Town Budget

The budget is the "blueprint" used to provide a sound financial framework for all town operations. It ensures that the town's limited resources are allocated toward the services and strategic priorities identified by the Board of Commissioners. More specifically, the budget is a financial plan consisting of an estimate of proposed expenditures, the proposed means of financing and the goals and objectives of the expenditures for a given time period, usually one year (July 1-June 30).

The town's Fiscal Year 2008-09 budget received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association. This national award is the highest award in governmental budgeting, recognizing those cities that have prepared exemplary budgets which serve as a policy document, financial plan, operations guide and a communications device. Only 4.07 percent of North Carolina municipalities received this award, and only 1.96 percent received it nationally. Receipt of the award for the FY2008-09 budget marks the eighth year that Hillsborough has been awarded this recognition.

In addition, the FY2008-09 budget document received the Special Performance Measures Recognition for outstanding presentation and communication of performance information. Nationally, only 0.03 percent of municipalities received this recognition. Fiscal Year 2008-09 marks the first time the town has received this special recognition.

For more information on the budget, contact Hillsborough Budget and Management Analyst Emily Bradford.

 
Balanced Scorecard

Hillsborough uses the balanced scorecard, a system of measures that helps the town implement its objectives. Each department has a balanced scorecard with specific initiatives, targeted outcomes for the intiatives and ways to measure the performance. The balanced scorecard was developed in the early 1990s for private industry. A handful of municipalities across the country use the system.

See the attachment below to read an article on the balanced scorecard, which appeared in the Fall 2008 Popular Government. The article was written by William C. Rivenbark, a UNC School of Government faculty member, and Eric J. Peterson, Hillsborough's town manager.