PRESS RELEASE- City Wins Distinguished Budget Presentation Award
Awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association
May 27, 2026 - PORT TOWNSEND – The City of Port Townsend is the recipient of the Government FinanceOfficers Association’s (GFOA) Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the City’s 2026 budget document. GFOA is a national organization founded in 1906 that is dedicated to advancing excellence in public finance.
The award represents a significant achievement by reflecting the commitment of City Council and staff to meeting the highest standards of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the City had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation and was scored on a set of criteria by peer reviewers in government finance. The criteria are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device.
Over 1,900 local and state agencies from across North America are participating in the Budget Awards Program, with many submitting budget documents annually. The most recent Budget Award recipients, along with their corresponding budget documents, are posted quarterly on GFOA's website. This is Port Townsend’s first award. The redesigned budget book for 2026 builds on the City’s on going commitment to transparency, accountability, and financial stewardship, shown through national recognition from International City Managers Association (ICMA) for the City’s Financial Sustainability Initiative and a longstanding history of clean State audits.
“We are honored to be the recipients of the 2026 GFOA Distinguished Budget Presentation Award,” Finance Director Jodi Adams said. “The 2026 budget book is the result of a dedicated team effort to make the City’s financial information more transparent and accessible to the public. Our goal was to create a document that provided residents and council members a clearer understanding of how resources are allocated and how those decisions support City services and priorities. Special recognition goes to Isaac Johnson and Katie Kowalski for their exceptional work, creativity, and commitment. They were instrumental in creating a budget document that better communicates the City’s priorities and financial stewardship which helped us win this award."
Adams has served the City of Port Townsend as Finance Director for two years. In that time, Adams has championed process improvements, staff training, and a culture of excellence on her team, while also supporting new careers in local government. This award is a testament to her leadership and vision for the City’s Finance Department and annual budget process.
Chair of the Council Finance and Budget Committee, Monica MickHager, said “Fiscal responsibility is important to me and was one of the main reasons I decided to run for City Council. We’ve been on quite a journey these last few years with a smart, consistent, disciplined approach that has grounded our organization – and therefore our community – in stability and strength. With another national award for our work, I’m grateful that we’re being recognized. And I’m so proud of our staff team and our Council team for this accomplishment.”
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Access the City’s 2026 Annual Budget: cityofpt.us/finance/page/city-budget
About GFOA: Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 30,000 members and the communities they serve.
For more information about GFOA, visit www.gfoa.org
