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Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation AwardCity of Dubuque City Council Meeting Action Items # 01. Copyrighted November 21, 2022 ITEM TITLE: Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award SUMMARY: City Manager transmitting the notification of the City of Dubuque receiving the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 17th consecutive year. SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File DISPOSITION: ATTACHMENTS: Description MVM Memo Staff Memo Type City Manager Memo Staff Memo FY23 GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award Supporting Documentation THE CITY OF DUB E Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager SUBJECT: GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award DATE: November 13, 2022 Dubuque All -America City 2007-2012.2013 2017*2019 Director of Finance and Budget Jennifer Larson is transmitting the notification of the City of Dubuque receiving the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 17t" consecutive year. k�4 Mic ael C. Van Milligen MCVM:jml Attachment cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager Jennifer Larson, Director of Finance and Budget THE CITY OF DUB E Masterpiece on the Mississippi TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager FROM: Jennifer Larson, Director of Finance and Budget SUBJECT: GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award DATE: November 13, 2022 Dubuque All -America City 2007-2012.2013 2017*2019 The City of Dubuque has been awarded its 17t" consecutive Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for Fiscal Year ended June 30, 2023. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. JML Enclosures November 01, 2022 Jennifer Larson Director of Finance and Budget City of Dubuque 50 West 13th Street Dubuque, IA 52001 Dear Ms. Larson: We are pleased to inform you, based on the examination of your budget by a panel of independent reviewers, that your budget document has been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the current fiscal period. This award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting. Its attainment represents a significant achievement by your organization. The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is valid for one year. To continue your participation in the program, it will be necessary to submit your next annual budget document to GFOA within 90 days of the proposed budget's submission to the legislature or within 90 days of the budget's final adoption. Information about how to submit an application for the Distinguished Budget Program application is posted on GFOA's website. Each program participant is provided with confidential comments and suggestions for possible improvements to the budget document. Your comments are enclosed. We urge you to carefully consider the suggestions offered by our reviewers as you prepare your next budget. When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the award. Enclosed is a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Preparation for: Finanace Department Continuing participants will receive a brass medallion that will be mailed separately. First-time recipients will receive an award plaque within eight to ten weeks. Enclosed is a camera-ready reproduction of the award for inclusion in your next budget. If you reproduce the camera-ready image in your next budget, it should be accompanied by a statement indicating continued compliance with program criteria. The following standardized text should be used: Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) presented a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award to City of Dubuque, Iowa, for its Annual Budget for the fiscal year beginning July 01, 2022. In order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as a financial plan, as an operations guide, and as a communications device. This award is valid for a period of one year only. We believe our current budget continues to conform to program requirements, and we are submitting it to GFOA to determine its eligibility for another award. A press release is enclosed. Upon request, GFOA can provide a video from its Executive Director congratulating your specific entity for winning the Budget Award. We appreciate your participation in this program, and we sincerely hope that your example will encourage others in their efforts to achieve and maintain excellence in governmental budgeting. The most current list of award recipients can be found on GFOA's website at www.gfoa.org. If we can be of further assistance, please contact the Technical Services Center at (312) 977-9700. Sincerely, Michele Mark Levine Director, Technical Services Center Enclosure FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 01, 2022 For more information, contact: Technical Services Center Phone: (312) 977-9700 Fax: (312) 977-4806 E-mail: bud2etawards(2foa.or2 (Chicago, Illinois) --Government Finance Officers Association is pleased to announce that City of Dubuque, Iowa, has received GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget. The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as: ■ a policy document ■ a financial plan ■ an operations guide ■ a communications device Budget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories, and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award. When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) or department designated as being primarily responsible for having achieved the award. This has been presented to Finanace Department. There are over 1,700 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA's website. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America. Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 22,500 members and the communities they serve. GOVERNMENT FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION Distinguished Budget Presentation Award PRESENTED TO City of Dubuque Iowa For the Fiscal Year Beginning July 01, 2022 i Executive Director The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada presents this CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION FOR BUDGET PREPARATION to Finanace Department City of Dubuque, Iowa The Certificate of Recognition for Budget Preparation is presented by the Government Finance Officers Association to those individuals who have been instrumental in their government unit achieving a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The PN�E UFFj� Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, which is the highest award in governmental FTH �, budgeting, is presented to those government units whose budgets are judged to adhere hei�asfAr�s v ,wu to program standards CANApA c ch nc`y Executive Director Date: November 01, 2022 BUDGET REVIEW COMPOSITE RATING FORM GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program For budgets beginning January 1, 2022 or later Agency: City of Dubuque IA Fiscal Year beginning: 7/1/22 Document number: B9946988 At least 2 of the three reviewers must rate the document "proficient" or "outstanding on all four overall categories and all mandatory criteria in order for the document to receive the award Information Not Present (1) Does Not Satisfy (2) Proficient (3) Outstanding (4) 111 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 111 1 R2 I R3 R1 R2 R3 Introduction and Overview V/ VF * C1 Table of contents (mandatory) V V * P1 Strategic goals & strategies (mandatory) I/ q * P2 Priorities and issues (mandatory) J J q * C2 Budget overview (mandatory) Financial Structure, Policy, and Process V V tom% * 01 Organizational chart (mandatory) F1 Fund descriptions and fund structure 02 Department/fund relationship F2 Basis of budgeting * P3 Financial policies (mandatory) * P4 Budget process (mandatory) Financial Summaries V V V * F3 Consolidated financial schedule (mandatory) V V V F4 Three (four) year consolidated & fund financial schedules V V V * F5 Fund balance (mandatory) * F6 Revenues (mandatory) F7 Long-range operating financial plans Capital & Debt * F8 Capital program (mandatory) * F9 Debt (mandatory) Departmental Information * 03 Position summary schedule (mandatory) * 04 Departmental/program descriptions (mandatory) 05 Departmental/program goals and objectives * 06 Performance measures (mandatory) Document -wide Criteria C3 Statistical/supplemental section C4 Glossary C5 Charts and graphs c, V ce C6 Understandability and usability Overall V V V Overall as a policy document J J d Overall as a financial plan Overall as a operations guide Overall as a communications device Special Capital recognition (three "outstanding ratings on N F8) Special Performance Measure recognition (three N "outstanding" ratings on 06) Special Strategic Goals and Strategies recognition (three N "outstanding" ratings on P1) Special Financial Policies recognition (three "outstanding" N ratings on P3) Special Budget Process recognition (three "outstanding" N ratings on P4) N Special Long Range Financial Plans recognition (three "outstanding" ratings on F7) Name of Entity: City of Dubuque Reviewer ID 254 Fiscal Year: 2022-2023 Introduction and Overview State/Province: Iowa Document Number: B9946988 Record Number Cl. Mandatory.- Include a table of contents that makes it easier to locate information in the document. 4 - Comments: The table of contents isgood; eag to locate the information; nice and clear. P1. Mandatory.Provide a coherent statement of organization -wide, strategic goals and strategies that address long-term concerns and issues.4 - Comments: No discussion of any strategic plan, goals and strategies that address the long-term issues and concerns of the government; however, there is a good discussion of organ.Zation-wide vision, goals, and priorities; would be useful to present them within a strategic framework; overall, nice and clear. P2. Mandatory: Provide a budget message that articulates priorities and issues for the upcoming year. The message should describe significant changes in priorities from the current year and explain the factors that led to those changes. The message may take one of several forms (e.g., transmittal letter, budget summary section). 3 - Comments: The budget message is good, as it articulates the issues and concerns of the upcoming budgetyear, but far too long would be useful to place some of the information under a separate section. C2. Mandatary,. • An overview of significant budgetary items and trends should be provided. The overview should be presented within the budget document either in a separate section (e.g., bud get-in-brieA or integrated within the transmittal letter. 3 - Comments: Good overview of significant budgetary items and trends. Financial Structure, Policy, and Process 01. Mandatory: Provide an organization chart(s) for the entire entity. 4 - Comments: Good or charts; nice and clear. F1. Describe all funds that are subject to appropriation. 3 - Comments: Good discussion of funds the government currently maintains. 02. Provide narrative, tables, schedules, or matrices to show the relationship between functional units, major funds, and non -major funds in the aggregate. 3 - Comments: Good use of narratives, tables, and schedules throughout the document. F2. Explain the basis of budgeting for all funds, whether cash, modified accrual, or some other statutory basis. 4 - Comments: Good discussion of basis of budgeting and accounting nice and clear. P3. Mandatory: Include a coherent statement of entity -wide long-term financial policies. 4 — Comments: Good discussion of organ.Zation-wide long-term financial policies; nice and clear [Page 2.City of Dubuque.IA] P4. Mandatory: Describe the process for preparing, reviewing, and adopting the budget for the coming fiscal year. It also should describe the procedures for amending the budget after adoption. 