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Abridged Report with Attachments
ABRIDGED REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
NEW JERSEY STATE FIREMEN’S ASSOCIATION
WALL TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY
NOVEMBER 18, 2023
The meeting was called to order by President Ordway at 9am in accordance with the New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act. He stated that notice of this meeting was posted on the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association website as required, pursuant to the provisions of the Open Public Meetings Act (Chapter 231, P.L. 1975). The fire exits were pointed out.
Vice President Hankins led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance.
A moment of silence was observed for our past members.
OATH OF OFFICE:
Counsel Cavallo swore in the Officers and Executive Committee for their current term.
ROLL CALL:
First Assistant Secretary Brian Martone announced that all members were present except for Executive Committeemen Naylis, Mazzarella, Walker and Florio, who were excused. Also, present were Past Secretary Sanford Weinberg. President Ordway recognized past Warren County Executive Committeeman Mellert.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
The Abridged Minutes and Verbatim Minutes of the September 14, 2023, Executive Committee meeting were approved as distributed on a motion by Executive Committeeman Fazekas, seconded by Executive Committeeman Kurdyla. Motion Carried 17-0.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Per Secretary Pelaia, there were no additional communications.
LIFE MEMBERS:
Secretary Pelaia reported that 347 members achieved Life Membership this year. A motion was made by Executive Committeeman Scheuer, seconded by Executive Committeeman Otterbein, to grant Life Membership to all members who attained it at this year’s convention. Motion Carried 17-0. A list of those members is in the packet and attached to these minutes.
OFFICERS REPORTS:
Vice President Hankins:He asked all executives who have not submitted the date and place of their 2024 caucus to submit them to him ASAP. President Ordway reminded the executives that locations and workshops must be held in a facility that is ADA compliant.
Secretary Pelaia:He had no written report but reported the following:
1) There will be two resolutions to be voted on under New Business regarding the 2024 Convention. Both are the standard resolutions approved each year to have the associations elect delegates and an exempt delegate to the convention.
2) Certificates and pins for the 347 Life Members approved this morning will be sent to the association secretaries within the next week.
3) The Active Membership Reports and the Financial Standing Reports must be completed and finalized online, printed out, signed and either mailed, emailed, or faxed to us by the due date. Instructions for these reports are on our website under the Forms Tab.
4) Officer Listings (due February 1) and Report of Delegates and Alternates elected (due May 1) will also be done online, as they were last year.
5) Anyone needing help with reports or other matters should feel free to contact us here in the office.
First Assistant Secretary Martone:He stated that he has several updates to the Secretary Manual and will place the update online shortly. He is also working to update the Treasurer Manual with Treasurer Mullen and that should be online shortly. He is also going to put together a manual for Trustees, which should be online shortly.
Second Assistant Secretary Dreby: The 2023 Memorial Service video has been received. The video company will be putting it online shortly on the website’s home page, under the Annual Memorial Services tab. He said that he is copying the county executive when he notifies the local treasurers that he needs more information with the bank statements.
Treasurer Mullen:
- The 2022 audit is complete. It will be distributed as soon as we receive it,
- He continues to work on having the IRS penalties dismissed for the associations that received them. Most of these penalties were issued because the association filed manually instead of online.
- He continues working with Intuit and the bank regarding direct deposit for the employees and executives.
Field Examiner Hollingsworth:Her report is in your packet. Additionally:
1) There is a list of associations that need to be put under review due to errors on their Relief applications.
2) She has received some of the dates for the 2024 Field Exams. She still has not received dates from some of the counties that have Field Exams in 2024. She requests those county executives to forward her the dates and places as soon as possible.
3) The Annual Financial Standing Report online `entry for 2023 will be available online in December. She noted that this year the total amount that an association can spend on administrative expenses is located under line 30 on the disbursements page.
Counsel Cavallo:No report.
Assistant Counsel Morris: No report.
President Ordway:
1) The State Office will be closed November 23 & 24in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. The State Office will be closed starting Monday, December 25for the winter break and will reopen Tuesday, January 2. We will also be closed on Monday January 15and Monday, February 19.
2) Applications for Special Relief & Supplemental Relief need to be received in the NJSFA State Office by Friday, December 1 for them to be processed for this calendar year. He reminded everyone that Local Relief granted for 2023 must be paid by December 31.
3).Reports due:
- a) Fourth Quarter Relief Paid Report is available online and must be submitted/finalized by January 30. Once the 4th Quarter Relief Report is finalized, you will be able to import relief for the year 2023 to your Financial Standing Report.
