Background | Accomplishments | Support Services
Membership | Meetings | Officers
Background
In October of 1953, twenty-five men met at the
George Vanderbilt Hotel in Asheville to address
their objectives for governmental finance.
"To promote the improvement of methods of governmental
financing...encourage the use of common terminology...encourage
periodic independent audits and continuous internal
audits within governmental units...achieve greater
success in efficiency and services of government...";
Out of their concern, and the dedication of five
men in particular--Ralph Dixon of Winston-Salem,
Rainey Pope of Burlington, Dan Umstead of Durham,
Lake Crowe of High Point, and A. E. Guy of Statesville--the
North Carolina Government Finance Officers Association
was formed. Their goal was to develop professional
and ethical standards among their contemporaries.
Accomplishments
In the years since then, the Association has achieved
many of its initial goals by working closely with
others. Some of the major accomplishments include:
- Authorization to invest idle cash being granted
to cities by the North Carolina Legislature. This
authorization, first granted in 1957, allows municipalities
to invest all or part of their cash balances of
any fund, and has been expanded in subsequent
sessions of the General Assembly.
- Establishment in 1972 of a uniform accounting
system for local governments by the State Treasurer's
Office, updated in 1983.
- Adoption in 1973 by the General Assembly of
the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control
Act which includes a requirement of an annual
independent audit of all governmental units.
- North Carolina Cash Management Trust authorized
in the 1982 session to enhance investment opportunities
for small as well as large units of government.
Support Services
The Association continues to promote improvement
in the methods of governmental financing, and encourages
its members to follow the standards developed and
recommended by the Government Finance Officers Association
(GFOA) of the United States and Canada, the Governmental
Accounting Standard Board, and other recognized
authorities in the field of municipal administration.
The North Carolina Government Finance Officers
Association recognizes the needs of its members
for opportunities to become better informed of emerging
new standards and policies within government finance.
It sponsors many professional programs in close
cooperation with the Institute of Government and
its staff.
Throughout the years, program topics have addressed
the profession's diversity. The nature, size, and
scope of the organization is carefully considered
when program topics are developed. Some of the programs
have included Bond Ratings and Disclosure Regulations
in Bond Sales, Financial Statements and Audit Reports,
Budgeting for Small Governmental Units, and Accounting
for Investment Earnings.
The Association, jointly with the North Carolina
County Finance Officers Association, sponsors on
a regional basis educational seminars for accounting
staff personnel.
Also as a joint effort with the County Association,
a certification program for the Public Finance Officers
has been formed.
Membership
Today, with membership around 300, the North Carolina
Government Finance Officers Association continues
to work for a strong, professionally-oriented organization.
Active membership is open to a finance or accounting
officer, whether elected or appointed, employed
in any public jurisdiction of the State.
Associate membership is open to any other person
who is interested in the principles and practices
of governmental finance and who supports the purposes
of the Association.
Meetings
In addition to the various workshops or other
programs sponsored during the year, the Association
holds three formal meetings: a business meeting
in the spring, and annual meetings in the spring
and summer.
All meetings are open to its members and any employee
of a governmental unit in the state who is engaged
generally in the field of public finance. Voting
rights are restricted, however, to dues-paying members.
Officers
At the annual spring meeting, the executive board,
charged with transacting the business of the Association,
is elected. Presently, the board consists of the
president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer,
immediate past president, and four directors. Each
serves a one-year term, and at least one of the
board members must be appointed from a city or town
of 10,000 or less in population, at least one member
from a city or town and at least one member from
a county.
The Association encourages your participation.
Anyone interested in membership should contact the
NCLM at:
NC League of Municipalities
P.O. Box 3069
Raleigh, NC 27602
919.715.4000
ncgfoa@nclm.org