4 - Comments: Good discussion of the budgetprocess, including the calendar, and post -adoption amendment; nice and clear. Financial Summaries F3. Mandatory: Present a summary of major revenues and expenditures, as well as other financing sources and uses, to provide an overview of the total resources budgeted by the organization. 3 - Comments: Good summary of major revenues and expenditures. F4. Include summaries of revenues and other financing sources, and of expenditures and other financing uses for the prior year actual, the current year budget and/or estimated current year actual, and the proposed budget year. 3 - Comments: Good summary of revenues and otherfinancing sources, as well as of expenditures and otherfinancing uses; covers the requisiteyears. F5. Mandatory: Include projected changes in fund balance/net position for appropriated governmental funds included in the budget presentation. 3 - Comments: Good summary of changes in fund balances; covers the requisiteyears. F6. Mandatory: Describe major revenue sources, explain the underlying assumptions for the revenue estimates, and discuss significant revenue trends. 3 - Comments: Good summary of major revenue sources and their underlying trends. F7. Explain long-range operating financial plan and its effect upon the budget and the budget process. 4 - Comments: Good discussion of long-range financial plan, including a good summary of revenues and expenditures, and a multi year forecast through 2027; overall, nice and clear. Capital & Debt F8. Mandatory: Include budgeted capital expenditures, whether authorized in the operating budget or in a separate capital budget. 4 - Comments: Good discussion of capital improvement projects, theirprojected costs, and sources of funding• nice and clear. F9. Mandatory.- Include financial data on current debt obligations, describe the relationship between current debt levels and legal debt limits, and explain the effects of existing debt levels on current operations. 4 - Comments: Good discussion of debt policy, debt obligations, payment schedule, and legal debt limit; would be useful to highlight a little on the effect the existing debt levels have on current operations; overall, nice and clear. Departmental/Program Information 03. Mandatory: A schedule or summary table of personnel or position counts for prior, current and budgeted years shall be provided. 3 - Comments: Good summary ofposition counts, covers the [Page 3.City of Dubuque.IA] requisite years. 04. Manda tort': Include departmental/program descriptions. 3 - Comments: Good description of programs and activities, as carried out by various units of the government. 05. Include clearly stated goals and objectives of the department or program. 3 - Comments: Good discussion of mission, goals, and services. 06. Mandatory.Provide objective measures of progress toward accomplishing the government's mission as well as goals and objectives for specific units and programs. 3 - Comments: Good summary ofperformance measures; covers the requisiteyears. Document -wide Criteria C3. Include statistical and supplemental data that describe the organization, its community, and population. It should also furnish other pertinent background information related to the services provided. 3 - Comments: Good supplementary information about the government and the community it serves. C4. A glossary should be included for any terminology (including abbreviations and acronyms) that is not readily understandable to a reasonably informed lay reader. 4 - Comments: The glossary of terms is good; nice and clear. C5. Charts and graphs should be used, where appropriate, to highlight financial and statistical information. Narrative interpretation should be provided when the messages conveyed by the graphs are not self-evident. 3 -Comments: Good mixture ofgraphs and charts. C6. The budget information should be produced and formatted in such a way as to enhance its understanding by the average reader. It should be attractive, consistent, and oriented to the reader's needs. 4 - Comments: Good document, overall; well -structured and presented. Name of Entity: City of Kettering Reviewer ID S707 Fiscal Year: 2023 Introduction and Overview State/Province: IA Document Number B9946988 Record Number 41223002 Cl. Mandatory.- The document shall include a table of contents that makes it easier to locate information in the document. Proficient. P1. The document should include a coherent statement of organization -wide, strategic goals and strategies that address long- term concerns and issues. Proficient. P2. Mandatory.- The document shall include a budget message that articulates priorities and issues for the upcoming year. The message should describe significant changes in priorities from the current year and explain the factors that led to those changes. The message may take one of several forms (e.g., transmittal letter, budget summary section). Proficient. The budget message was wordy and sometimes confusing. I had to read it several times to understand the intent. C2. Manda tory: The document should provide an overview of significant budgetary items and trends. An overview should be presented within the budget document either in a separate section (e.g, executive summary) or integrated within the transmittal letter or as a separate budget -in -brief document. Proficient. Again, the information present was confusing with too much information. Financial Structure, Policy, and Process 01. Mandatory: The document shall include an organization chart(s) for the entire entity. Proficient. As an observation, are the Citizens of Dubuque appointed by the City Manager (same color blocks)? F1. The document should include and describe all funds that are subject to appropriation. Proficient. 