For the eighteenth consecutive year the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the City of Murfreesboro with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting.

"Once again the employees in the City of Murfreesboro Tax and Finance Department have demonstrated accounting and financial reporting excellence," stated City Manager Rob Lyons. "The City and its citizens should be confident that our audit is prepared in accordance with guidelines and standards recognized by the Chicago-based GFOA.

"We are pleased to receive this recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association," said Finance Director and City Recorder/Treasurer Melissa Wright. "I want to applaud our dedicated employees in the Finance Department who deserve credit for attainment of this significant accomplishment."

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,500 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards program is the only national program in government budgeting.

For more information, contact Stephen J. Gauthier, Director GFOA Technical Services Center (312) 977-9700 or visit www.gfoa.org or Melissa Wright, City Recorder/Finance Director (615) 893-5210 mwright@murfreesborotn.gov.