News

SARTA receive prestigious award for excellence in financial reporting

April 27, 2022

Canton, Ohio – The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the group’s prestigious Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) Authority for its annual comprehensive financial report (CFR) for the fiscal year that ended December 31, 2020.

In a letter to SARTA conveying the award Michael Levine, GFAO’s Director of Technical Services noted that The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a governmental entity and its management.

SARTA Board President Attorney Ron Macala and CEO Kirt Conrad said the system received the award after an impartial panel of GFOA members determined that the 2020 CFR met the organization’s high standards which include demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” that clearly communicates the transit system’s financial story to the public and other interested parties.

The GFAO award marks the second time in less than a year that SARTA has been recognized for outstanding financial reporting. In August of 2021 the system’s 2020 CFR earned Auditor Keith Faber’s “Award with Distinction.” SARTA was one of only eight governmental entities to receive the award which Auditor Faber said acknowledges “…the hard work of fiscal offices who keep clean, accurate records. Their efforts go a long way toward making Ohio more efficient, effective, and transparent.”

SARTA has received both the GFOA Certificate of Achievement and Auditor’s Award with Distinction numerous times over the past two decades.

“These awards clearly demonstrate that our total commitment to accountability and transparency,” Atty. Macala said. “Our sound fiscal management combined with the outstanding mobility services we provide makes it easy to understand why the residents of Stark County value and support SARTA.”

For more information please contact SARTA CEO Kirt Conrad at 330-477-2782.