Ocean City

Summary

Ocean City, Cape May County, reported receiving 342,568.44 in opioid settlement money through 06/30/2025. The settlements fund programs that address the opioid epidemic and give a non-exhaustive list of uses in Exhibit E. The list covers treatment, recovery, connection to care, prevention and harm reduction. Nearly every use must be an evidence-based or evidence-informed program. The money must add to what a town already spends, not replace it.

The City's settlement account, G-02-40-181-281, shows 66 payments from 04/14/2023 to 08/20/2026. A second account, G-02-40-181-289, shows three more in the City's vendor register. Together they total 379,640.06. This project classifies 262,356.70 of that as not conforming, 33,296.91 as conforming and 83,986.45 as unverified.

The City filed four reports with the Department of Human Services. They certify 14,505.00, 26,619.90, 169,497.88 and 141,968.20 expended. The first, third and fourth equal the payments in their periods to the cent. The FY2025 report names five new programs and one update. Each certified program figure is the exact sum of payments in the ledger. Three of them buy police and emergency equipment. Read the City's findings.

The LEAD Program Vehicle

The FY2025 report certifies a program named LEAD Program Vehicle at 83,553.90. It names the Ocean City Police Department as recipient and lists it under Schools, Colleges, Universities. It files the program under Primary Prevention, Education, and Training. It describes the purpose as connecting law enforcement and youth and providing "a mobile medicine drop." Its one indicator is "A predetermined amount of events."

Four payments make the figure to the cent.

Purchase order 25-00399 buys the Tahoe on state contract 21-FLEET-01485 and marks it L.E.A.D. VEHICLE. The lights and siren are on a second state contract, 17-FLEET-00758-MEE. The Gentilini invoice lists a flasher system, alternating red and blue rear warning lamps, a red and white dome light, siren and horn wiring, a spot lamp and a radio suppression package.

Seven months earlier, on 07/09/2024, the City paid the same dealer 157,591.83 on order 24-01784, a 2024 Tahoe 9C1 Patrol PPV line of 171,091.83 less a 13,500.00 police expo discount. That purchase was charged to PS/POLICE-VEHICLES, account 4-01-25-740-292, the City's ordinary police vehicle line. The Gentilini check register shows both. No drug drop and no youth program using the Tahoe is documented in any record the City produced. Certified a patrol Tahoe as a LEAD program vehicle.

The traffic signs

The FY2025 report certifies Electronic Traffic Signs at 17,065.65. It says the signs deter opioid use by displaying reminders about the dangers of opioids and promoting treatment resources. It measures impact by "Traffic volume data, vehicle counts, message rotation logs, surveys and feedback."

Purchase order 24-03149 makes the figure to the cent. It buys a SpeedAlert 24 radar trailer with data collection at 16,316.65 and a red and blue violator strobe at 749.00.

The All Traffic Solutions check register shows check 112663 of 12/06/2024 paying two orders. Order 24-03148 bought the same radar trailer and strobe for the same 17,065.65 and charged it to POLICE DEPT EQUIPMENT - NEW, a capital account. Order 24-03149 charged the second unit to the settlement account. Certified a radar speed trailer as opioid prevention signs.

The AED and CPR program

The FY2025 report certifies AED and CPR Equipment at 24,133.12. It gives the primary problem as "Opioid overdose treatment" and the category as Treatment. It gives the outcome sought as "return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in cardiac arrest victims."

Two orders make the figure to the cent. Purchase order 25-01270 bought nine HeartStart FRx defibrillators with cases and batteries for the Fire Department at 16,227.00. Purchase order 25-00423 bought CPR manikins, bag valve mask trainers and four Rescue Randy rescue manikins at 7,906.12. The invoices also show 20 packs of nasal naloxone trainers at 319.20.

The V.E. Ralph check register shows the City buying FRx defibrillators from the same vendor on its own budget lines, in 2022 on rescue services medical supplies and in 2024 on EMS new equipment. Defibrillators are not among the uses Exhibit E lists, and no overdose program using this equipment is documented. Certified defibrillators as opioid overdose treatment.

