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McKeown Commission debates use of roughly $1,100 remaining in display/preservation budget
Summary
Commissioners discussed options for spending about $1,100 left in this fiscal year’s McKeown display/preservation budget — buying display equipment or contracting preservation work — but procurement rules and timing prevented a final decision and a purchase motion failed for lack of a second.
The McKeown Commission debated how to use a small, remaining fiscal‑year balance at its June 1 meeting, but did not approve any spending before the June 30 deadline.
Chair Rebecca Trumper told commissioners the commission receives $2,500 annually from the city to cover security services and related expenses for Art Walk and other after‑hours uses of the McKeown Room. The commission’s packet included three vendor display options; one commissioner moved to buy a tabletop flip display (the packet’s item 3) but the motion failed for lack of a second.
Secretary Annette told the commission that city finance guidance prevents funds from being encumbered or rolled over without a purchase order (PO) and a signed contract, and she cautioned that a service contract would likely require more lead time and approvals than the commission could complete before June 30. “Unless we have a PO and a two year contract, they'll — they don't roll over,” she said.
Some commissioners favored spending the balance on display equipment so the money would not return to the general fund; others argued the funds would be better spent on preservation consulting but acknowledged that hiring a consultant would require a service contract that could not practically be completed before the fiscal year ended. Commissioners also noted that a prior preservationist contract with Karen Zukor had ended earlier and any remaining PO had been closed and reconciled.
After discussion, the motion to purchase the tabletop flip display did not receive a second and no formal purchase was approved. Commissioners noted the remaining balance will likely revert to the city general fund unless a valid procurement path is established before the fiscal‑year close. They directed staff to place budget planning and acquisition‑criteria items on future agendas so the commission can better plan purchases in advance of fiscal deadlines.
The commission also discussed adding a calendar to its future‑agenda list to prevent last‑minute spending decisions caused by the commission’s schedule (the body meets every other month and typically pauses over summer).
