Hamilton Township, Mercer County
Hamilton Township certified two police narcotics dogs, after prom parties and a police Night Out DJ to the State as prevention, moved school grants onto settlement money from a health grant, and filed reports whose received, spent, encumbered and unspent figures its own books do not support.
Published 10/03/2026
TLDR
- Hamilton Township bought two police dogs with settlement money. The purchase order for the first one calls it a narcotics detection dog. The Township told the State both were Primary Prevention, Education, and Training.
- The Township said it would measure that education by pounds of illicit drugs identified.
- Eleven days after ordering the second dog, the Township set up a 7,500.00 police K-9 grant. On 09/08/2026 it was still unspent.
- 20,000.00 went to after prom and after graduation parties. The purchase orders name Liberty Lakes, the Funplex, J-Dogs and Any Excuse For A Party. The State was told this was opioid prevention.
- Two of those party grants were paid from a health grant the year before, to the cent. A third was moved off the health grant by change order. Its purchase order still names the health grant.
- The police National Night Out got a DJ, three extra speakers and 860.00 of pretzels. That was certified as prevention too. It was paid seven weeks after the year closed.
- The FY2025 report says the Township received 158,898.63 that year. 68,498.65 came in.
- Every report since FY2024 gets received, encumbered or unspent wrong. The FY2026 report counts 10,024.28 the account had not paid as spent, and reports 0.00 encumbered with 15,337.66 in open orders.
Summary
Hamilton Township, Mercer County, certified receiving 375,943.15 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2026. Its revenue account shows 287,803.76 received through 05/28/2026. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic. It must add to local spending, not replace it.
The Division of Health runs the money through account G-02-41-837-100-001. Through 09/08/2026 the account paid 85,866.97, and 6,113.06 was still open.
| Payee | Purchase | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery Advocates of America | Recovery cost assistance, July 2024 to July 2026 | 49,942.02 |
| Three high schools | After prom and after graduation party grants | 20,000.00 |
| Green Leaf Pet Resort | Balance of the first police dog | 2,125.00 |
| Shallow Creek Kennels | Second police dog | 9,200.00 |
| Current Account | Staff overtime at the 2025 overdose awareness event | 2,489.95 |
| DJ Dan Murphy and James Tuttle | National Night Out DJ and pretzels | 1,860.00 |
| RWJBH Behavioral Health | Symposium registration | 250.00 |
| Paid through 09/08/2026 | 85,866.97 |
This project counts the Recovery Advocates payments and the overdose awareness overtime, 52,431.97, as listed uses. The two dogs, the party grants and the National Night Out costs, 33,185.00, are not among the uses Exhibit E lists, and no program using them is documented. The symposium registration, 250.00, is unverified. Read the Township's findings.
The police dogs
On 06/28/2024 the Township ordered a dog from Green Leaf Pet Resort for 8,500.00 on purchase order 24-03599. The order ships to the Police Division. It describes a German pointer, "K9 (NARCOTICS DETECTION) DOG FOR HAMILTON TOWNSHIP POLICE DEPARTMENT." The Township charged 6,375.00 to a health line and 2,125.00 to the settlement account. An AKC Reunite K-9 grant later repaid 6,225.00 of the health charge. Check 363 paid the settlement share on 07/30/2024.
On 05/09/2025 the Township ordered a second dog from Shallow Creek Kennels for 9,200.00 on purchase order 25-02711, described as a new police K-9 for the Police Division Chief's Office. The settlement account paid all of it by check 646 on 06/17/2025. On 05/20/2025 the Township appropriated a 7,500.00 AKC Reunite K-9 Cop 2025 grant. On 09/08/2026 that grant account showed 0 percent used.
The FY2024 and FY2025 reports list the dogs as Police K9 and Police K9 (dog 2). They give the primary problem as supporting PD infrastructure and resource improvements. They give the primary category as Primary Prevention, Education, and Training. They say the Township will track impact through pounds of illicit drugs identified and community education events attended. A police dog is not among the uses Exhibit E lists, and no prevention program using either dog is documented. Certified two police narcotics dogs as prevention education.
