Clerk & Comptroller Earns Top Honor In Governmental Budgeting

(L-R) Manager of Finance Services Rita Rodriguez, Chief Operating Officer of Finance Darlene Malaney, Director of Finance Services Stephen Weiss and Budget Analyst Janet Denara.

North America’s leading association of government finance experts has awarded the Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office its highest honor in budgetary excellence for the seventh consecutive year.

The nonprofit Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award to the Clerk & Comptroller’s Office for the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Report. The award recognizes government agencies that adhere to the highest principles of government budgeting and meet nationally recognized guidelines for budget transparency and financial accountability.

The 250-page report provides detailed information about the office’s $69.7 million budget, strategic plan and financial policies.

“It is an honor to be recognized as a leader in governmental budgeting and fiscal accountability,” Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller Sharon R. Bock said. “This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to my team’s continued commitment to providing our community with clear and transparent information about how their tax dollars are budgeted.”

The budget report earned GFOA’s highest ratings in four main categories that evaluate how well the report serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.

The GFOA is an independent professional association, whose best practice guidelines are considered the gold standard in public finance. Founded in 1906, the association represents more than 20,000 government and public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada.

“Our mission is to protect, preserve and maintain public records and public funds with integrity and accountability,” Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller’s Office Chief Operating Officer Shannon R. Chessman said. “Our annual budget report is one of the many ways we uphold our mission by providing the public with detailed information about our funding sources, spending and financial business strategies.”

To download a copy of the budget report, visit the County Financial Reports section of www.mypalmbeachclerk.com.