to both sides, including Crum herself, Crum’s attorney, and county attorney Beth Copeland.
On November 2, Commissioners Scott Pell and Donnie Lawson voted 2-0 to move forward with removing Crum.
Commissioner Tim Beyer faces questions for abstaining from vote
Commissioner Tim Beyer abstained from voting but did not give a reason why he abstained.
Debbie Crum sent Indiana’s I-Team a written statement Commissioner Beyer asked to meet with her privately at a Starbucks on October 12.
The alleged meeting took place just days after the October 6 presentations and public meeting, and while the commissioners and council had yet to vote on the matter.
Crum alleges during the meeting, Beyer asked her if she’d consider hiring Beyer’s wife.
Indiana’s I-Team asked the Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood about Crum’s allegations against Beyer.
“I can confirm that on or about October 12, 2026, the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office received information from counsel for Boone County Auditor Debbie Crum outlining allegations that could potentially constitute criminal conduct involving a Boone County
Commissioner,” said Eastwood in a statement to Indiana’s I-Team. “Given the nature of the allegations and the fact that they involved another elected official, the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office promptly contacted the Indiana State Police and requested an independent investigation into the matter. The Indiana State Police agreed and subsequently opened an investigation.”
Eastwood said the Indiana State Police investigation remains ongoing, and no criminal charges have been filed.
“The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office has remained in communication with investigators and is currently awaiting completion of the investigation, including the submission of investigative reports and any related evidence,” said Eastwood in a statement to Indiana’s I-Team.
Indiana’s I-team tried to speak with Commissioner Beyer after the meeting.
“I’m not going to have any comment,” said Beyer.
Indiana’s I-Team asked Beyer about the ISP investigation and whether he met with Crum, but he declined to comment.
Beyer also sent Indiana’s I-Team an affidavit saying that repeating Crum’s allegations would be “unsubstantiated or false.”
