Utica Acknowledged for Government Transparency

Munetrix LLC, a Michigan-based firm that developed an online dashboard to help municipalities across the Michigan get their finances on the web in order to comply with new State regulations, has awarded a certificate acknowledging transparency in government.

Robert Kittle, president of Munetrix, attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting and presented Utica with a certification.

“While transparency in government is not a new concept, and one that has always been embraced by the City of Utica, its staff and elected officials place such a great emphasis on the quality and quantity of information made available to the public. Utica is a role model for local units of government,” the certificate read.

said she was delighted that Munetrix, which works with more than 1,8000 municipalities in the state, recognized Utica’s hard work.

“They said we were role models for local government. I thought that was pretty cool,” she said.

Munetrix developed a Cloud-Based Dynamic Dashboard (CBDD) tool that automatically generates performance metrics online, tracking year-over-year changes for local governments.

In October, Utica integrated Munetrix’s software on the CityofUtica.org website for the public to view all financial, crime and quality of life data for the city of just over 4,000 residents. 

Since Utica was able to meet new state requirements under the Economic Vitality Incentive Program (EVIP) by posting the information for all residents to see, it was qualified for state revenue sharing money in the order of just more than $58,000.

Noonan said the revenue sharing money isn’t a lot compared to what bigger cities received but every dollar is crucial to the struggling city.

Utica is line to receive state revenue sharing money again for 2012 since it has already submitted all three state requirements more than six months in advance, Noonan said.