HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 04-24-2007-2bORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: April 24, 2007
Action Agenda
Item No. o~ - b
SUBJECT: Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
DEPARTMENT: Budget PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
Attachment 1. GFOA Announcement Donna Coffey, (919) 245-2151
Letter to Budget Director
Attachment 2. GFOA Press Release
PURPOSE: To recognize the staff of the Orange County Budget Office for earning the
Government Finance Officers' Association (GFOA) Distinguished. Budget Presentation Award
for the 2006-07 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 as policy documents, operations guides,
financial plans and communications devices.
This year marks the fifteenth year that the Orange County Budget Office has received the GFOA
Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. Eligibility standards and expectations for the award
become more stringent and rigorous with each year. The County commends Budget Director,
Donna Coffey and staff, Katherine Cathey and Paul Laughton, for their ability to consistently
achieve the high standards required to receive this esteemed award.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact of this award.
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board of County Commissioners
recognize the Budget Director and staff for the receipt of the GFOA Distinguished Budget Award
and present the GFOA plaque to them.
Government Finance Officers Association
203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1210
312.977.9700 ,fax: 312.977.4806
January 16, 2007
Ms. Donna Coffey
Budget Director
Orange County
208 South Cameron Street
P.O. Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Dear Ms. Coffey:
a
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:
Donna Coffey, Budget Director
Your award plaque 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:
www gfoa.org
3
Ms. Donna Coffev
January 16, 200'1
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, 2006. 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.
Also enclosed is a press release.
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 Warne 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. If we can be of further assistance, please contact the Technical
Services Center.
Sincerely,
Stephen J. Gauthier, Director
Technical Services Center
Enclosure
,~~D~d~, Government Finance Officers Association
203 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2700
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1210
312.977.9700 fax: 312.977.4806
•
January 16, 2007
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 fmancial plan
^ an operations guide
^ a communications device
Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four 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 Donna Coffey,
Budget Director.
For budgets including fiscal periods 2005, '1,069 entities 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 nonprofit professional association
serving 16,800 government finance professionals throughout North America. 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
vvww gfoa.org