Portsmouth Gets National Award for Municipal Budget

The following is from the City of Portsmouth:

The City of Portsmouth’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget document for the period beginning July 1, 2012 has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the eighth consecutive year, City Manager John Bohenko has announced.

“This award represents a significant achievement by the City and reflects the commitment of the City Council and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting,” Bohenko said.

Finance Director Judie Belanger said that in order to receive the budget award, the City had to satisfy guidelines designed to assess how well the City’s budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device.

Belanger said it is gratifying to once again receive national recognition with such a prestigious award honoring the commitment of the City Council and City staff to “meet and exceed national budgeting standards.”  

The GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program, established in 1984, recognizes exemplary budget documentation by state, provincial and local governments, as well as public universities and colleges. GFOA is comprised of 17,800 government finance professionals throughout North America.

In 2006, Portsmouth became the first New Hampshire municipality to receive the prestigious national budgeting recognition.