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ABRIDGED REPORT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
NEW JERSEY STATE FIREMEN'S ASSOCIATION
Kenilworth, N.J. Saturday, November 21, 2009
President Heflich called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m.
Roll call was held. J. Genovay announced that all members were present with the exception of Executive Committeeman D. Simmons, Passaic County and Asst. Counsel Moore who were excused.
The following were also in attendance, Retired Field Examiner Phil Horsch, former Executive Committeemen Milton Cole from Bergen County, Al Bailey from Middlesex County and Ken Wigglesworth from Gloucester County.
Vice President Gunson led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.
Konrad Mellert gave the invocation.
President Heflich pointed out the emergency exits.
Oath of Office for Officers null; Executive Committee:
Counsel F. Cavallo administered the Oath of Office to all the Officers.
Counsel F. Cavallo administered the Oath of Office to all the Executive Committeemen.
Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting held on Thursday, September 17, 2009. In as much as the minutes have been distributed to all members, Mr. McNulty moved and Mr. Harvey seconded that they be accepted. The motion was approved.
APPEALS: None (0)
LIFE MEMBERS: (375)
Since the list of Life Members has been distributed, a motion was made by Mr. Christensen and seconded by Mr. McNulty, that they be accepted as listed. All approved.
OFFICERS REPORTS:
PRESIDENT HEFLICH PRESENTED HIS REPORT:
Myself and Vice President Gunson met with Valley Bank and Neopost at the League of Municipalities and they both will be coming in. Valley Bank will discuss submitting deposits direct from our office, instead of going to the bank. Neopost stated that their new machines opens letters and also fills them. We also might get a discount on our postage.
The letter we received from Secretary Jeffrey Betz of Mendham Twsp. FRA was totally out of order. I did that gentleman a favor by calling him. The letter was sent out on Friday and a response was due on Monday. If I did not call him it would have been late and they would not have been seated at the 2010 Convention. I explained that the $1,224.00 overpayment to Life Members must be paid back immediately and a copy of the deposit slip sent to our office.
Mr. Finnegan defended Jeffery Betz in his comments; it is unusual as he is very conscientious, they had not been seated only once during my fifteen (15) year tenure. Whether it was a threat or he anticipated it as a threat, certainly the short time period, the phone call that was made, but I think in all honesty when a person makes an honest mistake, the Treasurer making the payments and submits the forms, there has to be and there has been in the past, I know Financial reports have been filed by due dates and they have been corrected after the close date in the past. So. I think when the letter is mailed out on a Friday and the response is due back in on Monday, I don't think that's adequate time for an association to do it.
President Heflich stated as he stated to Mr. Betz, that why don't you get your forms in a week or two earlier and go over everything with your Treasurer to make sure your figures are right. It's not our fault that he put the wrong figures for the Life Members in there. Would you rather have nine associations not being seated or just two? Have seven more appeals here or does it make sense to call the association and try to resolve the issue.
Mr. Finnegan agreed that it was a courtesy by you and I called him as well to notify him that it had to be in and I know he has been around that $50,000.00 subsidy mark and that was the difference. President Heflich stated, what you should be telling them to make up that difference to get more money, don't pay the Life Members or the Delegates the full allotment like other associations due to get money. When we send a figure, what ever it was, they can pay up to that amount, they can pay their Delegates $300.00 and Life Members half of that. They don't have to absorb all the money for salaries and Delegates and Life Member expenses. That's a way to build up their treasury. If they are going to use all their money to pay Delegates and Life Members and for salaries they will never have any money. Remember, you Executives make the rules for us to enforce. It's not our fault they are in the position they are. There are 68 associations on subsidy.
Mr. Kelly remarked that two (2) of his associations from Monmouth County were very appreciative of the fact that President Heflich called them on the problem and that they were able to make the corrections on time.
Mr. Ordway also stated that associations always had time to make minor corrections or to provide information or whatever was necessary and that seems to be the one question. Being held to that Monday deadline, they were notified on Friday they would not have been seated. Could they have been extended a slight deadline to get that deposit slip in? President Heflich stated, it's not according to myself; it's according to our rules and regulations. I'm the new President; I feel lets get things in order, if I let one association get away with it, then what happens. Mr. Ordway stated, so, we are changing from the past, as there has been extensions beyond the deadline. President Heflich stated he doesn't know why there were extensions. To all Executive Committeemen you should notify your associations that they are playing Russian roulette when they send their forms in at the last minute regular mail and not by return receipt. If that gets lost, they will not be seated.
