Garfield County honored for excellence in finance

Finance Department earns award for tenth year in a row

PRESS RELEASE
January 8, 2019

GARFIELD COUNTY, CO – For the tenth-straight year, Garfield County has earned the prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (CAFR). The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) bestows this honor to governments that accomplish the highest standards in accounting and financial reporting.

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.

“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. “This is the result of many hours of hard work and dedication by the finance department, in particular by Assistant Finance Director Cathleen Van Roekel, who is the leader on the annual audit. It’s roughly nine months of dedicated work.”

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,” said County Manager Kevin Batchelder. “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.”

Finance awards