Washington County Earns Distinguished Budget Presentation Award

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD (September 10, 2025) – Washington County, Maryland, has earned the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for its Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Document.

This award marks a significant achievement and underscores the county’s commitment to high standards in governmental budgeting.

Chief Financial Officer Kelcee Mace expressed pride in the award, stating, “We are honored to receive the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from GFOA. This recognition highlights the dedication of our Budget and Finance team and the County as a whole to transparency, accountability, and excellence in financial planning. Our goal is to ensure the budget serves not only as a financial document but also as a clear and accessible resource for our community.”

Washington County Administrator Michelle Gordon also emphasized the award’s significance, saying, “This award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Budget and Finance team. It reflects the County’s commitment to sound financial management and to providing our residents with a budget that is transparent, responsible, and aligned with the needs of our community.”

To qualify for the award, Washington County’s budget had to comply with national guidelines that assess how effectively it functions as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications tool.

The GFOA evaluators praised Washington County’s submission, highlighting, “The structure and information included in the budget message is excellent and a good blueprint for the budget priorities.” They added, “The document has an excellent format, is well written and covers just the right level of detail, with links to other information if the reader is interested in that.”

The GFOA’s Budget Awards Program features over 1,900 participants from across North America. Award recipients are recognized for enhancing the quality of budgeting and serve as examples for other governments striving to improve their financial documents.

For more details on the GFOA and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award, visit their official website.