[IL][Condo] Can we use reserves without “budgeting” for that?

Our master association board is divided on our spending. We have ample reserves and have been in a favorable financial position for many years.

Some board members are hesitant to spend reserves on property improvements because they claim it’s not in the budget. However, the budget is created by only one member, and the board accepts it without much scrutiny. While the budget is well-balanced, the person who creates it is very strict about adhering to it.

My concern is that certain expenses or considerations that arose after the budget was created were not anticipated. Some argue that the board’s duty is to maintain the common area, and that the board can move to use reserves even if they’re not specifically budgeted for.

This situation sometimes feels like a stalemate, and I believe our property has suffered as a result of this mindset. Over the past 15 years, our reserves have remained steady, but we haven’t had any assessment increases during that period either. Some things have remained unfixed for many years, and new board members would like to change that now, rather than waiting for the next years budget (the next year will bring its own ideas that were not foreseen in that years budget either).

Maybe, better yet, how would you define a “budget”? What is it really for?