For 20th Straight Year, Finance Dept. Recognized For Excellence
Wednesday, March 8th, 2023
The City of Dalton's Finance Department has once again been recognized for its commitment to transparency and excellence by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). The department has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, for the 20th consecutive year.
The certificate is presented based on a review of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) prepared by the Finance Department and supervised by Chief Financial Officer Cindy Jackson. The latest certificate of excellence was given for the ACFR covering the 2021 fiscal year.
Every city in Georgia is required to prepare an independently audited financial report annually covering the previous fiscal year. The ACFR goes beyond what is required by state law and includes more information about the city's finances than just the raw numbers. The ACFR also includes a Management Discussion and Analysis (MD&A), a transmittal letter, and a statistical report. These reports provide residents with a comprehensive understanding of the city's financial standing, accomplishments, and future plans.
Caption: Chief Financial Officer Cindy Jackson holds a plaque recognizing the past ten years of GFOA honors for the City of Dalton
According to Chief Financial Officer Cindy Jackson, "Preparing a ACFR and earning this certificate is just going above and beyond what you have to do. It's just a little bit further step up to show more professionalism and transparency with all of the data." She added, "These reports are how residents can find out all of the information about a city. It has a lot of budget information, and you can see the trends on tax collections, tax rates, sales tax information, and information down to the number of service calls for the police and fire departments. It’s got a lot of good information so you can find out about your community.”
The GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting recognizes the City of Dalton's commitment to fiscal transparency and sound financial management. The Finance Department and Chief Financial Officer Cindy Jackson have once again demonstrated their dedication to providing residents with the information they need to make informed decisions about the city's future.
"If we just gave you a financial statement it would be numbers, but the ACFR tells you what we did, what changed during the year, and what we're doing in the future so it gives you much clearer picture," Jackson said.
The GFOA is a professional association of state/provincial and local government finance officers in the United States and Canada. The GFOA advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 19,000 members and the communities they serve.
You can review the 2021 ACFR and also each ACFR dating back to 2007 by clicking here.
