Jefferson County has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). This award is considered the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.
GFOA evaluated Jefferson County’s budget for the fiscal year beginning on January 1, 2026. An impartial panel determined that the budget satisfied “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, and a communications device,” as noted in the GFOA press release. Those who earn the award are rated “proficient” in the four main categories and all fourteen of the criteria within the categories.
Jefferson County’s budget also received special recognition for strategic goals and strategies, signifying that this aspect of the budget earned the highest possible score from each of the three GFOA reviewers.
“Jefferson County’s continued recognition from GFOA reflects the skill, dedication, and professionalism of our Finance Department and the entire team behind this budget,” said Michael Luckey, Jefferson County Administrator. “This is evidence of the County’s commitment to being a transformative government as called for in our Strategic Plan through careful planning, transparency, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources.”
Jefferson County is one of just five Wisconsin counties to receive the most recent Distinguished Budget Presentation Award and the most recent Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, which is also presented by GFOA.
“These awards reflect the trust and confidence we have in (Jefferson County Finance Director) Marc DeVries and his team,” noted Finance Committee Chair George Jaeckel. “Marc oversees the budget with the conservative views our community values while maintaining fluidity to allow for the purchases necessary to serve the people of Jefferson County.”
To serve residents with outstanding fiscal responsibility, Jefferson County will continue to submit financial documents that comply with the highest established reporting standards.
For more about Jefferson County: jeffersoncountywi.gov
