CHAPTER 811
STATE OF DELAWARE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
DOVER
EXECUTIVE ORDER
NUMBER SEVENTEEN
TO: Heads of all State Departments and Agencies
RE: Preparation and Distribution of Annual Reports
WHEREAS, most agencies are required by law to submit annual reports and others do so voluntarily; and
WHEREAS, there are no guidelines to serve the agencies in the preparation of these reports, resulting in a wide variety of quality and usefulness as well as a wide range of costs involved; and
WHEREAS, the Governor's Economy Committee has pointed out that annual reports prepared according to specific guidelines can be of considerable value to the Governor, Budget Director, and the General Assembly, among others; and
WHEREAS, the Governor's Economy Committee has made specific recommendations on guidelines which agencies might follow in preparing and distributing annual reports:
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RUSSELL W. PETERSON, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby declare and order as follows:
1. That State agencies are urged to issue annual reports and to adhere to the following guidelines in their preparation and distribution:
(a) The objective of the annual report is to inform the Governor, the General Assembly, other State agencies and the public of the costs and benefits, goals, accomplishments and problems of the reporting agency or office. The report should be brief, factual, and to the point, and it should be designed to transmit information rather than serve the purpose of a promotional publication.
(b) A statistical summary should show the agency's budget, supplemental appropriations (if any), actual expenditures, revenues (if any), and number of employees by year for the past three years as well as a forecast of expenditures, revenues (if any), and employees for the next five years. Explanations should be provided for supplemental appropriations.
(c) The written portion of the report should state briefly the statutory responsibility of the agency plus its major programs, accomplishments, goals, and problems. The emphasis should be on the future rather than on the past, and any forecast of substantial growth or decline in expenditures should be explained.
(d) The report should be submitted not later than three months after the close of the fiscal year so that it will be of value in preparation of the next year's budget.
(e) All members of the General Assembly, the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Budget Director, Auditor of Accounts, and other interested agency officials should receive copies. A limited number of copies for additional distribution should be prepared, and requests for such reports by the public and/or press should be honored.
() The report should be typewritten on standard sized paper and reproduced by the most economical means, considering the number of copies needed for distribution to all related functions and interested parties.
Approved this 23rd day of October, 1969
(GREAT SEAL) RUSSELL W. PETERSON
Governor
Attest:
EUGENE BUNTING
Secretary of State