The Prince George’s County Council is considering whether to post a public list online of every group, consultant, company or organization that receives at least $25,000 from the county.

Members said at a committee meeting Wednesday they want to pass County Bill 19, which calls for the county to create a database where users can see who receives grants, contract pay and other disbursements from the county’s $2.6 billion budget.

Councilman Mel Franklin (D-Dist. 9) of Upper Marlboro, the bill’s chief sponsor, said the database is meant to restore confidence among residents.

“This is designed to be a model of transparency,” Franklin said at a committee meeting on the bill. “We can really give the public an opportunity to see how their money is being spent.”

Members tabled the bill for additional discussion and further revisions in the Public Safety and Economic Development committee. No members have spoken against it.

“Everybody agrees that you have a great idea here,” Councilman Will Campos (D-Dist. 2) of Hyattsville told Franklin. “We just want to hold it for further review.”

The database would drastically open up access to county financial information. Currently, specific contracts and payments must be obtained using the state’s Public Information Act, a process that can take months.

The bill calls for users to be able to see, using the website, how much was paid, who received the money and from which county department, and where the payee lives.

“Members of the community will have more faith in how the government spends,” Franklin said. “They’ll be able to see where it’s going, and how much of it is staying in the county.”

Disclosures from the county have been a contentious issue for years. Former County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) and the County Council came under repeated criticism for awarding large contracts to close friends and associates. Many were revealed years after they were made after journalists and residents requested receipts under the Maryland Public Information Act.

Although they spoke in support, other council members and staff said they weren’t sure how much it would cost to implement the website. Gail Francis, acting finance director for the county, warned that the move would take significant staff time and likely result in more calls from residents who see large payments without explanations.

The website would be created by the county Office of Information Technology and Communications, but it is unclear who would be responsible for updating the information.

“It’s going to create a lot of calls and inquiries,” Francis warned the council. “Somebody has to handle that.”

Francis also asked that workers be able to screen out sensitive information such as settlement agreements the county pays from lawsuits. The salaries of the county’s 7,000 workers would not be posted under the current draft of the bill.

The bill currently does not say how often the site should be updated.

Councilwoman Andrea Harrison (D-Dist. 6) of Springdale said the county should also include an explanation of each payment to reduce calls from residents.

“We need a field [on the site] that gives the purpose for the payment,” she said. “If we’re going to do this, we might as well do it right.”

dvalentine@gazette.net