For the 10th-straight year, Garfield County has earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (CAFR) award.
The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) bestows the honor to governments that accomplish what it deems the highest standards in accounting and financial reporting, according to a county press release.
Garfield County was found to have met the GFOA’s standards, and “demonstrated a constructive spirit of full disclosure” in communicating its financial practices during a 2017 audit, according to the release.
“This award is established by the GFOA to encourage and assist local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles, to prepare a comprehensive annual financial report,” Garfield County Finance Director Theresa Wagenman told the Board of County Commissioners recently.
Wagenman said the award is the result of many hours of hard work and dedication by the finance department. In particular, she cited Assistant Finance Director Cathleen Van Roekel, who is the leader on the annual audit.
“It’s roughly nine months of dedicated work,” Wagenman said.
She added that the honor highlights the “professionalism, prudent stewardship of public resources and strong ethical conduct behind the Garfield County Finance Department’s work for the people of Garfield County.”
In 2018, the finance department also earned the GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation award for the ninth-straight year.
“It is very difficult to earn this excellence award,” County Manager Kevin Batchelder said in the release. “It’s awarded to a very small percent of local governments that meet the highest standards in financial reporting. To earn this 10 years in a row is a remarkable achievement.”