For the second consecutive year, West Clermont Board and School District Treasurer Alana Cropper has received the “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.”

The award, which was presented to Cropper at the board’s Oct. 23 regular meeting, is given out by the Government Finance Officers Association, a national association who recognizes those government entities who have indicated a high level of excellence in accounting and financial reporting.

“The award came as a result of our annual financial report that my staff and I worked so hard on,” said Cropper in her office Oct. 30. “I understand that to earn the achievement certificate, West Clermont had to meet the program’s very demanding criteria.”

According to district communications coordinator Wendy Planicka, the criteria goes well beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.

“The treasurer’s department submitted copies of their annual comprehensive annual financial report to the association for an in-depth review and evaluation,” she said. “The report (which took Cropper and staff around 250 hours to prepare) is then evaluated by a panel of government finance officers and independent certified accountants.”

Cropper, who lives in Anderson Township with her husband Richard and sons Matthew, 16, and Nicholas, 11, was thrilled with the recognition.

“Preparing the annual financial report for review was a joint effort with the staff,” she said. “The award independently demonstrates the fact that we are continually striving to have the best fiscal stewardship of the tax dollars that the school district receives.”

Cropper, who has been the district’s treasurer since January 2005, feels honored to receive the award because it is a third party verification and validation of the responsible and outstanding financial stewardship that she says the district residents and students deserve.

“The most rewarding – and challenging – thing about my job is that we are continually looking for and finding new ways to maximize our revenues and minimize our expenditures to support student achievement and academic excellence. This reward recognizes our efforts.”

In an official press release, Government Finance Officers Association member Lois Reynolds said that the award given to West Clermont reflects the professionalism and commitment of numerous individuals as well as many hours of hard work.

She further stated that it reflects a high degree of dedication and leadership (West Clermont is the only school district to prepare and submit such an annual report) on the part of the West Clermont Board of Education, and, in particular, the treasurer’s office.