Case Study: City of Muscatine achieves stronger public trust and internal accountability with OpenGov

How Muscatine strengthened public trust and bolstered internal accountability with OpenGov

The City of Muscatine, Iowa (population ~24,000; $55M annual budget) needed a way to make its dense, four-inch paper budget understandable to residents and useful to staff. City leaders wanted visually appealing, searchable financial information and tools to analyze metrics for better internal management and Council communications, even as some staff were initially skeptical about format and implementation.

Muscatine implemented OpenGov to publish interactive budgets, an open checkbook, and dynamic visuals with a quick three‑month rollout and user guides. The portal enabled real-time explanations of spending, self-serve reporting for journalists and residents, and easier departmental performance tracking—resulting in strong public engagement (average 11–12 minute sessions), increased trust, streamlined reporting, and greater internal accountability.

City of Muscatine

Nancy Lueck

Finance Director