02. The document should provide narrative, tables, schedules, or matrices to show the relationship between functional units, major funds, and non -major funds in the aggregate. Proficient. F2. The document shall explain the basis of budgeting for all funds, whether cash, modified accrual, or some other statutory basis. Proficient. P3. Mandatory: The document should include a coherent statement of entity -wide long-term financial policies. Conditional Proficient. The financial policies in the budget appear to be guidelines as opposed to policies. P4. Manda tory: The document shall describe the process for preparing, reviewing, and adopting the budget for the coming fiscal year. It also should describe the procedures for amending the budget after adoption. Proficient. Financial Summaries F3. Mandatory: The document shall present a summary of major revenues and expenditures, as well as other financing sources and uses, to provide an overview of the total resources budgeted by the organization. Proficient. F4. Mandatory: The document must include summaries of revenues and other financing sources, and of expenditures and other financing uses for the prior year actual, the current year budget and/or estimated current year actual, and the proposed budget year. Proficient. F5. Mandatory: The document shall include projected changes in fund balances, as defined by the entity in the document, for appropriated governmental funds included in the budget presentation (fund equity if no governmental funds are included in the document). Proficient. This schedule was difficult to read and understand as it was developed for use in `book format' and not electronic format. F6. Mandatory: The document shall describe major revenue sources, explain the underlying assumptions for the revenue estimates, and discuss significant revenue trends. Proficient. F7. The document should explain long-range financial plans and its affect upon the budget and the budget process. Conditional Proficient. I am not sure if the `short-term goals' are goals or actions to be taken? Capital & Debt F8. Mandatory: The document should include budgeted capital expenditures, whether authorized in the operating budget or in a separate capital budget. Proficient. The glossary has the correct definition, but it is aligned to capital and not capital expenditures. F9. Mandatory. The document shall include financial data on current debt obligations, describe the relationship between current debt levels and legal debt limits, and explain the effects of existing debt levels on current operations. Proficient. Departmental Information 03. Mandatory: A schedule or summary table of personnel or position counts for prior, current and budgeted years shall be provided. Proficient. 04. Mandatory.The document shall describe activities, services or functions carried out by organizational units. Proficient. 05. The document should include clearly stated goals and objectives of organizational units (e.g., departments, divisions, ofces or programs). Proficient. 06. The document should provide objective measures of progress toward accomplishing the government's mission as well as goals and objectives for specific units and programs. Proficient. Document -wide Criteria C3. The document should include statistical and supplemental data that describe the organization, its community, and population. It should also furnish other pertinent background information related to the services provided. Proficient. C4. A glossary should be included for any terminology (including abbreviations and acronyms) that is not readily understandable to a reasonably informed lay reader. Proficient. C5. Charts and graphs should be used, where appropriate, to highlight financial and statistical information. Narrative interpretation should be provided when the messages conveyed by the graphs are not self-evident. Proficient C6. The document should be produced and formatted in such a way as to enhance its understanding by the average reader. It should be attractive, consistent, and oriented to the reader's needs. Proficient. The on-line budget document was jumpy as the reader moved from page to page. Does not make it an enjoyable experience for the reader. City of Dubuque, Iowa Resident's Budget Guide — Adopted for the Year 2023 GFOA Budget Review — 5969 The staff of the City of Dubuque, Iowa has prepared an excellent budget document. The following are my comments on the budget: Strengths • The budget had excellent summaries of key leadership positions, including the city council, city manager and department managers (p. 5 & 9). The summaries included a picture, title, email address and telephone number. • Good performance measures were included for city departments, starting with the Dubuque Regional Airport (p. 310). • The budget contained good benchmarking information which compared Dubuque to other similar cities in Iowa. For example, a comparison of city property tax rates was included (p. 24). • An excellent matrix showing each department and its associated funds was included in the budget document (p. 80). • There were many outstanding tables, charts, and graphs throughout the budget. Weaknesses The budget was very lengthy (550 pages) which could be considered both a strength and a weakness. The budget was very thorough but some of the summary information appeared to be repeated in a different format. Consider relocating the table of contents (p. 15 - 16) to the front of the budget and the Budget in Brief (p. 85-97) more towards the front of the budget. The Budget message was excellent but very long. A resident may be more likely to read the summary information first before trying to read more detailed information. The summary of fund balance changes (p. 203 — 204) was good. I did not understand what the city was trying to demonstrate with the fund balance, income, and expense summary (p. 199 — 202). Overall, the staff of the City of Dubuque, Iowa has prepared an excellent budget document and should be congratulated on this fine achievement.