Rutherford
- 01Certified promotional giveaways as prevention programs22,607.94
- 02Paid 7,396.19 for 250 dog bag holders7,396.19
- 03Certified 211.86 of stress baseballs as L.E.A.D. education211.86
- 04Certified 2,375.00 of giveaways as a prevention program2,375.00
What the reports say,
and what the books show.
Rutherford has received $95,807.33 in opioid settlement funds and spent $38,146.13 of it.
The money, four ways.
Four figures describe the same settlement money. Each one comes from a different document.
Certified against the books,
every report year.
Every year this jurisdiction has filed, and the year it has not. The match on each row is computed from the rows, not judged.
filed
- Programs listed
- none
- Amount expended
- $0.00
- Received to date
- $18,365.43
filed
- Programs listed
- none
- Amount expended
- $0.00
- Unspent on hand
- $57,903.90
- Received to date
- $57,903.90
filed
- Program name
- L.E.A.D.
- Recipient
- Rutherford Police Department
- Recipient category
- Schools, Colleges, Universities
- Programs listed
- 4
- Amount expended
- $22,607.94
- Unspent on hand
- $55,886.95
- Received to date
- $80,494.89
filed
- Program name
- L.E.A.D.
- Programs listed
- 5
- Amount expended
- $9,255.55
- Unspent on hand
- $57,661.20
- Received to date
- $95,807.33
6 findings.
Every finding is verified to the documents in its own row. An inference is labelled as one.
Red with the marker: a certified figure the books contradict.
The FY2025 report certifies 22,607.94 expended between 07/01/2024 and 06/30/2025 (p1).
It reports the money as three programs of the Rutherford Police Department, each under Primary Prevention, Education, and Training (pp4 to 8). Opioid Prevention through Community Engagement is certified at 3,580.09. L.E.A.D., described as drug awareness and education for 6th grade students with a launch date of 01/01/2015, is certified at 3,730.63. National Night Out is certified at 15,297.22. The books show one vendor. Check 21516 on 11/12/2024 paid Kaeser and Blair 7,821.57 on order 24-01357 for National Night Out promo items, LED selfie lights, credit card bottle openers, beach balls, temporary tattoos, die cut stickers, a waterproof speaker, 150 eco journals, a photo prop and stadium cups. Check 21984 on 01/27/2025 paid 1,535.95 on order 24-02117 for eco journals with pen, a setup fee and freight. Check 22815 on 06/09/2025 paid 13,250.42 on order 25-00262, 5,854.23 for drug prevention promo items and 7,396.19 for 250 dog bag holders. The three payments make the certified figure to the cent. No payment to a school, an instructor, a curriculum or a provider appears. The three program amounts do not equal any set of the fifteen ledger lines. The report names programs. The books show merchandise, and no evidence-based prevention program using it is documented.
program-misclassification · 2 documents · 10/03/2026Order 25-00262 line 2 to Kaeser and Blair, encumbered 02/12/2025, is printed DOG BAG HOLDER (250).
Check 22815 paid it on 06/09/2025 for 7,396.19 from account G-02-40-213-954, National Opioid Settlements 2024. It is the largest single line in the audit trail. The FY2025 report counts it inside the 22,607.94 certified as three police prevention programs (p1, pp4 to 8). None of the three program descriptions mentions dog bag holders. No prevention program using them is documented, and no listed use covers them. The Borough's audit trail printed 10/02/2026 still shows the 2024 account fully expended at 9,739.17, with no credit, reversal or transfer.
non-conforming-spending · 3 documents · 10/04/2026The FY2026 report certifies 211.86 spent on L.E.A.D. between 07/01/2025 and 06/30/2026 (p8).
The FY2025 report describes L.E.A.D. as drug awareness and education for 6th grade students, filed under Primary Prevention, Education, and Training (p6). The FY2026 update reports 225 participants, 10 training or education sessions and opioid and CDS education for grammar school students (pp8 to 9). The books show one line that equals the figure. Line 4 of Kaeser and Blair order 25-01340, printed Baseball Stress Reliever, was paid by check 23256 on 08/25/2025 from account G-02-40-213-955 for 211.86. No payment to a school, an instructor or a curriculum appears in the year. The program the report names is education. What the books show for it is giveaway stress balls. No education program using them is documented, and giveaway merchandise is not among the uses Exhibit E lists.
program-misclassification · 3 documents · 10/04/2026The FY2026 report certifies 2,375.00 spent on National Night Out between 07/01/2025 and 06/30/2026 (p9).
