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Home My WebLink AboutAgenda - 05-05-2016 - 4-d - Distinguished Budget Presentation Award 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 5, 2016 Action Agenda Item No. 4-d SUBJECT: Distinguished Budget Presentation Award DEPARTMENT: Finance and Administrative Services ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: Attachment 1. GFOA Announcement Gary Donaldson, Finance and Letter to Orange County Administrative Services, (919) 245- Attachment 2. GFOA Press Release 2453 Paul Laughton, (919) 245-2152 PURPOSE: To recognize the budget staff of the Orange County Finance and Administrative Services Department for earning the Government Finance Officers' Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2015-16 fiscal year budget document. BACKGROUND: GFOA is an internationally recognized organization that offers guidance and support to local and state government budget and finance professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and represents a significant achievement by the organization. Its attainment represents a major achievement by a governmental entity and its budget team. In order to receive this award, the County's budget and capital planning documents must meet stringent program criteria such as policy documents, operations guides, financial plans, and communications devices. This year marks the twenty-fourth year that Orange County has received the GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. Eligibility standards and expectations for the award become more stringent and rigorous each year. The County commends the budget staff for their ability to consistently achieve the high standards required to receive this esteemed award. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact related to the recognition of this award. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board recognize the budget staff of the Finance and Administrative Services Department for the receipt of the GFOA Distinguished Budget Award and present the GFOA plaque to them. 2 Attachment 1 Government Finance Officers Association 203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700 Chicago, Illinois 60601-1210 312.977.9700 fax: 312.977.4806 February 10, 2016 Paul K. Laughton Interim Director,Finance and Administrative Services Orange County 200 South Cameron Street Hillsborough,NC 27278 Dear Mr. Laughton: A Panel of independent reviewers has completed its examination of your budget document. We are pleased to inform you that the panel has voted to award your budget document the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the current fiscal period. This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. Its attainment represents a significant achievement by your organization. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is valid for one year. To continue your participation in the program, it will be necessary to submit your next annual budget document to GFOA within 90 days of the proposed budget's submission to the legislature or within 90 days of the budget's final adoption. Enclosed is an application form to facilitate a timely submission. This form should be submitted with four copies of your budget accompanied by the appropriate fee. Each program participant is provided with confidential comments and suggestions for possible improvements to the budget document. Your comments are enclosed. We urge you to carefully consider the suggestions offered by our reviewers as you prepare your next budget. When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget presentation is also presented to the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the award. Enclosed is a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Preparation for: Paul K. Laughton, MPA, Interim Director, Finance and Administrative Services Continuing participants will find a certificate and brass medallion enclosed with these results. First-time recipients will receive an award plaque that will be mailed separately and should arrive within eight to ten weeks. Enclosed is a camera-ready reproduction of the award for inclusion in your next budget. If you reproduce the camera-ready in your next budget,it should be accompanied by a statement indicating continued compliance with program criteria. The following standardized text should be used: Washington, DC Office 1 301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Suite 309 Washington,DC 20004 ' 202.393.8020 fax: 202.393.0780 www.gfoa.org 3 Government Finance Officers Association 203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700 Chicago, Illinois 60601-1210 312.977.9700 fax: 312.977.4806 Paul K.Lau2hton February 10, 2016 Page 2 The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) presented a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award to Orange County, North Carolina for its annual budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015. In order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as an operations guide, as a financial plan, and as a communications device. This award is valid for a period of one year only. We believe our current budget continues to conform to program requirements, and we are submitting it to GFOA to determine its eligibility for another award. A press release is enclosed. The Government Finance Officers Association encourages you to make arrangements for a formal presentation of the award. If you would like the award presented by a member of your state or provincial finance officers association, we can provide the name of a contact person for that group. We appreciate your participation in this program and we sincerely hope that your example will encourage others in their efforts to achieve and maintain excellence in governmental budgeting. The most current list of award recipients(with hyperlinks) can be found on GFOA's website at www.gfoa.org. If we can be of further assistance,please contact the Technical Services Center. Sincerely, Stephen J. Gauthier, Director Technical Services Center Enclosure Washington, DC Office 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue,N.W, Suite 309 Washington, DC 20004 202.393.8020 fax: 202.39.3.0780 www.gloa.org 4 Gov rnment Finance Off cers Associ tion Attachment 2 203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700 Chicago,Illinois 60601-1210 312.977.9700 fax: 312.977.4806 February 10, 2016 PRESS RELEASE For Further Information Contact Stephen J. Gauthier(312) 977-9700 Chicago--The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada(GFOA) is pleased to announce that Orange County,North Carolina has received the GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget. The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award,the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as: • a policy document • a financial plan • an operations guide • a communications device Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories,and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories,to receive the award. When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the award. This has been presented to Paul K. Laughton, MPA, Interim Director, Finance and Administrative Services For budgets beginning in 2014, 1,491 participants received the Award. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America. The Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of 18,300 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials and other finance practitioners. It provides top quality publications,training programs, services, and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management. The association is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois,with offices in Washington D.C. The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting. Washington, DC Office 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue,N.W., Suite 309 ® Washington,DC 20004 . 202.393.8020 ® fax: 202.393.0780 www.gfoa.org