The California Society of Municipal Finance Officers has presented Beach Cities Health District (BCHD) with an Excellence Award for its 2020-21 fiscal year Operating Budget.

BCHD is the only health district to meet the CSMFO standards of excellence. BCHD has received one or more CSMFO honors every year they have been given since the 2007-2008 fiscal year, a total of 17 CSMFO Excellence or Meritorious Awards to date.

“Transparency is very important to our community and to our dedicated employees,” said Tom Bakaly, CEO for BCHD. “Our Finance team, led by CFO Monica Suua, puts in many hours of hard work to ensure our community can access this important information year after year. This winning streak of awards is proof of their commitment to accuracy and transparency.”

Last fall, the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to BCHD for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019.

GFOA also awarded BCHD with a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for its Annual Budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019. According to the GFOA, “in order to receive this award, a governmental unit must publish a budget document that meets program criteria as a policy document, as a financial plan, as an operations guide and as a communications device.”

BCHD’s budgetary practices are available to the public online and the budget is reviewed by the District’s resident advisory Finance Committee and discussed at public Board meetings. An annual report with an overview is also mailed to Beach Cities households each year.