The Newhall County Water District announced this week that its 2014 budget has been recognized with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada – North America’s leading municipal government finance organization.

This is the seventh consecutive year NCWD has been honored by the GFOA. The District is among just a small number of California’s more than 600 water districts to receive the award. This year, it was also honored with the Special Performance Measures Recognition award.

The awards honor local governments that produce exceptional budget documents that are easy-to-understand, readily accessible and fiscally sound. They are known as the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and are significant achievements by NCWD.

“Newhall County Water District is serious about transparency, fiscal responsibility and customer service,” said Steve Cole, NCWD’s General Manager. “This award recognizes that our budget – our most important policy document – reflects this commitment and we’re proud with this seventh consecutive honor.”

In recognizing NCWD, GFOA has granted a Certificate of Recognition to the District’s Accounting Manager Rochelle Patterson for being primarily responsible for the District having achieved this award.

“We’re proud of Rochelle and all staff members involved in this budget,” continued Cole. “Their work is a reflection of the District’s mission to be exceptional stewards of the public’s resources.

The Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is among the most prestigious awards available to local governments across North America. To qualify, a local government budget is subjected to a strict review of independent financial experts and must meet an extensive list of criteria.

In recognizing NCWD, the GFOA stated that the District’s budget “reflects a commitment of the board and staff to meeting the highest principles of government budgeting.”

The GFOA continued, “Recipients of this award have pioneered efforts to improve quality budgeting.”

A copy of the District’s budget can be found on the finance page of the District’s Web site, www.ncwd.org.

About the GFOA

The Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of more than 18,000 appointed and elected local, state, and provincial-level government officials and other finance practitioners. It provides top quality publications, training programs, services and products designed to enhance the skills and performance of those responsible for government finance policy and management.

The association is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with offices in Washington D. C. The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

About Newhall County Water District

Newhall County Water District traces its roots back to 1913 and is the Santa Clarita Valley’s first public water utility, currently providing service to more than 45,000 residents in portions of the City of Santa Clarita and unincorporated Los Angeles County communities, including Newhall, Canyon Country, Valencia and Castaic. For more information about the District, visit www.ncwd.org.