- b) Officer Listings must be completed and finalized online and submitted no later than February 1, 2024. The Officer Listing report will be open on the website starting November 27, REMEMBER: The compendium states that officer elections are to be held in December.
- c) The Financial Standing Report must be done online, printed out, needed signatures affixed along with support documents and submitted to the State Office by February 20, 2024. It can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to LocalReports@njsfa.com.. Remember, if mailed, get a tracking number.
- d) The Convention Delegates selection report must be done online. It is submitted to us when you finalize it. This year, the Relief and Exempt Delegates and Alternates will be on one entry screen. If our records show that you have an Exempt Association, it will appear on the entry screen. If you do not have an Exempt Association, the Exempt Delegate will not show on the screen. You cannot put one individual in multiple spots. The entry screen will open on the website on November 27, and the report will be due by May 1, 2024.
- e) The Active Membership Report will open online on December 23. This will be so that we can get new applicants into the system, before formatting the report. Once the report is formatted by our office, we cannot add anyone to the report or move anyone to a different association. Ater finalizing the reports it must be printed out and signatures affixed and sent in no later than February 28. It can be mailed, faxed or emailed to LocalReports@njsfa.com. Remember, if mailed, get a tracking number. REMINDER: After we receive the Active Membership Reports, we will be running a report on who is not qualified and has had zero(0) percent qualifying time for the last five consecutive years. Local association officers will be notified that those individuals will be removed from the roster and will no longer be eligible for benefits. They will have a chance to explain why someone should be kept on, i.e., military leave.
- f) Any local officer who has an issue entering data on any reports should notify our office immediately. Sometimes errors are made in the programing. and if that is the case, other Associations will probably have the same issue. If we are notified early enough, we can have the problem fixed.
- g) The 2024 Convention will again be a two-day convention and will be held on September 13-14,2024
- h) He asked if any of the Executives do not want a tablet. Once the tablets are received. Executives will receive a NJSFA email address, and all items and reports will be sent to that email address and not their personal email address.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
ADVISORY/SPECIAL/SUPPLEMENTAL COMMITTEE:Executive Committeeman Walker was absent. Field Examiner Hollingsworth said that he has requested that the report for Special and Supplemental Relief include the amount paid and the Association. She said she has prepared this report and is in the packets.
COMPENDIUM COMMITTEE:Executive Committeeman Roemmich reported that he will be having a meeting after the first of the year,
DELEGATE AND LIFE MEMBER COMMITTEE:Mr. Florio was absent and informed President Ordway that he will have a meeting prior to the February Meeting.
FINANCE COMMITTEE:The Finance Committee report has been submitted and is attached to the minutes.
HEALTH CARE ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE:The report has been submitted and included in the packets.
FIREMEN’S HOME COMMITTEE: Chairman Otterbein reported that there are 2 items in the packet. The first one being a letter dated October 30 regarding the October 24th meeting of the Laison Committees which was cancelled. In speaking with the Chairman of the Home Managers, Mr. Washer, the NJSFA Executive Committee and the Board of Managers are in contact regularly and there is no reason to have a Laison Committee Meeting currently. The second item is that there are 3 Abridged Minutes from the past meetings of the Firemen’s Home Managers.
INVESTMENT COMMITTEE:No report.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE: Chairman Martone said that his report is in the packet. He also reported that he attended the State League of Municipalities Convention. He is trying to hook up with the other State Organizations to share ideas and current Legislation There are 2 Bills that are on our watch list that are sitting on the Governor’s desk.
LONG RANGE PLANNING COMMITTEE:No Report
PENSION COMMITTEE:Treasurer Mullen stated that the committee met prior to the meeting and discussed issues regarding two former Executive Committeemen, which were resolved.
RESOLUTION COMMITTEE:No report.
SALARY COMMITTEE:No report.
FIRE SAFETY COMMISSION: Chairman Naylis was absent. President Ordway stated that the Fire Commission will be meeting here in our office for their quarterly meetings in January and May 2024.
APPLICATIONS: None
OLD BUSINESS: A motion was made by Executive Committeeman Kurdyla, seconded by Executive Committeeman Lane, to remove Warren Township from Oversite. PASSED 17-0.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: None
NEW BUSINESS:
1) A motion was made by Executive Committeeman Otterbein, seconded by Executive Committeeman Kurdyla, to have the Secretary cast one ballot for the election of Executive Committeeman John Lane as Chairman of the Executive Committee. Passed 17-0.
