Whitfield County Finance Director Alicia Vaughn (left) congratulates Carol Roberts, accounting/budget analyst for the county, who is holding a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation she received for her efforts from the Government Finance Officers Association. The county received the organization’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the sixth time since 2011.
photo by Mitch Talley
For the sixth time since 2011, the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget.
The award represents a significant achievement by the county, a spokesman for the GFOA said, noting that it reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting.
To receive the budget award, the county had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well the county’s budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device.
Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and the 14 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 Carol Roberts, accounting/budget analyst.
Whitfield County previously received the budget award in 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016.
There are more than 1,600 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA’s website. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.