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Lancaster County previews new transparency website to publish budgets, procurement and project updates
Summary
County staff demonstrated a draft public transparency page that will host monthly budget monitoring, check registers, p‑card activity and a projects tab; council supported going live in phases after staff incorporates feedback and returns for sign‑off.
Lancaster County staff on Tuesday showed a draft public transparency website intended to give residents direct access to monthly budget monitoring, the check register and procurement card activity, project updates and a new "county insights" section for nonfinancial data.
Miss Harris, who led the presentation, said the site is being rolled out in phases to ensure reports are readable, accurate and free of personal information. "We do have a phased approach to be able to start to display some of the reporting and what things we're able to do right now, as well as over the next few months," she said. She emphasized the site will clearly separate financial and nonfinancial information and include monthly, quarterly and annual cadences.
Jenna, the communications staffer who demonstrated the draft, walked council through the transparency home page, finance button and specific report pages. She showed a draft monthly procurement card export and a November check register designed to omit employee names while listing department coding, amounts and vendors.
Council members recommended several additions: a short explainer or video that walks residents through tax‑bill line items; a visible listing of nonprofit grants and the county's $100,000 nonprofit set‑aside; and a phased "coming soon" schedule so visitors know when new content will be added. "It's almost like 'follow my dollar,'" a council member summarized, echoing repeated requests for a clear path from tax payment to services funded.
Staff said no county policy changes were required to launch the pages, but they asked council for feedback before going live. Council directed staff to return with any redesigns and suggested staff present subsequent content drafts in council meetings prior to each phase's public release.
The county's procurement open solicitations and annual finance documents will remain linked to the existing departmental pages while the transparency home will serve as a one‑stop index. Staff said the site is still in editing mode and several tabs—grant activity and projects—will display "coming soon" until populated.
