Posted: 12:50 p.m.Monday, July 6, 2015

Liberty Twp. first in Butler Countyto join Treasurer Mandel’s program

By Michael D. Pitman

StaffWriter

LIBERTY TWP. — 

Transition:

WhileLiberty Twp. is the first Butler County government toparticiapte in the OhioCheckbook.com program, it’s not the only entityinterested in participating.

Thecity of Monroelaunched its version of transparency

OhioTreasurer Josh Mandel announced this morning beside Liberty Twp. officials thetownship is the first in Butler County to participate inhis office’s OhioCheckbook.com, an online accounting of the expenditures instate government.

Morethan 130 local governments around Ohio,including a handful in Southwest Ohio and the Miami Valleyarea, have agreed to participate by putting their expenditures online in asearchable database.

Thestate expenditures are online now, but local government spending is scheduledto be online by Labor Day, Mandel said at today’s press conference at the Liberty Twp. Administration Building.

Mandellaunched OhioCheckbook.com seven months ago, and in April sent aletter to more than 18,000 public officials representing nearly 4,000 localgovernments around Ohiocalling on them to place their checkbook-level data on OhioCheckbook.com.

“Ibelieve the people of Butler County have a right toknow how their tax money is being spent and I applaud local leaders here forpartnering with the treasurer’s office to post their finances onOhioCheckbook.com,” Mandel said. “My vision is to create an army of citizenwatchdogs who are empowered to hold public officials accountable.”

LibertyTwp. Trustee President David Kern said the township has “a lot of pride” infiscal responsibility, and “our audit history and the way we’ve handled ourfinancial records.”

“Thisis another accolade for our great finance team and a super way to providetransparency to our residents,” Kern said.

LibertyTwp. is the sixth township in Ohioto participate. Others include:

·                      Darby Twp.

·                      Danbury Twp.

·                      Harlan Twp.

·                      Ohio Twp.

·                      Sugarcreek Twp.