Streaks often involve athletes or sports teams, but also can apply to governmental finances — as evidenced by an honor captured by the city of Mount Airy for the 26th-straight year.
Mayor David Rowe recently was notified that the municipality once again is the recipient of the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from a national organization.
Given by the Government Finance Officers Association, based in Chicago, it is the highest recognition attainable in the realm of governmental accounting and financial reporting — making Mount Airy’s 26-year streak all the more remarkable.
“To my knowledge, this is the only city that has achieved this,” Ron Niland of the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners said during a recent meeting of the board when the special recognition was announced.
“And that is just impressive,” added Niland, a former city manager in Mount Airy who is familiar with local governments on a widespread basis due to operating a consulting company working with different ones around the state.
It’s also difficult to achieve that honor even a single time, based on one recent year when a breakdown showed only about 17% of more than 550 municipalities in North Carolina receiving the certificate of excellence, including Mount Airy.
Niland officially presented the latest certificate to city Finance Director Pam Stone during the council meeting, when he was serving as mayor pro tem, or vice mayor, in the absence of Rowe.
That honor stems from record-keeping efforts of the municipality for its last fiscal year ending on June 30, 2019.
The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting program was launched in 1945 to encourage and assist local governments in going beyond minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.
Its goal is the preparation of comprehensive annual financial reports reflecting a spirit of transparency and full disclosure, and then to recognize individual government units that succeed in meeting this objective. Participation in the program is voluntary.
While the honor represents a significant accomplishment by a governmental unit and its management, the Chicago organization specifically cited the Finance Department headed by Stone — who was quick to mention that a team effort is involved.
“I am accepting this award, but it is definitely for the Finance Department,” she said of all its employees.
Yet City Manager Barbara Jones didn’t hesitate in sending accolades Stone’s way.
“Pam is always very humble when she’s been recognized,” Jones said of the receiving of honors such as the one for excellence in financial reporting. “I will clearly say that is due to her leadership and accountability and just the integrity she brings to the office.”
“We do appreciate you — thank you very much,” Niland agreed in congratulating Stone, calling the financial honor well deserved.
“It speaks highly of our Finance Department,” said Commissioner Marie Wood, a retired certified public accountant.
Although Stone has been Mount Airy’s finance director since only the fall of 2014, she played an instrumental role in the city’s receiving of the annual recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association for many years previously.
Before becoming director, Stone had logged 20 years with city government, beginning as a staff accountant in 1994 before being promoted to accounting supervisor and later accounting manager in the Finance Department. She was second in command of the department behind longtime Director John Overton, who resigned in January 2014 after 22 years in that job.
Stone’s involvement with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting program also pre-dates her career with the municipality, when she worked for a local accounting firm that audited Mount Airy’s books in its first year of participation.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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