Commissioners continue discussion of Forest Reserve Fund buffer in resolution 2025-003

Councilor Hicks introduced resolution 2025-003 to continue discussion of a policy proposal on use of the Forest Reserve Fund and how to prioritize forestry operations and carryover balances.

Councilor Hicks said the conversation should reflect the forestry director’s preferences. The transcript records that Director Streeter previously asked for a higher buffer so the maintenance forester would not be forced to sell timber when markets are down. One commissioner summarized that the director had asked for a buffer of roughly two times a future fiscal year budget; the version in the resolution under discussion used a 1.5-fiscal-year carryover.

Councilor Hicks said the discrepancy in the document versus prior conversations needed clarification and that he wanted Director Streeter present to lay out numbers and scenarios. Commissioners agreed the item was not "ready for a vote" and requested staff and the director return with redlined language and concrete funding scenarios before taking action.

Ending: The board postponed final action and requested Director Streeter appear at a future meeting to present scenario analyses and recommended carryover amounts for the Forest Reserve Fund.