(Chicago, Illinois)-- Government Finance Officers Association is pleased to announce that Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District, California, has received GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its budget.

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 grated 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 Finance Department.

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.

PHELAN, Calif. (January 7, 2021) - Each year, staff is tasked with preparing a budget for consideration at an annual Public Hearing in June.  The process leading up to the hearing includes several public meetings to provide the Board and the public with information for consideration and opportunities for input into the budget process.  These public meetings include workshops, committee, and Board meetings.

Beginning in January, committees review and update their respective Long Range Plans including the 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and Maintenance plans.  In February, staff gathers information in preparation for the budget.  February through March, the Board reviews and approves the Long Range Capital Plans and also provides staff with budget assumptions to be used based on the consumer price index and other economic factors.  Considering these guidelines, staff begins the process of preparing a draft budget.

Staff works with department managers and supervisors to obtain budget information and incorporates the data with the assumptions as directed by the Board.  The draft budget is reviewed by management and presented to the Finance Committee for consideration prior to being presented to the full Board.  The Final Draft Budget is made available for review and a public hearing is held in June.  The Final Draft Budget is presented to the Board during the public meeting for final review, consideration, and adoption.  All of these are public meetings and the District encourages public attendance and participation.

The events listed below have been scheduled to promote public participation and ensure the public has the opportunity to become familiar with the budget process.  The Public is invited to ALL of these sessions and is encouraged to attend.

Each year, staff is tasked with preparing a budget for consideration at an annual Public Hearing in June.  The process leading up to the hearing includes several public meetings to provide the Board and the public with information for consideration and opportunities for input into the budget process.  These public meetings include workshops, committee, and Board meetings.  Beginning in January, committees review and update their respective Long Range Plans including the 10-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and Maintenance plans.  In February, staff gathers information in preparation for the budget.  February through March, the Board reviews and approves the Long Range Capital Plans and also provides staff with budget assumptions to be used based on the consumer price index and other economic factors.  Considering these guidelines, staff begins the process of preparing a draft budget.  Staff works with department managers and supervisors to obtain budge information and incorporates the data with the assumptions as directed by the Board.  The draft budget is reveiewed by management and presented to the Finance Committee for consideration prior to being presented to the full Board.  The Final Draft Budget is made available for review and a public hearing is held in June.  The Final Draft Budget is presented to the Board during the public meeting for final review, consideration, and adoption.  All of these are public meetings and the District encourages public attendance and participation.

The events listed below have been scheduled to promote public participation and ensure the public has the opportunity to become familiar with the budget process.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the General Manager of the Phelan Piñon Hills Community Services District ("District") has prepared a proposed final budget for fiscal year 2019/2020, which is available for inspection during regular business hours at the District's headquarters located at 4176 Warbler Road, Phelan, California.

On June 5, 2019 at 6:00 p.m., the District's Board of Directors will hold a public hearing to consider adoption of the final budget for the fiscal year 2019/2020.  The hearing will be conducted during a regular meeting of the District's Board of Directors held at the Phelan Community Center located at 4128 Warbler Road, Phelan, California.  Any person may appear at the meeting and be heard regarding any item in the budget, or regarding the addition of other items.  The hearing on the budget may be continued from time to time.

For more information you may contact District staff at the headquarters address listed above or by telephone at (760) 868-1212 during regular business hours.

To review the 2019/2020 Final Draft budget, please visit the District Office Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.,  or download below.