What the reports counted

The FY2024 report certifies 26,619.90 expended between 07/01/2023 and 06/30/2024. The account paid 21,119.90 in that period. The difference is the 5,500.00 golf cart wrap. Purchase order 24-01672 shows it received 07/09/2024 and paid 07/26/2024, after the period closed. The FY2025 report counts the same 5,500.00 again, inside the LEAD Program Vehicle. Counted the same 5,500.00 golf cart wrap in two years.

The FY2025 report certifies 0.00 encumbered but not yet spent. On 06/30/2025 a 30,600.00 order to ZSchool LLC for a certificate program for 68 was open. It was encumbered 12/13/2024 and paid 07/08/2025. Reported no encumbrance with a 30,600.00 order open.

The FY2025 report certifies 69,372.84 unspent on hand. Its own figures give 131,945.66. The report does not explain the 62,572.82 difference. FY2025 unspent balance does not follow from its own figures.

The first report

The FY2023 report lists two programs. The first, a L.E.A.D. program for fifth graders, is funded at 9,505.00 and described as a one day event. The account paid 9,000.00 for a pre-owned Columbia NEV4 electric vehicle and 505.00 to an ice cream vendor. Counted a used electric vehicle in a one day student event.

The second is JUNETEENTH 2023, 5,000.00 to Count On Comedy, filed as prevention and education with every descriptive field blank. Filed a comedy booking as prevention and education.

FY2026

The FY2026 report covers 07/01/2025 to 06/30/2026. It certifies 141,968.20 expended. The account paid exactly that in 20 lines, and the seven program figures add to the same total.

The vehicle update gives its change as "L.E.A.D. Program Vehicle." The program it updates is the one the FY2025 report filed under Primary Prevention, Education, and Training, the program that bought the patrol Tahoe. This time it is a pickup. The City paid another 13,916.68 on 08/06/2026 to upfit it and add 7,500.00 of graphics. Certified a 47,585.30 pickup as the LEAD program vehicle.

The AED and CPR update says a Lucas CPR machine was bought "for use by Ocean City EMS." Its indicator is cardiac arrest, "often secondary to opioid overdose." The program sits in the Treatment category. A LUCAS device gives chest compressions in cardiac arrest. It is not overdose treatment. Certified a LUCAS CPR machine as overdose treatment.

The City bought a LUCAS 3 system from the same vendor on 07/18/2025 for 29,480.29, charged to FIRE DEPT NEW EQUIPMENT, a capital account. In March 2026 it paid 3,148.40 for a five year LUCAS repair plan from its rescue services budget. Ten months after the capital purchase the settlement account paid for another. The Stryker check register shows all three payments. Bought a LUCAS device ten months after a capital one.

The bicycle program names the Schedule B strategy Support People in Treatment and Recovery and reports 11,000 people served. It bought bicycles for the police unit. Certified police unit bicycles as recovery support.

Spending since 06/30/2026

Since 07/01/2026 the account has paid 13,916.68 to upfit the Silverado and add graphics and 15,000.00 for software from Blue Voice, Inc. The second account paid 3,632.40 for adult and infant or child defibrillator pads and an outdoor AED cabinet.

Naloxone

None of the 69 payments buys naloxone. The FY2023 report lists naloxone distribution among its indicators. The FY2025 report says the City tracks the naloxone kits it distributes. The City's own register shows it bought naloxone for rescue services from its operating budget in 2018 and 2019. No naloxone bought with settlement money through 08/31/2026.

What should happen

The accounts have paid 262,356.70 that this project classifies as not conforming. Most of it is vehicles, police equipment and cardiac equipment. It also includes three 10,000.00 payments to the high school After Prom Committee. The FY2024 report describes that program only as an incentive for high school age kids to stay sober after prom. No record shows what the money bought, and no evidence-based program is documented. The City certified the largest items to the State under program labels the purchases do not match. The records show the City already buys the same equipment from its own budget. No documented overdose or prevention program uses any of it. The City can restore that money to the fund and spend it on programs that address the opioid epidemic.

The State relies on these reports to verify compliance. The Department of Human Services and the Office of the State Comptroller should examine the FY2025 and FY2026 reports, who prepared them, and what records support them.

How this project classifies spending is set out in the methodology and the rubric. Corrections follow the corrections policy.