<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Phil,<div><br></div><div>To add to Bruce’s comments about the auction proceeds, there is a discussion paper and a public comment period for that paper currently in progress. The public comment process closes on 8 Nov 2015, 10 days from now. For full information, see <a href="https://www.icann.org/public-comments/new-gtld-auction-proceeds-2015-09-08-en">https://www.icann.org/public-comments/new-gtld-auction-proceeds-2015-09-08-en</a> .</div><div><br></div><div>Steve</div><div><br><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On Oct 29, 2015, at 6:23 PM, Bruce Tonkin <<a href="mailto:Bruce.Tonkin@melbourneit.com.au">Bruce.Tonkin@melbourneit.com.au</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite">Hello Phil,<br><br><br><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> Dare I mention $60M gTLD auction proceeds<br></blockquote></blockquote><br>Well the auction funds are straight forward at the moment. They are completely segregated and won’t be spent until the ICANN community has completed its process on how these should be used. The amount of such funds is clearly reported publicly.<br><br>My understanding is that most of the volunteer resources in the ICANN community are consumed by the IANA transition and accountability work - so there hasn’t been much work done on the how to use the auction funds yet. I am aware though that it is proposed to form a cross-community working group to consider the topic.<br><br><br><blockquote type="cite"><blockquote type="cite"> and the $89.3 M "remaining balance" re new GTLDs as per the FY16 Operating Plan & Budget. <br></blockquote></blockquote><br>This is more complex.<br><br>One of the initiatives in the Board finance committee at the moment is trying to determine what level of reserve funds is appropriate for ICANN and whether the reserve should consist of different categories - e.g. a reserve against future new gTLD legal costs, a reserve for future security and stability issues etc.<br><br>I think the Board finance committee would welcome your views on how to manage and report on reserve funds. Once a DRAFT policy is developed - I think it would also be appropriate to put out for public comment before it is approved by the Board.<br><br>Feel free to reach out to Cherine and Asha on the reserve fund topic - as they are the co-chairs of the finance committee.<br><br>Regards,<br>Bruce Tonkin<br><br><br><br><br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>Accountability-Cross-Community mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Accountability-Cross-Community@icann.org">Accountability-Cross-Community@icann.org</a><br>https://mm.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/accountability-cross-community<br></blockquote></div><br></div></div></body></html>