Middlesex County JIF discusses dissolution plan, faces public calls for greater transparency

The Middlesex County Municipal Joint Insurance Fund on Aug. 21 discussed a preliminary plan to dissolve the fund, approved Resolution 2025-01 on agent for service and location records and moved into a closed session to discuss pending litigation. The meeting, held in Council Chambers, included extended public comment criticizing the fund's transparency and recordkeeping.

Chairman Delgado opened the meeting and described the preliminary dissolution plan as drafted "in good faith on the direction of Toby to effectively wind down the fund," and said the plan was submitted to the Department of Banking and Insurance and the Department of Community Affairs on July 22 for regulatory review. He said the agencies have 90 days to comment and that amendments are expected before any approval.

The dissolution plan matters because the fund's forming members remain severally liable for claims that arose while they were participants, a point Delgado stressed as commissioners and staff work to ensure outstanding claims are paid.

During the administrative reports, Executive Director Murphy told commissioners the 2023 audit is expected to be released to the fund in September for review and that staff continue to provide requested financial materials to auditors. "It is anticipated that the 2023 audit will be released in September to us in direct form for our review," Murphy said.

Administrator Kurtz notified the board of a recent slowing of plan payments and said payments from Monroe had been received in the office and would be deposited as quickly as possible so approved settlements could be paid.

In public comment, Michael Connelly, an attorney representing the Township of Milestone, said Milestone submitted written comments on the preliminary dissolution plan on Aug. 20 and that his firm's submission should be incorporated into the record. "I would just incorporate the written statements into the record today," Connelly said.

Charlie Cradetteville, identifying himself as president of New Brunswick Today, criticized both the fund and state regulators for what he described as failures in transparency and openness. "We should be supporting changes in the law that would require transparency from joint insurance funds," Cradetteville said, and raised concerns about settlements, public-records responses and the decision to stop recording some Zoom meetings at the end of 2024.

Members of the public also asked why a one-page set of minutes they received did not include vote results and why certain vendors named in earlier resolutions continue to be paid; commissioners said staff and counsel would follow up and respond through the proper public-records procedures.

On business items, commissioners moved to approve the July 15 open and closed meeting minutes and approved Resolution 2025-01 concerning agent for service and location records. The board then voted to go into closed session to discuss litigation and claim updates; no additional public actions were announced when the board reconvened. The fund scheduled its next meeting for Thursday, Sept. 18, at 10 a.m.

Votes at a glance: approval of July 15 minutes (motion and second taken; Commissioners Jules and Zangnick and the chairman recorded yes votes; outcome: approved); Resolution 2025-01 (motion made and seconded; roll-call vote recorded as in the meeting and the chair announced approval); motion to enter closed session (moved and seconded; outcome: closed session held); motion to adjourn after reconvening (moved and seconded; roll call recorded yes votes and meeting adjourned).

Public-records and transparency questions raised at the meeting included requests for full sets of minutes showing vote tallies, release of weekly reports requested under OPRA and why recordings were discontinued beginning Dec. 31. Commissioners and counsel said they would accept and process formal records requests and would follow up on specific questions raised during public comment.

The meeting record shows commissioners limited public comment to three minutes per person and stated they could not respond to questions in that forum but would receive written comments, including ones submitted for the preliminary dissolution plan to DOBI and DCA.