The parties
The Division of Health gives grants toward substance free parties after prom or graduation at three high schools. The State was told these grants are Project Graduation, a Primary Prevention, Education, and Training program under the Schedule B strategy Prevent Misuse of Opioids. The FY2025 report says the grant let the school provide activities, entertainment, and refreshments.
The purchase orders say what the money offset.
- Hamilton High School West, order 25-02087, 5,000.00. A 2025 after graduation event, with a 1,000.00 payment to Liberty Lakes.
- Nottingham High School, order 26-01857, 5,000.00. The 2026 after prom event, with payments to the Funplex of 2,000.00 and 10,000.00.
- Steinert After Prom Parents, order 26-01858, 5,000.00. The 2026 after prom event, with payments to J-Dogs and Any Excuse For A Party.
- Hamilton High School West, order 26-02626, 5,000.00. The check register calls it Project Graduation support.
Party costs are not among the uses Exhibit E lists. No prevention curriculum or evaluated program delivered at any of the events is documented. Certified after prom parties at the Funplex as prevention.
From 2023 to 2025 these grants came from the NJACCHO Enhancing Local Infrastructure health grant line.
| School | Health grant line | Settlement account |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton High School West | 8,000.00 in 2023, 9,615.00 in 2024 | 5,000.00 in 2025, 5,000.00 in 2026 |
| Nottingham High School | 10,000.00 in 2024, 5,000.00 in 2025 | 5,000.00 in 2026 |
| Steinert After Prom Parents | 8,000.00 in 2023, 10,000.00 in 2024, 5,000.00 in 2025 | 5,000.00 in 2026 |
In April 2025 the health grant paid Nottingham and Steinert 5,000.00 each. In April 2026 the settlement account paid each of them the same 5,000.00. The award letter to Hamilton High School West, dated 10/03/2024, says the money comes from NJACCHO grant funds. Its purchase order still carries the NJACCHO note. A change order dated 05/12/2025 moved it to the settlement account, and check 618 paid it eight days later. The FY2025 report gives the program a launch date of 10/03/2024, the date of the NJACCHO letter. Moved school party grants from a health grant to the fund.
National Night Out
The FY2026 report lists National Night Out for the Police Division as a Primary Prevention, Education, and Training program, 1,860.00 spent. The books show a DJ order, 1,000.00 for four hours of music and emcee, a sound system and three extra speakers, and a pretzel order, 860.00. Both were placed 06/24/2026 for the event of 08/04/2026 and paid 08/20/2026.
The Township paid the same DJ 1,000.00 for the 2025 event from another account, and paid for National Night Out music and pretzels in 2023. The Law Enforcement Trust paid 10,225.50 of the 2026 event, by checks dated 08/20/2026 and 08/25/2026. A DJ, speakers and pretzels are not among the uses Exhibit E lists, and no prevention program delivered at the event is documented. Certified a police Night Out DJ and pretzels as prevention.
Recovery Advocates
Recovery Advocates of America helps residents into treatment and recovery housing. Supporting people in treatment and recovery is a listed use. Its vendor history shows the Township paying it every month under order 22-02556 for service months 02/2022 through 06/2024, from two American Rescue Plan accounts. The last ARP payment, for June 2024, cleared on 08/20/2024. The July 2024 bill was the first paid from the settlement account. Every month since has been paid there, 49,942.02 through 08/25/2026. The FY2025 report lists the service among the new programs the Township funded that year, with 07/01/2024 as its launch date. The monthly amounts vary, and the record does not show whether ARP money remained for the service.
What the Township told the State
| Year | Certified received | Certified spent | Paid from the account in the year |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 58,624.84 to date | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| FY2024 | 111,990.50 | 2,125.00 | 0.00 |
| FY2025 | 158,898.63 | 35,617.73 | 37,742.73 |
| FY2026 | 46,429.18 | 48,923.92 | 38,899.64 |
The FY2023 report ties to the books.
