Middlesex County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund introduces $1.69 million 2025 budget, approves interim payments after closed session

The Middlesex County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund introduced a $1,688,700 fund-year budget and certified member assessments at a Sept. 29, 2025 meeting in Bridgewater, then approved interim payments after a closed-session discussion, fund officials said.

The budget introduction, presented as an action for adoption at the fund's next meeting, lists $1,688,700 in total fund-year expenditures and is primarily made up of operating costs, the fund's executive director, Barbara, said. The fund also distributed an assessments-by-member schedule that assigns $1,000,006.88 across active fund years as the basis for supplemental assessments and potential returns of surplus.

The budget matter matters because it establishes how member municipalities and participating entities will be assessed for the coming year and how prior-year activity (the fund noted active years 2001 through 2024) is allocated into the 2025 assessment calculation. Barbara, the fund's executive director, told commissioners the methodology apportions the 2025 total back to each active fund year based on that year's share of total billings, then allocates that portion to each member by that member's percentage within the given year. Barbara said the adoption vote will occur at the next scheduled meeting.

In other fiscal reports, the executive director said the fund expects to receive a draft of the 2023 audit before Thanksgiving after follow-up work with HFA auditors. Barbara said she, Glenn and Joe will meet to address a punch list of requested documents so auditors have what they need to complete the 2023 audit and help expedite the 2024 audit work.

Leon, the fund attorney, updated commissioners on ongoing work related to the fund's dissolution plan. He said the fund is continuing to work with the Department of Banking and Insurance to finalize the department's comments on the dissolution plan and is reviewing comments from former members who submitted objections. Leon said the fund is awaiting a decision from Judge Bartels on motions filed by the MCUA, by the fund, and by the Department of Banking and Insurance; he said the court's ruling is expected to clarify several open issues related to collection of supplemental assessments but provided no date for a decision.

The board moved into a closed session during the meeting "for claims and contractual matters," as noted on the record. After returning from the confidential session, commissioners approved interim payments tied to matters discussed in the closed session; the board voted on the interim payments by roll call but did not disclose confidential details in open session.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of Aug. 21, 2025 open- and closed-meeting minutes — Approved by recorded roll call. - Introduction of the 2025 fund-year budget and certification of assessments (total budget $1,688,700; assessments allocation reference $1,000,006.88 across fund years 2001–2024) — Motion introduced and approved; formal adoption scheduled at the next meeting. - Motion to enter closed session for claims and contractual matters — Approved by recorded roll call. - Approval of interim payments based on confidential-session discussion — Approved by recorded roll call. - Motion to adjourn — Approved.

The meeting was held at 12:30 p.m. and was also broadcast via Zoom. Commissioners present answered roll call in the affirmative during votes recorded on the transcript; the public-comment period produced no speakers. The fund indicated it will continue follow-up work on audits, finalize assessment notices to members, and await the court decision on dissolution-related motions.

The fund did not disclose confidential claims or contract details discussed in closed session. Adoption of the 2025 budget and certification of the assessments remains scheduled for the fund's next meeting.