Council opens first reading on joining Ohio Treasurer’s online checkbook; staff say quarterly updates feasible

Council received a first reading of Resolution 2025‑78 to participate in the Ohio treasurer’s Ohio online checkbook program (ohiocheckbook.gov), a statewide public portal that publishes transaction‑level data, budgets and contracts. The measure was given its first reading and no final action was taken.

Why it matters: Joining the statewide checkbook would publish municipal spending and contract data in a publicly searchable interface maintained by the Ohio treasurer’s office. Presenters told council that the platform hosts publicly available records, omits sensitive data (for example Social Security numbers or bank account numbers), and that the treasurer’s office provides hosting and technical support at no direct cost to participating municipalities. Staff said ongoing maintenance burden can be small—particularly if the city’s accounting system and the Auditor of State’s uniform accounting network (UAN) are kept in sync—and suggested quarterly updates as a reasonable cadence.

Key points from the briefing: Presenters outlined the site’s history (initial tools launched 2014–2016 and merged in 2019) and security and public‑records vetting procedures. They said the treasurer’s office will work with the city to validate records, correct errors, and provide training for staff handling public inquiries. Presenters also noted a potential for increased public questions when data is published openly, but said that transparency typically reduces the number of formal public‑records requests over time and builds public trust. No implementation costs were identified beyond internal staff time for setup and periodic validation.

Next steps: Resolution 2025‑78 received its first reading and will return for further consideration in a later session. Staff and finance‑office representatives indicated they are able to coordinate with the treasurer’s office for setup and recommended a quarterly update schedule until a more automated data feed can be installed.