Osage County adopts resolution to give department heads read-only access to CIC; board to review voucher reporting options

Commissioner Smith and Commissioner Cooter voted to approve Resolution 2025-22 on Sept. 9 authorizing view-only supervisor access for county department heads to the county accounts-payable and financial reporting system known as CIC.

The measure, passed by the commission at its regular meeting, directs county staff to notify CIC that department heads may contact CIC support to obtain sign-on credentials and training. Commissioner Smith said the infrastructure for department access was installed “a couple years ago” and that the intent is for department heads to “be looking at their own budgets kind of in real time.”

The resolution responds to ongoing concerns from department managers and commissioners about lagging budget data and limited visibility into accounts-payable activity. Supporters said giving read-only access will let department heads check incoming revenues and outgoing payments, spot miscodings quickly, and reduce the need for repeated questions to the clerk’s office. County staff said CIC currently can produce a variety of reports but that departments will need instruction on which reports best meet their needs.

Commissioners and staff also discussed the county’s prior paper voucher process, in which a paper “voucher” accompanied each bill and recorded account coding, check numbers and signatures. Some department heads said they prefer retaining a paper voucher because it served as a reliable audit trail. Others, including county IT and finance staff, said a modern accounting system can generate equivalent digital reports and that reintroducing the full paper process would be cumbersome. The commission agreed to pause any immediate return to an all-paper voucher system and instead have departments work with CIC to determine whether a digital report can supply the same confirmation and detail that departments used the voucher to obtain.

As next steps the commission instructed the clerk’s office to file and send the adopted resolution to the CIC support channel, and asked department heads to provide a short list of who should receive view-only supervisor accounts so CIC can set up sign-ons and training. Commissioner Smith said department heads may designate one staff member in their office to share access as needed, but that initial accounts will be read-only rather than permitting coding or payment processing.

The resolution passed by voice vote with three affirmative responses recorded. Commissioners also directed follow-up work on accounts-payable cycle questions, including whether CIC has a report that functions as a digital voucher; that follow-up work will continue after departments obtain access so they can test available reports.

No action was taken in executive session items that touched on information-security and attorney–client financial-document questions earlier in the meeting; the commission returned from those sessions and reported decisions publicly where required.

The resolution is intended to improve budget transparency and give department heads an administrative tool to monitor spending between formal monthly or quarterly reports.