City Finance Department earns awards

ROSEBURG, Ore. – The City of Roseburg’s financial position has continued to withstand potentially adverse economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic – an accomplishment residents can begin to learn more about in two financial reports for fiscal year 2021 that both recently won national recognition for the Roseburg Finance Department.

While the reports outline the City’s financial performance for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2021, the City’s financial health remains strong to this day, said Finance Department Director Ron Harker.

“At the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, the impacts of COVID-19 on the City’s finances and the local economy became clearer. Despite creating a significant headwind to the local economy, the City maintained a very healthy financial position with the City’s Net Position increasing 0.33% year-over-year, which was largely due to an increase in the City’s cash and investments of $8.05 million,” Harker said.

On Nov. 1, the City was notified that Roseburg Finance Department’s FY2021 Popular Annual Financial Report has won an Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting from the Chicago-based Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), which promotes best practices in public finance. The report, which is available on the City’s website, was evaluated for its reader appeal, understandability, creativity, distribution methods and other elements.

The popular report is a pared-down, streamlined summary of highlights from the department’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report – commonly referred to as the “audit” -- that recently earned the Finance Department its 29^th Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. That report also is available online.

The reports were produced and submitted to the association for review last December.

“The award represents a significant achievement,” the association wrote in a press release.