LINCOLN PARK — Finance Director Lisa Griggs recently received an award that keeps a positive streak going in the city.
She recently accepted the award from the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for the third straight year for the annual city budget.
The award represents a significant achievement, association officials say, and reflects the commitment of a governing body and its staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. To qualify, nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation must be met.
The guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’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.
Griggs received the certificate of recognition on behalf of the city as the individual being primarily responsible for having achieved the award.
“It’s good to set a standard where annually you’re going to meet the national requirements for distinguished budget presentation,” City Manager Steve Duchane said. “It gives the public some assurance we’re using and applying the most modern methods of financial planning and preparation and presentation of budget administration.
“(It’s also) a compliment to the finance director. It’s good to get it once and even twice, but to get it three times and make it a continuing practice, I think, is especially notable.”
Recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North American, association officials said.
The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving over 17,600 government finance professionals throughout North America.