City of Columbia staff working on online program that exposes city expenditures

Columbia residents will soon be able to see exactly how officials spend money.

City staff is working on a new online program that functions as an “open checkbook,” according to Mayor Brian Treece.

Taxpayers would be able to see how much city staff spends and where that money is going.

“I think that type of sunshine really enhances voter confidence in their city government and lets them know we’re spending their money wisely,” said Treece.

The city already has an online portal to ease the process of making a sunshine request.

City manager Mike Matthes said the new program is a way to increase transparency, and getting the information will not require a sunshine request.

“You can just search the database,” he said. “That’s about as transparent as we can get.”

Matthes said there won’t be costs associated with getting the information, and it should be available 24/7.

“You’ll be able to see everybody’s pay and what they spent in that department on gas or travel,” said Matthes.

City spokesman Steve Sapp said Wednesday that staff is shooting for a Sept. 1 implementation date for the program.