F.M.B.A. President Lavins remarks, they were totally out of order. I was on the phone with him for half an hour. When he put his remarks in Fire Focus News that goes over the whole State now from the Bureau of Fire Safety, he didn't add his email he sent trying to adlib why he put that in there. Our Convention is over 7,000 people and his Convention is 120 people. Myself, Vice President Gunson and President Emeritus Greenwald attended their Convention and they also had shorts, sandals and t-shirts on. After the Memorial Service the place cleared out. I don't think it was fair to us, there were two remarks made when Governor Corzine came in, which out of 7,000 we can accept. We have no control of who made the remarks.
I received many phone calls on the applications that were sent to every fire company by the New Jersey State Volunteer Firemen's Association. We have nothing to do with that association. It's a legitimate fire association and if they want to sign on for insurance, they may do so.
Received a phone call from Carl Ulrich asking why he didn't receive a response to his request letter. I explained that you received a letter from Secretary Weinberg, stating the next Executive Committee meeting will be held on Saturday, November 21st. and that it will be addressed at that time. You will receive written notification of their decision.
The Finance Committee was in and everything was in order.
I'm working with Executive Committeeman Pelaia from Essex County on relief problems with some of his associations.
Vice President Gunson and myself went to Monmouth County, Middletown FRA and I don't know whom it was but somebody gave them some bad information. We went to Burlington County and they also received wrong information.
I attended the reorganization meeting at the Firemen's Home a few weeks ago and I was sworn in again as Manager by virtue of my Office. I informed the Superintendent in front of the 23 Managers that I am a Manager.
We will not have another meeting until after the Holidays, so I wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
VICE PRESIDENT GUNSON PRESENTED HIS REPORT:
Want to thank all the Officers and the Executive Committeemen that assisted with the audits. They went well, we have a few associations that we will have to meet with to resolve some problems.
Under new business, I will request approval of a proposal from Specialty Systems for $44,916.00 for our imaging, which includes software, software support, setup, scanner work station and back up software. Our new server can store up to a million pages of scanned documents. They have also quoted us $40.00 per hour should we choose to use them for the scanning.
Reminder on the web page, we will be adding another menu item called 'Reports'. If you click on that it will show required due dates and what the penalty will be for all reports being late. Under the next drop down, will be outstanding reports, click on which report you want by County or Association and it will show you what associations are outstanding. Once reports are posted in the office it will show instantaneously on the web so all will be up to date. Caucus and Convention information for next year is already posted on the web. We are still missing some dates and locations for Caucuses and as soon as we receive them it will be posted. The next five years of Convention dates are already posted.
SECRETARY WEINBERG PRESENTED HIS REPORT:
I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Holiday.
TREASURER OSBORN PRESENTED HIS REPORT:
Also, I would like to wish everyone a Happy Holiday.
FIELD EXAMINER MAUSHARDT PRESENTED HIS REPORT:
2009 Treasurer Financial Reports has been completed and are scheduled to be mailed the week of December 1st.
COUNSEL CAVALLO PRESENTED HIS REPORT:
I have three (3) items to be discussed under Executive Session.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
SPECIAL RELIEF COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
Chairman Mellert reported on the following Special Relief payouts,
Nov. 2008 71 Approved Applications $ 80,000.00
Nov. 2009 95 Approved Applications $ 108,250.00
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
PENSION COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
Treasurer Osborn reported that they met today and normal business was transacted.
FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
COMPENDIUM COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
Chairman Thom reported that the committee has been meeting regularly and making a great deal of progress. We will have another meeting on Thursday, December 10th and once we complete all our work, we will recommend a special meeting of the Executive Committee to review all the changes with the entire committee.
JR. FIREFIGHTERS COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
Mr. Finnegan asked Mr. Genovay about pending Legislation on a Jr. Firefighter bill and it was noted it would probably die this year. There seems to be little support, so it may not be reintroduced next year and that is up to the bill sponsors.
DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
Chairman Finnegan reported that since our September meeting, I have been working with the Vice President and I was supposed to supply a list of insurance companies and the Vice President stated that he already had the list. I have received a roll up list of the various towns, the different sections of the towns that go into the ISO's. I have passed that out to the Local Associations and they have replied. I also sent a copy to an insurance salesman who is a volunteer fireman as he has been very helpful to our committee. What I would like to find out is approximately the number of insurance companies there are, as at the last meeting the President mentioned 21,000 insurances companies. I have heard 1,000 and I have heard 300. So the number seems to bounce around. We sent out letters to five insurance companies for verification of addressees. Vice President Gunson stated that letters did go out to five companies, there are eight associations that are working with Morris County and that they received approximately $ 260,000.00 of 2% monies last year. Our letters to the insurance companies stated that we received a number of complaints that they are using zip codes instead of property locations. We have requested from them a list of the property locations for the ISO reported on the 2008 filings. That is as far as we can go according to the Division of Banking null; Insurance. If they do not want to comply we cannot force them. We have the blessing from the Division of Banking null; Insurance that we may ask for the information.