The FY2025 report files National Night Out under Primary Prevention, Education, and Training and describes it as the Police Department's largest community event, where it hands out anti-drug materials (p7). The FY2026 update reports 0 training or education sessions, 0 services and 0 harm reduction supplies (p9). The books show three lines of Kaeser and Blair order 25-01340, paid by check 23256 on 08/25/2025 from account G-02-40-213-955. They are National Night Out promo items for 1,093.00, smooth stadium cups for 578.00 and items printed 9 inch Flyer for 704.00. The three lines make the certified figure to the cent. No payment to a provider, a speaker or a curriculum appears. The report names a prevention program. The books show event giveaways. No prevention program using them is documented, and giveaway merchandise is not among the uses Exhibit E lists.
program-misclassification · 3 documents · 10/04/2026The FY2024 report certifies 0.00 expended and 0.00 encumbered between 07/01/2023 and 06/30/2024 (p1).
It answers No when asked whether the Borough funded any program in that year (p2). On the same page, its answer to question 11 says funds used during the 2024 fiscal year went to community engagement events, the creation of the Borough's own anti-drug slogan and associated materials, L.E.A.D. education programs and county partnerships. Its answer to question 13 describes a National Night Out event where the Police Department promoted its anti-drug slogan. The audit trail for the three settlement accounts runs from 01/01/2022. It shows no payment of any kind before check 21516 on 11/12/2024, which is in FY2025. The report says settlement funds were used in FY2024 and certifies that none were. The books show none were.
self-contradiction · 2 documents · 10/04/2026Check 25384 paid Kaeser and Blair 6,282.64 on 07/13/2026 for order 26-00460, encumbered 03/09/2026.
The audit trail printed 10/02/2026 charges all fourteen lines to account G-02-40-213-955, National Opioid Settlements 2025 (p1). They are white vinyl footballs at 1,110.00, a line printed Police SUV at 1,740.00, baseballs at 459.00, eco notebooks with full color at 1,593.00 and Sonata glass pens at 305.00. The rest is 80.00 of repeat setup charges and 995.64 of estimated freight. The FY2026 report's 6,282.64 encumbered at 06/30/2026 is this order to the cent (p2). The payment falls in FY2027, which no report covers yet. The Borough's vendor report printed 10/02/2026 shows the same vendor paid from account T-03-56-850-865, Police Forfeited Funds, Federal Justice. Order 25-02048 bought LED pumpkins, with setup and freight, for 1,447.25, paid 02/25/2026. Order 26-01772, for items printed Pedova Ultra Hyde Zippered, was entered 09/08/2026 and was still open at 1,795.40 on 10/02/2026. No evidence-based prevention program using the merchandise is documented, and giveaway merchandise is not among the uses Exhibit E lists.
non-conforming-spending · 3 documents · 10/04/2026The ledger, as printed.
Account G-02-40-213-953, as printed from the jurisdiction's own accounting system. Classification follows the Exhibit E gates.
