Alton To Reconsider Password Sharing Resolution

City of Alton - Committee of the Whole Meeting

ALTON – Alton officials last week delayed a move to share the city’s financial and social media account passwords with the city clerk and treasurer.

A resolution allowing the Alton city clerk and treasurer to be provided with all business account passwords was laid over at the July 20, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting.

Treasurer Betsy Allen said she is currently the only person able to access certain financial accounts for the city. While Allen said that access should be expanded to other key city officials, she cautioned against sharing passwords to do so.

“I don’t think it’s correct that we want to share anyone’s passwords,” Allen said. “I think that we should have more than one person registered on each website that requires the use or entry of financial information … I have several accounts where it’s just me – no one else knows how to access any of it, and I just don’t think that’s a good operating idea or plan.”

Allen suggested the offices of the mayor and comptroller be given access to the city’s business accounts, as each are responsible for the funding in different ways. She said laying the item over would allow city officials to work out the details of expanding account access without sharing passwords.

As written, the resolution goes beyond the city’s business accounts, calling for the “login credentials and passwords for all official City websites, application administration accounts, government accounts, and social media platforms” to be “securely shared with the City Clerk and Treasurer.”

Alderwoman Stephanie Elliott moved to lay the item over, which was seconded by Alderwoman Martha Pfister. The item will be reconsidered at the next committee meeting on Aug. 10, 2026.

A full recording of the July 20, 2026 Alton Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.

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