Financial awards highlight Colleyville's approach

Colleyville has once again captured a state award for its online financial transparency efforts.

For the fourth year, the city earned the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Silver Leadership Circle Award, focused on online availability and accessibility of city financials. Jennifer Fadden, the city manager of Colleyville, said the city's overall approach to managing taxpayer dollars makes trust and stewardship of funds priorities. The comptroller's award affirms what they already know, in a sense.

"To us, it is an expectation," Fadden said. "Colleyville has consistently had conservative financial practices. Transparency and accessibility are very important to us."

She also pointed to citizens' changing expectations of their government as motivation for up-front reporting on the city's financial health.

"In this day and age, people expect information pushed out to them," she said.

Colleyville also earned an international finance award for its 20th consecutive time this year—the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. Fadden said that recognition comes from an approach that turns the city budget into more than a financial plan and operational guide, but also uses it as a policy document and communications device aimed at ease of understanding and clarity.