SEA ISLE CITY MAYOR RESPONDS TO LIFEGUARD PENSION FUND REPORT

SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. — Mayor Leonard Desiderio is pushing back against recent reports that group Sea Isle City with other New Jersey shore towns facing underfunded lifeguard pension programs, emphasizing that the city’s fund is stable and fully supported. In a message to residents, Mayor Desiderio highlighted that Sea Isle City’s lifeguard pension trust fund now holds more than $1.2 million, while its yearly payout obligations are only about $20,000. He said that, based on these figures and guidance from the Office of the State Comptroller, Sea Isle does not need to increase its annual contributions and will soon pass a formal resolution to maintain lower yearly payments, as permitted under state recommendations. While the state audit identified a combined $34.2 million pension deficit across six shore towns, including Sea Isle, city officials stress that their own program is not at risk. Instead, Desiderio said Sea Isle is in a strong financial position to continue meeting its obligations to lifeguard retirees and was inaccurately grouped into broader deficit headlines. The mayor criticized coverage that failed to distinguish between municipalities, noting that each town’s financial situation is different. He assured residents that Sea Isle’s fund remains healthy, with sufficient reserves to cover current and future retirees.