(Washington, DC) Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi announced today that MuniNet Guide.com, a leading national website covering municipal-related content on the Internet, announced that the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) had one of the most complete financial websites for a municipality.
I am honored that the District Government Chief Financial Officers website was recognized as one of the most complete financial sites for a municipality by MuniNet, said Gandhi. One of my top priorities is to have a transparent organization that allows our key stakeholders, from elected officials to citizens, to view the financial operation of the District of Columbia government. This achievement recognizes the efforts of our entire organization, and I am proud of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer employees who work so hard to reach this goal.
MuniNet recognized the CFOs site for not only publishing Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports (CAFR) dating back to 1999, but also historical and current local economic indicators, debt management information, and archived press releases, agency testimonies and even media advisories. A searchable database of fiscal impact statements reports prepared by the CFOs office that analyze the financial implications of pending legislative issues is also accessible through this website.
Posting a CAFR on a municipal website is no longer remarkable; but rather something we consider rather standard fare, said Mardee Alvaro, editor of MuniNet Guide. But when we see a city use its website to provide continuing disclosure, monthly financial updates, financial trend analyses, or information relating to outstanding bond performance now thats worth noting.
Gandhi commended the Districts Chief Technology Officer Suzanne Peck for creating the backbone system for the website and also praised the CFOs Office of Communications for coordinating the content of the site and working closely with Ms. Peck. He noted Eric Balliet, OCFO communications specialist and Web content editor, for his tenacious and tireless efforts in making the websites content user-friendly.