Legislator proposes monthly contract list to improve county spending transparency

A committee member proposed adding a recurring agenda item: a monthly report of newly signed county contracts that would list the vendor, the purpose of the contract, requesting department and signature/effective date. The sponsor argued the county’s $215 million budget includes many contract expenditures and a simple, searchable list would improve transparency and allow legislators and the public to quickly review where county dollars are going. "It would give us, and more importantly the public, the knowledge to know where county dollars are being spent," the sponsor said.

Committee members discussed whether the item belongs in the Rules Committee or the Audit Committee; the county auditor said producing a prior‑month contract list is feasible and could be prepared monthly. Members favored adding the report for administrative transparency and asked the auditor to pilot a format and report back at the next meeting.