The meeting commenced with the introduction of Barbara Murphy, who is set to become the executive director for the JIF in 2024. Her addition to the team was met with commendation. Following this, the Board of Commissioners passed resolutions regarding the selection of leadership positions for 2024. Harry Delgado was nominated and accepted the role of chairman with supportive remarks from fellow members, while Joe Zang secured the position of secretary after a similar motion and second.

Chairman Delgado expressed his appreciation for the confidence bestowed upon him and proceeded to address general resolutions, including the proposal to hold four in-person meetings in 2024. He emphasized the need for consistency in setting interest rates on delinquent assessments, a topic that garnered consensus among the commissioners to maintain the previous year’s rate.

A significant portion of the meeting revolved around compliance with safety regulations, with particular focus on fire departments. Concerns were raised about the lack of attention to safety standards, notably in areas such as emergency exits, electrical circuits, and overall training. The JIF acknowledged that these issues had been overlooked and committed to addressing them moving forward.

Moreover, the financial report presented at the meeting revealed impressive savings of 2.5% of charges and a 67% reduction from end-of-year charges. This, coupled with a 97% network utilization, painted a positive financial picture for the JIF at the end of 2023. The report prompted further discussions on the financial health of the fund, but no additional inquiries were made by the members.

In terms of addressing past financial matters, it was reported that progress had been made with Bradley Beach accepting the terms for deficit repayment, while negotiations with Southbound Brook were ongoing.

Another key topic discussed was the resolution to honor Janette Larrison, the former chairperson, for her service over the past three years. Although the resolution was not read on the record, its approval underscored the fund’s appreciation for her contributions.

Looking towards future operations, the JIF discussed the authorization to issue RFQs (Request for Quotations) for 2024.

Public engagement and transparency were also addressed during the meeting. Questions from the public centered on the availability of documents on the JIF’s website, the roles of current members, and the involvement of the incoming executive director, Barbara Murphy, in other GIFs.

The meeting concluded with a motion to enter a closed session, which was necessary for the discussion of sensitive matters in a secure environment.