City of Rahway
The City of Rahway has received 372,200.18 in opioid settlement money, spent 28,442.78 of it on a 6th grade drug prevention event, certified the event's pizza, snack boxes, photo booth and shirts as prevention, and twice told the State it held far less cash than its own figures show.
Published 10/03/2026
TLDR
- Rahway has received 372,200.18 in settlement money since 2022. Through 05/28/2026 it had spent 28,442.78.
- The reports put all of it in one program, a yearly drug prevention event for 6th graders. The City says its staff taught the class for free.
- The money bought the extras. 6,468.00 went to pizza, snack boxes and event food. 800.00 went to a photo booth. 542.00 went to shirts. All of it was certified to the State as prevention.
- The FY2024 report put cash on hand at 40,886.45. That is the balance of one budget line. The City's own figures leave 99,343.11.
- The FY2025 report put cash on hand at 125,982.06. That is one year's receipts less one year's spending. It drops the 99,343.11 carried in.
- The FY2024 report says 0.00 was encumbered on one page and 15,805.55 on another. The books show nothing open.
Of the money received, 92.4 percent is still unspent.
Summary
The City of Rahway, Union County, reports receiving 372,200.18 in opioid settlement money from 2022 through 06/30/2026. The money must go to the abatement uses the national settlements list, or to documented evidence-based programs that address the epidemic.
The City charges its settlement spending to budget line 03-215-55-245-123, National Opioid Settlement CY 2023. The line was adopted at 56,692.00 and raised to 63,870.55 on 12/15/2025. A second line, 03-215-55-245-125, was adopted at 64,496.00 for 2025 and had charged nothing on 05/28/2026.
The reports place every payment from the opioid line in one program, the 6th Grade Drug Prevention Program run by the Health Department and the Police Department. The reports say it uses the Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence curriculum. The City's spending totals match its books, so the books show what the program bought. The program bought food, a photo booth and shirts, among other things. Its FY2024 and FY2025 cash figures do not match its own receipts. Read the City's findings.
What the City told the State
| Report | Received to date | Certified spent | Certified encumbered | Certified on hand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 43,183.22 | 0.00 | not asked | not asked |
| FY2024 | 115,148.66 | 15,805.55 | 0.00 | 40,886.45 |
| FY2025 | 242,550.72 | 1,420.00 | 4,427.43 | 125,982.06 |
| FY2026 | 372,200.18 | 11,217.23 | 0.00 | 343,757.40 |
The FY2023 report lists one planned program, Opioid Prevention Educational Sessions, with funding and launch dates marked TBD. The FY2024 report describes a drug prevention program for 6th graders held on 05/17/2024 with the Board of Education and Hackensack Meridian. It reports 240 participants. The FY2025 report describes the same program held on 05/16/2025. The FY2026 report lists the program again at 12,000.00 funded and 220 served. It names Amazon Business, Lili360, R and J Pizzeria and the Union County Performing Arts Center as recipients.
Each report says the City has no strategic plan and no risk assessment, and plans both in the future.
What the City spent
| Payee | Purchase | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Inflatable | Described as shipping pick up, 05/14/2024 | 10,198.00 |
| Amazon Business | Inflatable lung, inflatable brain, laminator, prevention supplies | 5,444.23 |
| Il Forno a Legna | 100 snack boxes and event food | 4,150.00 |
| Halo Branded Solutions | Described as opioid grant | 2,945.56 |
| R and J Pizzeria | Event food | 2,318.00 |
| Union County Performing Arts | Hamilton Stage | 1,625.00 |
| LILI360 | 360 video booth, two events | 800.00 |
| Atlantic Uniform | Shirts for health | 542.00 |
| NASCO Education | Humectant fluid | 319.99 |
| L.E.A.D. Inc. | Grant | 100.00 |
| Spent through 05/28/2026 | 28,442.78 |
A 66.00 Il Forno order paid 07/01/2025 was taken back off the line by journal on 08/14/2025. It is not in the table.
This project classifies 7,810.00 as non-conforming. That is the food, 6,468.00, the photo booth, 800.00, and the shirts, 542.00. No listed use covers them. The other 20,632.78 is unverified. The L.E.A.D. payment, the Amazon supplies and the venue are tied to the school program only by the City's own reports. No invoice or course material was produced. The branded items, the humectant fluid and the 10,198.00 Medical Inflatable payment have no record showing what they were. Nothing is classified conforming.
