The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) awarded the City of Mountlake Terrace its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the preparation of the 2011/2012 Biennial Budget. The city’s Biennial Budget was rated “Outstanding” as a policy document. The GFOA award reflects the ongoing and continued commitment of the City Council and city personnel to meet the highest principles of governmental budgeting, financial accountability and financial integrity. In order to receive the budget award, the City 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. In Washington State, the City of Mountlake Terrace is one of only 32 cities to receive the award.

The city’s budget document received a number of very favorable remarks by GFOA including:

• “The City’s Strategic Management Plan focuses on economic development, capital infrastructure improvements, and overall fiscal stability. Overall this is an exemplary Policy Plan presentation.”
• “The Department Directors have clear direction from the elected officials. Service delivery improvements are monitored to assure they are meeting the strategic plan prescribed.”
• “Coordination between and among the policy decision makers and the administrative staff is apparent. The elected officials and management have clearly developed organization-wide policy goals that will lead the City into the next decade.”
• “The policy initiatives are monitored by the elected officials and adjustment to the policy goals when necessary are executed. Overall this is a proficient presentation that will lead the City into the next decade with a strategic management plan this will produce improvements to City services and overall quality of life for the citizens.”