accolades

Oak Lawn Park District Receives National Accreditation The National Park and Recreation Association’s Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies awarded the Oak Lawn Park District the status of Accredited Agency on Friday, March 14, 2008. The Oak Lawn Park District was conferred this Agency Accreditation for having fully demonstrated commitment to the park and recreation field and by complying with a high standard of services, professional operations and management practices. Currently, only seventy-three agencies nationwide have earned this prestigious designation, none from Illinois.
The National Committee on Accreditation for Public Park and Recreation Agencies developed the pilot program in 1989. This pilot program set the standards and procedures for the current Commission. The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies administers a rigorous program based on self-assessment and peer review using national standards of best practice to better promote the quality of agency services and delivery systems. Agency accreditation is available to all entities administering park and recreation systems, including municipalities, townships, counties, special districts and regional authorities, councils of government and schools. Agency accreditation is voluntary, but an essential piece to producing quality environments for communities to play, live and grow. The agency benefits for receiving this accreditation include: Public and political recognition; Increased efficiency and evidence of accountability; Identifies areas for improvement by comparing an agency against national standards of best practice; Enhances staff teamwork and pride by engaging all staff in the process; Creates an environment for regular reviews of operations, policies, and procedures and promotes continual improvement and Forces written documentation of policies and procedures. Benefits for the public include: Assurance and validation of well-administered services in accord with approved professional practices; Potential for external financial support and savings to the public; External recognition of a quality governmental service; Holds an agency accountable to the public and ensures responsiveness to meet their needs and Improves customer and quality services. This accreditation has set the groundwork for the Oak Lawn Park District to elevate the level of standards of service, professional operations and management practices in order to serve the every changing needs of the community.
On October 17, 2003 the Oak Lawn Park District was evaluated by a committee of commissioners, directors from other park districts and six additional observers from the fields of parks and recreation. After a grueling process that the park district had been preparing for for two years, the committee announced that the Oak Lawn Park District had earned the distinction of being a Distinguished Agency. Out of over 357 agencies in the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association, less than 10 percent have achieved Distinguished Agency status. Only 30 of the park districts, Special Recreation Associations and forest preserve districts located in Illinois are Distinguished Agencies. The Oak Lawn Park District is the 31st. Certification is for six years and then the entire process must be repeated.
GFOA Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the Oak Lawn Park District by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). 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 government and its management. The Oak Lawn Park District has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story.
The Oak Lawn Park District would like to congratulate Mr. Tom Hartwig, Superintendent of Special Facilities/Pavilion Manager for the Oak Lawn Park District, for winning South Suburban Park & Recreation Professional Association's (SSPRPA) Professional of the Year Award at April’s meeting at the Fountain Hills Golf Club in Alsip. SSPRPA is an organization of active park districts and recreation agencies located in the south suburban metropolitan area. Tom currently serves on SSPRPA’s Executive Board as the President Elect. In Fall 2012, Tom will serve as President.
The Oak Lawn Park District would like to congratulate Mr. Ryan Gory, Assistant Superintendent of Parks for the Oak Lawn Park District, who was selected as the 2012 Southern Illinois University (SIU) Recreation Rising Star Award recipient in April. Ryan was honored at the Allen Symposium on Thursday, April 12th, at the Carbondale Civic Center, 200 South Illinois Avenue. In addition to his award, he presented a session discussing the career opportunities available on the park side of community parks and recreation and shared the recent park side accomplishments made by the Oak Lawn Park District.