[CLWA] – Santa Clarita Water, a division of Castaic Lake Water Agency, received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award presented by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its FY 2013/14 Budget.

To receive the award, the budget document must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, that demonstrate how well the budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide and a communications device.  The award reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting.  This is the third consecutive year in which SCWD has received this award.

Elizabeth Ooms-Graziano, Retail Administrative Officer for Santa Clarita Water Division, received a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation for being primarily responsible for preparing the award-winning budget.

Tom Campbell, President of the CLWA Board of Directors, stated, “I am proud of SCWD’s staff’s hard work in developing budgets that reflect our commitment to ensuring the public is fully informed and the Retail Division’s customers are best served.”

The FY 2013/14 Budget has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program.  Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.  The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.

The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,800 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL, and Washington, D.C.

SCWD also received the Operating Budget Excellence Award presented by the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers for its FY 2013/14 Budget.  This is the third consecutive year in which SCWD has received this award.

The CSMFO Budget Awards Program is designed to recognize those agencies that have prepared a budget document that meets standards that include (1) a minimum score of 50 points (out of 80) in the Excellence in Budgeting section and (2) a score of 20 out of 20 for a Meritorious Budget section.  SCWD’s FY 2013/14 Budget has been judged by impartial review to meet the high standards of the CSMFO program.

CSMFO is California’s premier statewide association for finance professionals, with Chapters located throughout the State.  CSMFO seeks to improve the knowledge, skills, and performance of individuals responsible for municipal and other local government fiscal policy and management.

About SCWD:

SCWD is one of four retailers in the Santa Clarita Valley operating a service area that consists of approximately 330 miles of pipelines which includes a portion of the City of Santa Clarita and unincorporated portions of Los Angeles County in the communities of Saugus, Canyon Country and West Newhall.  SCWD supplies potable water which is imported water purchased from CLWA, accounting for approximately 65% of supply, and groundwater wells, accounting for approximately 35% of supply, to approximately 29,000 active service connections.  SCWD’s mission is to provide reliable, quality water at a reasonable cost to our customers.