The Mount Vernon City Council has approved the city's participation in the Ohio Online Checkbook Program, a statewide initiative aimed at enhancing transparency by providing public access to local government financial data. The decision was made during the council's meeting on August 25.
"The Ohio Online Checkbook or Ohio Checkbook.gov is a public online resource that allows Ohioans to explore how state and local governments spend taxpayer dollars, offering transaction-level data, budgets, revenue sources, contracts, and employee salaries," Safety-Service Director Tanner Salyers informed the city council during a committee meeting held on August 11.
According to the resolution adopted in the meeting minutes of August 25, the city auditor assessed that implementing the program would not impose an undue burden on city staff or resources. Salyers noted that while initial setup might require coordination with the Ohio Treasurer's Office and city finance staff, ongoing maintenance would primarily involve verifying data and addressing anomalies. He mentioned last month that most municipalities report only minimal staff hours annually after launching.
Salyers explained via a YouTube recording of the committee meeting that Mount Vernon's Civica system can be integrated with the state network with minimal staff involvement due to its compatibility with both the state auditor's uniform accounting network and another compatible system. He suggested quarterly updates of financial records instead of live updates to address technological limitations.
Transparency may lead to more resident inquiries but also fosters trust by clearly showing tax dollar allocation, Salyers said in the video. A searchable interface could enable residents to find answers independently without filing formal public records requests, potentially reducing staff workload over time. The Ohio Treasurer's Office offers training for city staff to handle inquiries effectively.
Salyers further clarified in the video that there are no direct costs for municipalities participating in this program as it is supported by state-provided platforms, hosting services, and technical support at no charge. The city's expenses would only involve internal staff time for setup and periodic data verification. The Ohio Online Checkbook will display only public record information as defined by state law, excluding sensitive data such as bank account numbers or employee Social Security numbers.
