Mark Rupsis, Chester County Chief Operating Officer, and Julie Bookheimer, Chester County Finance Director, with the latest in the collection of Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards that the County has earned consecutively over the past 25 years.
WEST CHESTER — The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) of the United States and Canada has named Chester County as a recipient of its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the fiscal year beginning 2015, marking a milestone 25 consecutive years that the County has earned this accolade. No other county in Pennsylvania has achieved this quarter century honor, and Chester County is one of less than 40 counties in the nation to have earned the award for 25 years or more.
The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is presented to government organizations that have “pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America,” according to the GFOA.
In a joint statement, County Commissioners Terence Farrell, Kathi Cozzone and Michelle Kichline said: “One of Chester County’s strategic priorities focuses on Governance – to pursue excellence through exceptional customer service, transparency, accountability and innovation. Chester County produces a budget document that explains how every single dollar that the county receives is spent to support the services and programs that our citizens need. We value the GFOA’s endorsement of our annual Budget Presentation, and thank our staff for their diligence in preparing the budget document each year.”
Chester County Chief Operating Officer Mark Rupsis added: “These awards are a result of the exceptional work of our finance department and commissioners’ staff over the years. Chester County’s Budget Presentation, in conjunction with our County’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), provides our citizens with a great synopsis of county finances year after year, outlining what County departments do, and how they accomplish the many programs and services that are available to residents.”
Julie Bookheimer, Chester County Director of Finance added: “GFOA’s recognition of our County budget presentation throughout the years further highlights the County’s firm commitment to provide quality financial management and valuable information to the residents of this county.”
A letter from the GFOA announcing the award stated, “The award represents a significant achievement. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of government budgeting.” According to the GFOA, in order to receive the budget award, Chester County had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.