NEW JERSEY FIREMEN'S HOME COMMITTEE REPORT SUBMITTED:
Chairman Dreby reported that he had met with Mr. Leonberg a couple of times. I will have a full committee meeting with him sometime after January 1st. They have reorganized and there have been some changes. The survey from the firemen's Home was mailed to all Executive Committeemen.
DELEGATE / LIFE MEMBER EXPENSES COMM. REPORT SUBMITTED:
Chairman Reeves noted that the committee would meet again on December 1, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. at the State Office to review all aspects of the Expense Allowance Voucher and 2010 expenses.
APPLICATION: None
OLD BUSINESS:
Mr. Finnegan noted that a typo error was made in the Abridged Minutes of the last meeting. Under the Firemen's Home Report, Page 5, Mr. Ordway's comments on the second line should have read 60% support, not 6%.
A motion was made by Mr. Harvey and seconded by many to go into Executive Session at 10:15 a.m. All approved.
A motion was made and seconded by many to return to normal business at 11:25 a.m. All approved.
NEW BUSINESS:
Secretary Weinberg read the Resolution for the Delegates and Alternates and the Exempt Delegate and Alternate Credentials for the 2010 Convention. Motion was made by Mr. McNulty and seconded by Mr. Reeves to approve both resolutions. Motion carried.
A motion was made by Mr. Christensen and seconded by Mr. Kelly to approve the Schedule of Meetings for 2010. All approved.
Field Examiner Maushardt reported one (1) Association who did not make the deadline with their 2009 Convention Expense Vouchers. They claim they mailed the forms on time and have a receipt, but have refused to submit a copy to resolve this problem. Motion by Mr. Ordway and seconded by Mr. Kelly to deny seating at the 2010 Convention. All approved.
Field Examiner Maushardt reported that the following associations did not submit their Electronic Filing Authorization forms on time. They are Westampton Twsp., FRA # 436, Burlington County and Lebanon Twsp. FRA # 476, Hunterdon County. A motion by Mr. Schoenstein and seconded by Mr. Gallo to not seat the two delinquent associations at the 2010 Convention. All approved.
A discussion took place on the letter request from Mr. Ulrich to attend Executive Committee meetings and receive a copy of all Abridged Minutes. A motion was made by Mr. Kelly and seconded by Mr. Harvey to deny Mr. Ulrich's request. All approved.
A discussion took place on a letter from Middlesex Boro FRA, responding to Mr. Pawlak's letter requesting a committee be initiated to review qualifications to run for Office as an Executive Officer of the NJSFA. The President will respond that we cannot dictate any qualifications, other than you must have a line number with our association.
Mr. Finnegan brought up the subject of having the Friday Convention starting time moved to a morning time slot similar to the Saturday session. It was noted that it would be a hardship on the many that travel to and from the Convention. A motion was made by Mr. Christensen and seconded by Mr. Harvey to maintain the same starting times. All approved.
Mr. Finnegan discussed the $50,000.00 subsidy and why and when that limit had been set. Should that amount be reviewed? Mr. Harvey reported that the number was based on total assets and it was agreed that it was a fair number. The President will appoint a new committee to review the subject.
A motion was made by Mr. Ordway and seconded by Mr. Christensen to authorize the mailing of the Abridged minutes to Past Officers and Executive Committeemen upon written request. All approved.
Mr. Ordway discussed a situation pertaining to the Waldwick Fire Chief, who is also a career fire fighter in Maplewood. He attended the Convention as a delegate from Maplewood for one (1) year. Then, as a volunteer from Waldwick, he attended for three (3) years as the Chief. I have been told that he does not get credit as Chief since his line number is with Maplewood and he goes as a 9999 Chief. I have a problem with this, as I don't understand it. Why can't he get credit? Mr. Ordway then makes a motion, that if a member has a legitimate line number and attends the Convention as Chief from another association, that he gets credit towards his Life Membership. Mr. Finnegan seconds the motion. Motion denied.
Mr. Dreby, on behalf of the Executive Committeemen, made a motion that we support all rules and regulations, standard of operation, that have been reduced to writing and that we will be following this up with a letter to all Elected Officers and that it be so placed in the minutes. Seconded by Mr. Ordway. All approved.
Motion by Mr. Ordway and seconded by Mr. Mellert to authorize, but not to exceed $ 55,000.00, for the new imaging system. Roll call vote.
Yes - 21 No - 0 Motion approved
GOOD OF THE ORDER:
President Heflich reported that Donald Simmons is back in the Hospital.
Secretary Weinberg read a letter from past Executive Committee Charles Smith
Being no further business, a motion was made by Mr.McNulty and seconded by Mr. Ordway to adjourn the meeting. All approved.
Meeting adjourned at 11:50 a.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Sanford (Sandy) Weinberg
Secretary
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