2) A motion was made by Executive Committeeman Lenarski, seconded by Executive Committeeman Scheuer, to have the Secretary cast one ballot for the election of Executive Committeeman Robert Kelly as Secretary of the Executive Committee.Passed 17-0.
3) A motion was made by Executive Committeeman Phillips, seconded by Executive Committeeman Kelly, to accept Resolutions 1 and 2, which call for associations to elect delegates and alternates to the 2024 convention and Exempt Associations to elect a delegate and alternate, to the 2024 convention.Passed 17-0.
4) A motion was made by Executive Committeeman Lane, seconded by Executive Committeeman Scheuer, to approve the meeting schedule for 2024. Passed 17-0.
5) President Ordway reported that the Advisory Committee recommended that four qualified members be removed from the rolls of the New Jersey State Firemen’s Association per the Compendium Section XI Section 1. Motions were made and seconded to remove three qualified members from their associations for Moral Turpitude and one qualified member from his association for theft. All Passed 17-0.
6) President Ordway reported that he will have a complete report on subsidy prior to the February Executive Committee meeting , to be reviewed by the Executive Committee.
7) President Ordway reported that he will have a report and recommendation on or before the February Executive Committee meeting on the insurance money received that is held back by the State Association.
8) President Ordway stated that there is a list of 17 associations who need to be placed on review due to errors and omissions on their Relief Applications. This is strictly to have their Executive Committee person review their applications so the errors will be corrected going forward. He emphasized that this is not a punishment. A motion was made by Executive Committee Scheuer, seconded by Executive Committeeman Kurdyla. Passed 17-0.
9) Field Examiner Hollingsworth mentioned that there is a list of associations who have not submitted bank statements. She mentioned that we are receiving many more bank statements than before and asked the executives to follow up on the associations who have not submitted them.
10) Executive Committeeman Speigel mentioned that former Committeeman Mellert has done research on all our past Executive Committee members. He asked if the list of past members of the Executive Committee can be placed on our website. President Ordway responded that it can and will be done. Committeeman Speigel then asked if we have an employee who assists in processing the Health Care applications. President Ordway said yes, and she also handles the Relief applications that the office receives.
11) Executive Committeeman Handlin suggested that we have the Compendium Committee review the salaries paid through the administrative expenses for local officers. He suggested that they consider a possible laddering of the salaries based on the local’s administrative expenses. Compendium Chairman Roemmich responded that it will be addressed by the Compendium Committee at their next meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
President Ordway opened the meeting to public comment and asked First Assistant Secretary Martone to read the following: The New Jersey State Firemen’s Association welcomes comments from the members of the audience. He further stated that the secretary will note all comments and because of this, he asked anyone speaking to state their name and address before speaking and to keep their comments to a three-minute time limit. Concerns stated or actions requested by the public will be taken under advisement by the Executive Committee for investigation, discussion, and possible action or disposition at a later date.
- Former Warren County Executive Committeeman Mellert thanked all the officers and executives who attended his caucus this year. It was an honor to have them attend his final caucus and wish him well on his retirement. He thanked President Ordway for recognizing him at the Convention. He mentioned that he was disappointed with the Resolution Committee regarding Resolution #6, regarding adding siblings to the individuals eligible to receive the Burial Benefit. He stated that the Burial Benefit for the individual in question was paid to the funeral home and the Resolution Committee should have addressed this in their recommendation.
- Michael Cleary, Jersey City, inquired about how we list our bonds in our financial reports. There was some discussion that they be listed as Fair Market Value. President Ordway and Treasurer Mullen responded that they will be listed as such in the future.
There were no further public comments.
GOOD OF THE ORDER
- President Ordway thanked all officers and the Executive Committee for their participation today. We got a lot accomplished. He then reminded everyone that the next Executive Committee meeting will be Saturday February 24, 2024, at 9am. He further mentioned that we have not had an officers meeting during the past month due to people being in and out of the office during this period. He then stated that he assumed that the Present Officers will be running for office again. He said he is mentioning that so that people who may be considering running are aware of this.
- Executive Committeeman Lane thanked the executives for their confidence in him and Executive Committeemen Kelly for their support in electing them Chairman and Secretary of the Executive Committee.
- Executive Committeeman Kelly thanked everyone for their cards and well wishes after his current accident and injuries.
With no other business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:56am.
Respectfully submitted,
Thomas J. Pelaia, Secretary
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