Jefferson County’s Accounting Division, has received a national award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for financial reporting for 2016. The Board of County Commissioners, at its Dec. 12 hearing, presented the award to Director of Accounting Deb Freischlag, Director of Finance & Information Technology Holly Bjorklund, and Accounting Operations Manager Elaine Fears.
The award is the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 2016 fiscal year for the county’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, also known as CAFR. The CAFR is a thorough, detailed presentation of the county's financial activities during its fiscal year.
The Certificate of Achievement 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. The county has received the Certificate of Achievement in Financial Reporting for its annual report 32 times since 1984.
The GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program in 1945 to encourage state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles. The award recognizes governments that prepare comprehensive annual financial reports that show evidence of a spirit of transparency and full disclosure.
Reports submitted to the CAFR program are reviewed by selected members of the GFOA professional staff and the GFOA Special Review Committee, which includes financial statement preparers, independent auditors, academics, and other finance professionals.