The FY2026 report explains the purchases. It says the class was taught at no cost by Police and Health Department staff. It says a local food vendor provided food for attendees, and a vendor provided a photo booth as an engagement activity for students.
Food, a photo booth and shirts
Each report certifies its spending under Primary Prevention, Education, and Training, with the strategy Prevent Misuse of Opioids. Because each program figure ties to the books, the books show what the program bought.
| Date | Payee | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05/14/2024 | Il Forno a Legna | 100 snack boxes | 1,700.00 |
| 07/01/2025 | Il Forno a Legna | Food for drug prevention event | 2,450.00 |
| 05/13/2026 | R and J Pizzeria | Food for drug prevention event | 2,318.00 |
| Food | 6,468.00 |
Certified pizza and snack boxes as drug prevention.
| Date | Payee | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09/13/2023 | Atlantic Uniform | Shirts for health | 542.00 |
| 05/19/2025 | LILI360 | Booking for 05/16/2025 | 400.00 |
| 05/13/2026 | LILI360 | 360 video booth | 400.00 |
| Total | 1,342.00 |
Certified a photo booth and shirts as drug prevention.
The spending figures tie
Each spending figure the City certified equals its books to the cent.
| Report | Certified spent | Paid from the line in the year |
|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| FY2024 | 15,805.55 | 15,805.55 |
| FY2025 | 1,420.00 | 1,420.00 |
| FY2026 | 11,217.23 | 11,217.23 |
| Total | 28,442.78 | 28,442.78 |
The FY2025 report certifies 4,427.43 encumbered. That is Amazon order 149708 for 1,977.43 and Il Forno order 150389 for 2,450.00. Both were paid on 07/01/2025 and both are inside the FY2026 figure. Four spending reports match the books to the cent.
One line does not agree with itself. The FY2024 program page prints 15,805.55 encumbered for the program. Question 7 of the same report prints 0.00. The 2023 and 2024 budget detail reports show every order paid by 06/24/2024 and nothing open. Certified 15,805.55 encumbered that the books do not show.
The FY2024 cash figure
The FY2024 report covers 07/01/2023 to 06/30/2024. It certifies 115,148.66 received since 2022 and 15,805.55 spent. The FY2023 report certifies nothing spent. That leaves 99,343.11. The report certifies 40,886.45 on hand.
| Record | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified received since 2022 | 115,148.66 |
| Certified spent, FY2023 and FY2024 | 15,805.55 |
| Left on the City's own figures | 99,343.11 |
| Certified on hand, FY2024 | 40,886.45 |
| Difference | 58,456.66 |
The 2024 Budget Detail Report for line 03-215-55-245-123 prints an adopted budget of 56,692.00 and an ending balance of 40,886.45. The certified figure is the budget line's balance, 56,692.00 less the 15,805.55 spent. The difference is the 58,456.66 received but not appropriated to the line. No payment left the line between 06/24/2024 and 05/19/2025. Reported a budget line balance as cash on hand.
The FY2025 cash figure
The FY2025 report certifies 242,550.72 received since 2022 and 1,420.00 spent in the year. With the 15,805.55 spent in FY2024, that leaves 225,325.17. The report certifies 125,982.06 on hand.
| Record | Amount |
|---|---|
| Certified received since 2022 | 242,550.72 |
| Certified spent, FY2023 to FY2025 | 17,225.55 |
| Left on the City's own figures | 225,325.17 |
| Certified on hand, FY2025 | 125,982.06 |
| Difference | 99,343.11 |
The certified figure is the year's receipts, 127,402.06, less the year's spending, 1,420.00. The difference is the 99,343.11 left from earlier years. Taking out the 4,427.43 certified as encumbered still leaves 220,897.74. Left 99,343.11 of earlier receipts out of cash on hand.
The FY2026 report certifies 343,757.40 on hand. That is 372,200.18 received less all 28,442.78 certified spent. It includes the 99,343.11.
Receipts
The City produced a revenue report for account 03-192-10-245-000. It prints 48,788.53 received in 2024 and 4,725.46 on 05/02/2025, and nothing for 2023 or 2026. That does not account for the 372,200.18 the City certified. This project has not tested the receipts figures against the books.
How this project classifies spending is set out in the methodology and the rubric. Corrections follow the corrections policy.