Government
Finance
West Chester Township has an extensive history of budgeting strategies, fiscal responsibilities and resilient property values that together have piloted a course of financial security for the community.
This fiscal position requires diligent attention to Township expenditures and revenues guided by the Township's Finance team.
West Chester's community checkbook includes financial data using multi-fund accounting. A fund is a self-balancing set of accounts, segregated for specific purposes. A Fund is the primary structure of the chart of accounts, upon which the platform is built.
The General Fund
The General Fund is the primary operating fund of the Township and is used to account for all financial resources except those required to be accounted for in another fund. The General Fund is legally adopted by Township resolution and includes the operations of Administration, Community Development, Community Services, Finance, Information Technology, Parks and Senior Van.
Special Revenue Funds
Special Revenue Funds are established to collect money that must be used for a specific project. Special revenue funds provide an extra level of accountability and transparency to taxpayers that their tax dollars will go toward an intended purpose. Some of the Special Revenue Funds of interest include:
Police
The West Chester Police Department operates on levies approved by voters in 2010 and in 2020. The police department also participates in state and federal grant programs that have separate revenue funds.
Fire & EMS
The West Chester Fire Department operates on levies approved by voters in 2006 and in 2020. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is also a separate revenue with proceeds coming from fees paid for the service through insurance provides and non-residents of the Township.
Roads
The West Chester Roads Division operates with four special revenue funds. Roads and Bridge Fund, Township Motor Vehicle License, State Motor Vehicle License and Gasoline Tax. These funds are outlined in Ohio Revised Code.
Operational Budget
West Chester Township's Administration presents an annual operational budget recommendation to the Township Board of Trustees each January for consideration. This budget proposal is based upon input from all Township departments and includes revenue predictions based on multiple variables, including the market and industry standards.
West Chester Township uses data to make strategic decisions about community operations and shares information transparently through DIG – Data Informed Government, providing the community with access to explore key data.
The operational budget represents activities from 10 funds – General Fund, four separate Road Funds, Cemetery Fund, PIE (Public Information & Engagement) Fund, Police Fund, and Fire and EMS Funds. The General Fund includes activities from Administration, Human Resources, Community Development, Community Services, Finance, Parks, Information Technology and General Street Lighting.
The operational budget does not represent individual expenditures, but instead is a detailed illustration of expected expenditures by account code assigned to specific budget priorities which are set by the Board of Trustees.
The Permanent Appropriation Resolution is less detailed, but serves as the official budget of the Township.
Financial Reports
Reports provided here for each year include: the annual operational budget, the permanent appropriations, revised appropriations, and the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR).
- Operational Budget represents activities from 10 funds - General Fund, four separate Road Funds, Cemetery Fund, West Chester Community Television (Integrated Multimedia & Marketing) Fund, Police Fund, Fire and EMS Funds. The operational budget is presented to the Board of Trustees each January and does not represent individual expenditures or encumbrances, but rather is a detailed illustration of expected expenditures by account code assigned to specific budget priorities. Expenditures greater than $7,500 (per Statutory Resolution No. 06-2019) is approved publicly by the Board of Trustees at an open meeting.
- Permanent Appropriations, a function of the Township's capacity to incur expenses, is voted on by the Board of Trustees in the first quarter of the year. Permanent Appropriations is a combination of the Township's carryover as determined at year-end, plus the estimated resources as certified by the Butler County Budget Commission and submitted in July of the previous year. The operational budget is limited by Permanent Appropriations which is a function of the previous year's tax budget.
- The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) is prepared by West Chester Township after the year is complete and a conversion from Cash basis to Modified Accrual basis accounting. West Chester records day to day transactions on a Cash basis and the records viewed via the “Wallet” are those same Cash basis records. The ACFR compiles data sets consistent with Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) in order to publish an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) each year.
Five years of documents are included here for public view. Older documents are available upon request to Public Records Request.
- 2021 West Chester OH Finance Documents
- 2022 West Chester OH Finance Documents
- 2023 West Chester OH Finance Documents
- 2024 West Chester OH Finance Documents
- 2025 West Chester OH Finance Documents
- 2026 West Chester Finance Documents
- PEDACKN 2025-12-09
Community Checkbook
West Chester Township is committed to honest budgeting, sensible spending and financial transparency. With this in mind, West Chester Township partners with OpenGov to offer Data Informed Government (DIG), a platform offering residents and stakeholders easy access to financial data.
West Chester Township welcomes transparency and encourages residents and corporate stakeholders to explore and become better informed of how tax dollars are put to work in your community.
*West Chester financial transaction data is uploaded to its DIG portal on a daily basis. Budget data is updated monthly.
Featured Topics
Featured topics offer users a starting point when exploring information available on the DIG portal. Once in the portal, users can change the views, request reports and search for more specific information on a variety of other topics.
- Tax Dollar Allocation
- Public Safety
- Revenue Sources
- TIF Funds
Vendors
West Chester Township solicits quotes and/or bids for purchases in order to be responsible stewards of taxpayer money. The Ohio Revised Code is followed when determining the appropriate process for seeking the most appropriate price and vendor depending on the project.
Vendors
Vendors selected to provide services, equipment and/or products to the Township are required to complete a set of compliance forms before a purchase order can be opened or contract can be approved.
If your company is notified of selection for a project or purchase from the Township, please complete the forms listed below and submit to Finance@westchesteroh.org or to the Township representative with whom the purchase has been arranged.
- IRS W-9
- WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP VENDOR LETTER
- OPERS NON-MEMBER ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
- ACH AUTHORIZATION FORM (FOR ELECTRONIC PAYMENT ONLY)
Notifications of Projects for Bid
For some larger projects, West Chester Township Board of Trustees may advertise to solicit proposals and/or qualifications from companies in order to identify the best partner.
Requirements for advertising projects to bid is defined by Ohio Revised Code.
To be notified by email of these Requests for Proposals and/or Requests for Qualifications, please complete the eNotification Signup form.