Pamela Van Blunk, Bucks County Controller, is pleased to announce that the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada recently awarded Bucks County with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. The report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial history and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.
This award is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by the Controller’s Office and Bucks County. Ms. Van Blunk and the Controller’s Office are responsible for preparing the county’s annual financial report.
As the fiscal watchdog of the county’s spending, the Bucks County Controller has many responsibilities. In addition to preparing the annual financial report, Ms. Van Blunk and the Controller’s Office are responsible for maintaining the county’s financial records including the general ledger. The Controller’s Office also processes and approves all vendor invoices for payment and Ms. Van Blunk may refuse to authorize payment of any fiscal transaction where it appears that such transaction is not authorized by law, or has not been undertaken according to law, or has not received approval according to law. The Controller’s Office also processes payroll (serving over 2,500 county employees), processes all retiring county employees and maintains all retirement records. The Controller is responsible for periodically auditing the row offices, tax collectors, magisterial district courts, county departments and other county functions as necessary. Finally, Ms. Van Blunk is responsible for investigating all fraud, waste and abuse of the county’s funds and may, upon reasonable grounds, investigate fraud, flagrant abuse of public office or any criminal act or neglect of any officer or other person of the county relating to their public accounts and transactions.
The preparation of the annual comprehensive financial report on a timely basis was made possible by the dedicated service of the entire staff of the Controller’s Office. Ms. Van Blunk expressed special appreciation to the entire Controller’s Office for their contributions to the report.
For more information about the Controller’s Office, please contact:
Bucks Controller’s Office: 215-348-6435
Email: pavanblunk@buckscounty.org
For more information on GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence, please contact:
Michele Mark Levine, Director/TSC
Phone: (312) 977-9700
Fax: (312) 977-4806
Emails: mlevine@gfoa.org
Photo of Controller’s Office: Back Row l/r: Laurie Goeller, Janet Taylor, Mike Adams, Michelle Knight, Cathy Jo Wright, Amy Hall, Gerald Grisafi, Kelli Bachtle, Alexandra Massack, and Michael Kozar. Middle Row, l/r: Kyra Maginity, Donna Bilker, Tricia Mullen, Kimberly Doran, Tara Rudock, Domenica Messina and Gina Constantini. Front Row l/r: Dana Conboy, Liz Watts, Denise Rimby, Controller Pamela Van Blunk, Sandy Frasetta, Izzie Rex and Diane Rockelmann