St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Randy Smith was presented with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association for its Fiscal Year 2018 Budget.
The national award represents a significant achievement by the agency and reflects the commitment of the agency and its staff to meeting the highest principles of government budgeting.
In order to receive the budget award, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office 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 and a communication device.
Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and in the 14 mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.
Chief Financial Officer Tiffany Carrasco was also presented with a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation.
There are more than 1,600 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on the GFOA’s Website.
The Government Finance Officers Association is a major professional association servicing the needs of more than 19,000 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.
Paul Rivera, treasurer of the Louisiana GFOA, presented the award.
“I am proud of the work Chief Carrasco and her entire finance department did in presenting a budget that is both professional and easily understood, enabling citizens to see what their Sheriff’s Office is doing and how their tax money is being spent,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “Our budget document addresses current and future conditions, opportunities and challenges facing this agency and our community, and reflects the development of strategies and allocation of resources to accomplish our goals and mission.”