diff --git a/user_channel/channel_mgmt.hpp b/user_channel/channel_mgmt.hpp
index 44aaed6..89e069e 100644
--- a/user_channel/channel_mgmt.hpp
+++ b/user_channel/channel_mgmt.hpp
@@ -232,16 +232,13 @@
      */
     int writeChannelVolatileData();
 
+  private:
     uint32_t signalFlag = 0;
-
     std::unique_ptr<boost::interprocess::named_recursive_mutex> channelMutex{
         nullptr};
-
-  private:
     std::array<ChannelProperties, maxIpmiChannels> channelData;
     std::time_t nvFileLastUpdatedTime;
     std::time_t voltFileLastUpdatedTime;
-    std::time_t getUpdatedFileTime(const std::string& fileName);
     boost::interprocess::file_lock mutexCleanupLock;
     sdbusplus::bus::bus bus;
     bool signalHndlrObjectState = false;
@@ -409,6 +406,15 @@
      */
     void processChAccessPropChange(const std::string& path,
                                    const DbusChObjProperties& chProperties);
+
+    /** @brief function to retrieve last modification time for the named file
+     *
+     *  @param[in] fileName - the name of the file for which to acquire
+     *  timestamp data
+     *
+     *  @return time the file was last modified
+     */
+    std::time_t getUpdatedFileTime(const std::string& fileName);
 };
 
 } // namespace ipmi