Transparency & Accountability: Building Trust Through Better Systems
Understanding Our Current Challenges
The FY2024 audit identified opportunities for improvement in Coralville's financial oversight processes. These findings aren't about assigning blame—they're about recognizing where better systems can prevent future issues and restore public confidence.
Key Audit Findings:
- Finding 24-IV-L: Interfund transfers have lacked proper Council authorization since 2019, requiring improved coordination between finance staff and the City Clerk
- Finding 24-IV-A: Budget amendments weren't completed before expenditures exceeded appropriations in Community & Economic Development
These systematic gaps in our approval processes created an environment where a $36,000 surveillance camera contract could advance without proper Council review—highlighting the need for stronger oversight mechanisms.
📄 View the Complete FY2024 Audit Report
Moving Forward: Technology-Driven Transparency
Real-Time Oversight Dashboard
We propose implementing a public-facing financial dashboard that provides:
- Live budget status by department with automatic alerts when expenditures approach limits
- Pending interfund transfer requests awaiting Council approval
- Contract pipeline visibility showing all agreements over $10,000 in review
- Stage-gate reporting on major projects with milestone tracking
Automated RSS Feed System
Citizens deserve immediate access to city business. Our proposed RSS feed infrastructure would:
- Push notifications for all agenda items 72 hours before meetings
- Alert subscribers when contracts exceed predetermined thresholds
- Provide automatic updates on budget amendments and fund transfers
- Enable alerts based on citizen interests (e.g., public safety, parks, development)
Stage-Gating: Best Practices for Clarity
Drawing from successful biotech project management, we want to ensure stage-gate protocols:
Phase 1: Information access → Verify all projects > $25K clearly define objectives and budgets
Phase 2: Review → Department heads and Council review before approval
Phase 3: Milestone Check → Regular progress assessments with go/no-go decisions
Phase 4: Accountability → Public reporting on outcomes vs. projections
This system would have flagged both the budget overrun and the surveillance contract before they became issues.
Building an Open Government Platform
Coralville can lead Iowa in municipal transparency by creating our own secure, locally-controlled digital platform:
Encourage migration to:
- Open-source foundation using proven technologies
- Integration with existing city systems
- API access for local developers and students
Community Benefits:
- Educational opportunities for local students learning coding
- Economic development through civic tech innovation
- Digital Document Repository: Make all contracts and agreements searchable online
Why This Matters
The audit findings reveal process gaps, not malicious intent. By implementing these solutions, we transform challenges into opportunities for:
- Ensuring public trust through digital transparency
- Prevent future oversight lapses
- Coordinate planning with Coralville School District, the Food Bank, Library and other initiatives
The Power of High Fidelity Government
Transparency isn't just about posting documents—it's about making government accessible and accountable to every resident. These proposals ensure that you have the tools to understand and influence how your tax dollars are spent.
Together, we can build a Coralville where:
- No contract surprises the public
- Budget overruns are caught before they happen
- Trust is earned through consistent transparency