Board Chairman Wants Contracts Posted Online
Carlinville – In an effort to mark the importance of “Sunshine Week” across the Country, Macoupin County Board Chairman Andrew Manar will seek the County Board’s approval to post all county contracts above $5,000.00 on the official website of Macoupin County.
“The County Board and County Officials have steadily increased public information available on our website in the past several years,” said Manar. “Adding this new layer of information to the website will continue our trend of promoting transparency in County government.”
At its regular March meeting, the Macoupin County Board approved of Chairman Manar signing a proclamation recognizing “Sunshine Week” in Macoupin County.
In the proclamation, the Macoupin County Board “commits during this Sunshine Week, commemorating the 261st anniversary of James Madison’s birth, and throughout the year 2011 to work diligently to enhance the public’s access to government records and information, to increase information provided electronically and online, and to ensure that all meetings of deliberative bodies under its jurisdiction, and their committees, are fully noticed and open to the public.”
“Sunshine Week” is a national initiative spearheaded by the American Society of News Editors to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. While “Sunshine Week” was created by the efforts of journalists, it is about the public’s right to know what its government is doing and why it is doing it.
Manar said the County’s website now contains the minutes of County Board meetings, resolutions and ordinances adopted by the County Board, audit summaries for multiple fiscal years, meeting agendas and budget summaries. Manar said one of the most recent additions to the County’s website came from Circuit Clerk Mike Mathis who expanded Macoupin County Court information through the website.
Manar said that many additions to the website have occurred because citizens have suggested improvements.
“It’s not just a matter of making the availability of information more convenient, I am a firm believer that a more open government produces better results for taxpayers,” said Manar.
Manar said that a resolution will be presented to the Board at the April meeting directing contracts to be placed online.