Los Alamos County Finance Department recipients of three awards by the Government Finance Officers Association during the Los Alamos County Council meeting Tuesday in Council Chambers. Recipients from left, Zhen Liu, Beatrice Odezulu, Margot Liberty, Patsy Olivas, Budget Manager Karen Kendall, Councilor Susan O’Leary, Councilor Rick Reiss, Chief Financial Officer Helen Perraglio, Mauricia Chavarria-Quam, Deputy CFO Melissa Meyer and Councilor Morris Pongratz. Courtesy photo
Staff Report:
The Los Alamos County Council recognized the County’s Finance Department at Tuesday’s Council meeting. The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) announced that the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting was awarded to the Incorporated County of Los Alamos.
The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents “a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.”
This award is the 27th year that Los Alamos County has received this honor.
Los Alamos County also received GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its FY2018 Budget. GFOA state “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.”
This award is the 26th year that Los Alamos County has received this honor.
Finally, the PAFR was awarded the Certificate of Achievement from GFOA. The PAFR “received a weighted average score of 75.00 percent or above from three of the four highest individual reviews.”
This award represents the second year of receipt of this distinction in the two years that the PAFR has been submitted.
County Chief Financial Officer Helen Perraglio accepted the awards and said to Council, “I really appreciate the opportunity to recognize our amazing County staff that works together every day to accomplish the planning, budgeting, and carrying out of the day to day operations in compliance with policy and controls, and the extensive efforts of fiscal oversight that my staff provides – all of which have greatly contributed to the resulting awards in excellence presented today. These are goals we strive to up keep every year.
“This year, is extra special – and I especially want to recognize the Finance team for not only achieving these awards, but for doing so during one of the most challenging years we have ever experienced in the testing, design, conversion and implementation of our new ERP system. Everyone graciously worked extended and somewhat severe hours in serving dual roles to meet project deadlines and keep up with day to day operations, while still adhering to the high expectations essential in achieving these remarkable goals.
“And I also feel it is necessary to extend a huge thank you to all of our families who really felt the sacrifice of such dedication from our amazing team. Without their support we couldn’t have done this. I appreciate the recognition and thank our team and families, and the great support of our leadership who all deserve this recognition and should share in this success.”
