Contract should make county budget more accessible, user-friendly

JEFF HORVATH, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

MOSCOW — New software will make Lackawanna County’s budget a more useful, digestible, transparent and user-friendly digital resource for residents and officials alike.

Meeting in Moscow, commissioners approved Wednesday a multiyear contract with ClearGov for a “digital budget book” software to improve the presentation of the county’s annual spending plan.

Officials described the digital deliverable as a modern and more favorable alternative to the current budget — a static, sometimes difficult to understand document.

Building the digital budget book will be a collaborative effort between the county’s communications and revenue and finance departments, which will be able to customize its presentation with the aid of charts, graphs, graphics, images and other content.

From a user’s perspective, the digital resource should be easier to search, navigate and comprehend, officials said. It can be viewed conveniently on mobile devices and downloaded as a PDF document.

“The analysis of the numbers that comes with this digital budget book, it will show exactly what each department does and it will give our taxpayers a much better impression of the county than what we currently have,” Commissioner Matt McGloin said. “I believe this is a massive step in the right direction for us to allow a much greater understanding of how our budget actually works, and this is something that the people of Lackawanna County truly deserve.”

It’s the commissioners’ job to present a budget that gives the public an understanding of how their tax dollars are being spent, Commissioner Bill Gaughan said.

“Unfortunately, the budget document and the way that it has been presented in the past has left a lot to be desired,” he said. “Reading last year’s budget was like trying to decode Egyptian hieroglyphics, unfortunately. In the world we live in today, which relies heavily on technology, there is absolutely no reason that the county budget should be presented to the public in this way.”

Along with more effective visual components, Gaughan said the new budget presentation will allow users to compare figures with historical data from past budgets.

The total cost of the ClearGov contract, which runs through 2027 with options to renew annually thereafter, is roughly $62,000.

It comes as the county grapples with pronounced fiscal challenges likely to lead to tough decisions during the 2025 budget process.

Commissioners approved last month a partially grant-funded contract with PFM Group Consulting LLC to help craft a five-year county financial plan with a goal of sustained fiscal stability.

The PFM contract also includes an emergency action plan, cash-flow analysis, management review and other services.

As the longer-term planning process plays out, the digital budget should better allow residents and other interested parties to keep track of budgeted county revenue and expenses.

“I’m used to looking at our budget and it is difficult, it’s hard to understand,” Commissioner Chris Chermak said. “This should simplify that and make a big difference.”