City of Yakima 2020 Budget Earns Award

The City of Yakima’s 2020 budget has earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA).

The 2020 budget received the honor for comprehensive planning, financial integrity and effective communication.

“Our budget is the communications bridge between residents, City Council members, and the many City employees who take the budget numbers and turn them into services to citizens,” said City Finance Division Manager Kimberly Dominé. “Achieving the GFOA award requires not only good accounting skills, but also an in-depth understanding of every City department.”

City finance staff strive to make incremental improvements each year in order to make Yakima an increasingly well-managed city.

City of Yakima technical accounting is provided by Jen Morris. Also, Kathy Miles contributes the complex programming to link financial numbers into the reporting software that produces a budget that is interesting, educational, slightly entertaining and, most importantly, informative for residents.

Budget documents considered for the GFOA award are rated by three independent reviewers who typically work in similar roles in other cities. They are judged on criteria as a policy document, an accountable financial plan, a transparent operations guide and communications vehicle.

Yakima joins 45 other public agencies in the state of Washington and about 1,600 nationwide who received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2020.

The 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 in the U.S. and Canada.

Click https://www.yakimawa.gov/services/finance/budget-documents-2/ for the past 10 annual budgets for the City of Yakima, as well as links to proposed budgets for 2021.

The Yakima City Council began discussions for the 2021 budget today, Tuesday, with the first of four study sessions. The remaining 2021 budget study sessions are from 9:00 am to 11:00 am on Thursday, Oct. 8th, Tuesday, Oct. 13th, and Thursday, Oct. 15th.

The City Council’s budget study sessions will air live on the Yakima Public Affairs Channel (Y-PAC), Charter Spectrum Channel 194, and be streamed live on the City of Yakima website – https://www.yakimawa.gov/council/live-stream/