The FY2024 report certifies 111,990.50 received. The revenue account posted 116,946.81. The difference is a Teva receipt of 4,956.31 on 04/30/2024 that the Township never appropriated. The report's received to date and unspent figures leave it out too. Left a 4,956.31 Teva receipt out of FY2024 received.
The FY2024 report also counts the first dog's 2,125.00 as spent. The account paid it on 07/30/2024, after the year closed. At 06/30/2024 it was an open order, and the report certifies 0.00 encumbered. The FY2025 report then leaves the same check out, which is why it certifies 2,125.00 less than the account paid. Reported a dog paid 07/30/2024 as FY2024 spending.
The FY2025 report certifies 158,898.63 received. The revenue account posted 68,498.65 that year. The certified figure equals two budget insertions on the spending account, 142,053.33 on 12/17/2024 and 16,845.30 on 05/21/2025. The first one appropriated cash the Township had held since 2022, and 94,961.14 of it had already been reported as received in FY2023 and FY2024. Reported 158,898.63 received when 68,498.65 came in.
The FY2025 report certifies 183,227.83 unspent and 0.00 encumbered. 183,227.83 is the appropriation less every program budget the Township reported, including 13,582.27 of Recovery Advocates budget that was neither spent nor encumbered. Unspent figure subtracts program budgets, not spending.
The 0.00 encumbered is wrong on its own terms. A 5,313.38 Recovery Advocates blanket line has been open since 11/07/2024. The account's own balance at 06/27/2025 is net of it. Certified 0.00 encumbered in FY2025 with 5,313.38 open.
FY2026
The State published the Township's FY2026 report on 10/01/2026. It covers 07/01/2025 to 06/30/2026. It certifies 48,923.92 spent, 0.00 encumbered and 186,394.00 unspent.
Three of its five program figures tie to the books. Project Graduation, 15,000.00, is the three 2026 school checks. The Global Crossroads Symposium, 250.00, is one registration. International Overdose Awareness Day, 2,489.95, is staff overtime from the 08/28/2025 event. Health, Buildings and Grounds and Park Maintenance overtime was moved off three current fund salary lines onto the settlement account on 12/26/2025.
The other two do not.
- Open Access to Recovery Services, 29,323.97, counts the full 15,000.00 face of the calendar 2026 Recovery Advocates order. By 06/30/2026 the account had paid 6,835.72 of it.
- National Night Out, 1,860.00, was ordered 06/24/2026 and paid 08/20/2026.
That puts 10,024.28 the account had not paid by 06/30/2026 into the spent figure. Counted 10,024.28 unpaid at year end as FY2026 spending.
The same report certifies 0.00 encumbered. Three orders were open on 06/30/2026, 15,337.66 in all. One of them, the 5,313.38 Recovery Advocates blanket line, has been open since 11/07/2024. Certified 0.00 encumbered with 15,337.66 in open orders.
The unspent figure, 186,394.00, is the account's appropriation balance at 06/30/2026 after those same open orders. It subtracts commitments the report says do not exist. It leaves out 9,429.73 the Township received and never appropriated. On the books the Township held at least 211,161.39 unspent at 06/30/2026. Left 9,429.73 received but never budgeted out of unspent.
The certified received total, 375,943.15, is 88,139.39 more than the revenue account shows through 05/28/2026. The Township has not produced the revenue account past that date.
What should happen
The two police dogs, the party grants and the National Night Out costs, 33,185.00, have no documented abatement program behind them. The Township can restore that money to the fund and spend it on a listed use or a documented abatement program.
The school grants were carried by a health grant before the settlement account paid them. The Township can show why the settlement money is not replacing that grant.
The State relies on these reports to verify compliance. The Department of Human Services should examine the FY2024, FY2025 and FY2026 reports and the records behind them.
How this project classifies spending is set out in the methodology and the rubric. Corrections follow the corrections policy.