Sarasota County staff earns Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 30th consecutive year

Honor recognizes county’s ‘commitment to meeting highest principles of governmental budgeting’

Image courtesy of the GFOA

Sarasota County has earned the national Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the 30th consecutive year, the county has announced.

“The award, which recognizes the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, exemplifies the Office of Financial Management’s (OFM) commitment to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting and being responsible stewards of public funds,” a news release points out.

Sarasota County’s budget plan is presented to the public for comments and then adopted by the County Commission, the release notes.

“To earn this GFOA award, an organization must satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentations that address budget priorities, fiscal policies and long-term strategic goals,” the release continues. “Budget presentations must also meet 27 specified criteria to earn the national designation.”

“Sarasota County’s budget plan provides the foundation for fiscal decisions and allows flexibility to act in the best interest of the community and focus on board priorities,” said County Administrator Jonathan Lewis in the release. “GFOA has continued to recognize our budget and financial policies as an essential part of public financial management and our continued dedication to providing outstanding customer service.”

More than 1,600 organizations applied for the budget award, Kim Radtke, director of the Office of Financial Management, noted in the release. “This continued success and GFOA recognition highlights exceptional financial leadership and encourages continuous evolution of the county’s budget presentation,” she added in the release. “It’s an honor to share this success with a team of professionals that is dedicated to implementing best practices and fiscal responsibility.”

The GFOA serves more than 20,500 government finance professionals throughout North America and Canada, the release says. The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting, the release adds. It “encourages local governments to prepare budget documents of the very highest quality,” the release says.