October 13, 2022

In early October, the Fairview Park City Schools Treasurer’s Office was again recognized for excellence.

For the 20th year in a row, the district received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. According to the GFOA release, the district’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, or ACFR, was judged by an impartial panel and demonstrated “a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report."

The award is the culmination of a year’s worth of awards for the Treasurer’s office, specifically centered around the ACFR from the 2021 fiscal year. This most recent recognition adds to an already impressive list of independent auditing groups that have acknowledged the accuracy and quality of the district’s financial reporting.

“First was the [Association of School Business Officials International] Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting,” Rob Showalter, treasurer of the Fairview Park City Schools explained. “Then came the Auditor of State Award with Distinction. Then we received this award. So, not only are we receiving awards from auditors, but we’re also receiving awards from groups of our peers.”

According to the GFOA website, the Certificate of Achievement program was established in 1945 to encourage state and local governments to report “beyond the minimum requirements.” Some of the areas judged for the certificate include introductory statements, basic financial statements, fund financials, and more.

“Along with our full financial statements, the ACFR contains a history of statistical data like how many teachers and students we have,” Showalter said. “It also contains financial trends and demographic information. It’s additional data to add context for understanding what the information in our financial section says about the district’s overall financial health.”

“They also review it and give feedback to make the report better as we move forward,” Showalter added. “We always welcome ideas on how to improve.”

“Mr. Showalter and his team are dedicated to providing full transparency in the reporting of the district’s finances to the public,” said Fairview Park Superintendent Keith Ahearn. “He is committed to providing strong financial stewardship and protecting the long-term assets of the district. He does this by engaging in transparent, ethical and prudent financial decision-making every day.”