ROCHELLE — Government Finance Officers Association is pleased to announce that the City of Rochelle, Illinois, has received GFOA’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its 2020 budget.
“I am thrilled that our team’s commitment to financial excellence has been recognized by GFOA,” said Mayor John Bearrows. “Without the sound financial reporting, recording and planning, our organization would not be what it is today.”
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. These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity’s budget serves as:
A policy document

A financial plan
An operations guide
A communications device
Budget documents must be rated “proficient” in all four categories, and in the fourteen mandatory criteria within those categories, to receive the award.  When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual(s) or department designated as being primarily responsible for having achieved the award. This has been presented to the City of Rochelle Finance Department.
“Our Finance Department worked diligently over months to create a budget document that exceeds the expectations of the GFOA,” said City Manager Jeff Fiegenschuh. “Their commitment and dedication is evident in the high marks received though this award process.”
There are over 1,600 participants in the Budget Awards Program. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA’s website. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.
“Congratulations! I hope the city takes a lot of pride in this and understands how impressive it is to receive this award on your first attempt,” said Anthony Cervini, partner at Sikich, LLC.
Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources and practical research for more than 20,500 members and the communities they serve.