Board allocates annual funding to facilities reserve, adopts advisory‑committee charter changes

The Budget and Audit Committee voted to place $150,000 from unrestricted reserves into the facilities reserve on an annual basis and to adopt recommended amendments to the Facilities Advisory Committee charter that establish planning timelines for real‑estate recommendations. Tiffany Lynch, director of finance, said the facilities advisory subcommittee recommended adding timeline language to the charter to require at least five years’ lead time for recommendations about purchasing real estate and at least three years for lease recommendations. Lynch said the intent is to provide adequate runway to build reserves and perform necessary work should the board later decide to relocate, refurbish, or purchase space. Committee members and staff described the strategy as saving smaller amounts over a longer period to accumulate the funds needed for future space decisions. The recommendation to fund the facilities reserve with an annual $150,000 transfer from unrestricted reserves was brought forward and put to a vote. Nancy Hawkins, a committee participant, raised a separate concern appearing in the materials about conflict‑of‑interest language for advisory committee members. Hawkins suggested the policy should extend beyond current and former committee members to include “personal and professional associates” to ensure truly independent advice; she cited a prior instance when a board member’s relative provided investment advice while also holding stock that overlapped with recommendations. A motion to approve the facilities committee recommendations, including the $150,000 annual allocation and the charter amendments, passed unanimously with one absence. The committee’s materials also referenced aligning the facilities subcommittee’s work with long‑term leasing and purchase planning and assigned the subcommittee responsibility for annual review of the recommended amount.