| Date | Check | PO | Payee and description | Amount | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · NATIONAL NIGHT OUT PROMO ITEMS | 3,067.64 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · ILLUMINATOR SELFIE LED LIGHT | 810.09 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · CREDIT CARD SHAPE BOTTLE OPENR | 414.50 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · STARS & STRIPES BEACH BALL | 410.75 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · 2" X 2" TEMPORARY TATTOOS | 193.40 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · 2" X 2" DIE CUT STICKERS | 257.40 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · WATER BOX WATERPROOF SPEAKER | 1,258.74 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · ECO JOURNAL. QTY: 150 | 691.50 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · 60" PHOTOPROP - QTY. 1 | 194.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 11/12/2024 | 21516 | 24-01357 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · 22 OZ STADIUM CUP W/REAL COLOR | 523.55 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 01/27/2025 | 21984 | 24-02117 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · ECO JOURNALS WITH PEN | 1,333.50 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 01/27/2025 | 21984 | 24-02117 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · SETUP FEE | 25.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 01/27/2025 | 21984 | 24-02117 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · ESTIMATED FREIGHT | 177.45 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 06/09/2025 | 22815 | 25-00262 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · DRUG PREVENTION PROMO ITEMS | 5,854.23 | Paid · Unverified |
| 06/09/2025 | 22815 | 25-00262 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · DOG BAG HOLDER (250) | 7,396.19 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/14/2025 | 22988 | 25-01150 | HILL SPEAKS LLC · RHS SR SEMINAR - GUEST SPEAKER | 1,500.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 07/14/2025 | 22988 | 25-01222 | HILL SPEAKS LLC · RSH SR SEMINAR - GUEST SPEAKER | 500.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 08/25/2025 | 23256 | 25-01340 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Baseball Stress Reliever with | 211.86 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 08/25/2025 | 23256 | 25-01340 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · National Night Out Promo Items | 1,093.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 08/25/2025 | 23256 | 25-01340 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Color book with full color | 455.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 08/25/2025 | 23256 | 25-01340 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · 8 Piece box of crayons with | 673.69 | Paid · Unverified |
| 08/25/2025 | 23256 | 25-01340 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Smooth Stadium Cup with full | 578.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 08/25/2025 | 23256 | 25-01340 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · 9" Flyer - Black with full | 704.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 03/11/2026 | 24684 | 26-00102 | NJ STATE ELKS ASSOCIATION · Student - O Sonani | 385.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 03/11/2026 | 24684 | 26-00102 | NJ STATE ELKS ASSOCIATION · Student - B Miller | 42.02 | Paid · Unverified |
| 03/11/2026 | 24684 | 26-00102 | NJ STATE ELKS ASSOCIATION · Student - A Nunziato | 385.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 03/11/2026 | 24684 | 26-00102 | NJ STATE ELKS ASSOCIATION · 2026 New Jersey State Elks | 342.98 | Paid · Unverified |
| 03/11/2026 | 24684 | 26-00102 | NJ STATE ELKS ASSOCIATION · Student - L Pal | 385.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 06/08/2026 | 25192 | 26-00933 | HILL SPEAKS LLC · Senior Assembly - | 2,000.00 | Paid · Unverified |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Estimated Freight | 180.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Baseball | 459.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Baseball Repeat Setup | 15.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Estimated Freight | 156.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Eco notebooks with full color | 1,593.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Eco notebooks Repeat Setup | 16.25 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Estimated Freight | 360.78 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Estimated Freight | 23.86 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Sonata Glass Pen, Black | 305.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · White Vinyl Football with one | 1,110.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Vinyl football repeat setup | 18.75 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Estimated Freight | 275.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Police SUV | 1,740.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| 07/13/2026 | 25384 | 26-00460 | KAESER & BLAIR, INC. · Police SUV Repeat setup | 30.00 | Paid · Non-conforming |
| Total paid | 38,146.13 | ||||
| Conforming abatement spending | 0.00 |
Vendors, and what paid them before.
What fund carried each payee before the opioid account, and how large the opioid slice is against the whole relationship. Bars share one scale.
Full width is $32,606.13, the largest payee total. Solid is the opioid account. Hatched is every other fund.
All documents are public records produced by the jurisdiction. Titles are the documents' own.
No dated event is published for this jurisdiction yet.
No correction received from this jurisdiction. If a figure on this page is wrong, send the record that shows it. The response is published here word for word.
Correct the recordCan opioid settlement money be spent on police cars or license plate readers?
No. Exhibit E of the national settlement lists the approved uses: treatment, recovery, prevention, harm reduction and related supports. Vehicles and surveillance hardware are not among the uses it lists, and state law bars using the funds to replace money a town would otherwise have spent.The approved uses
What did Rutherford tell the State it spent the money on?
It certified 9 programs to the Department of Human Services. Each program, its recipient and its amount are reproduced above, beside the payments in the account.See the reports
How was this grade computed?
By code, from a published rubric: reporting integrity 50 percent, spending conformity 40 percent, transparency 10 percent, with hard caps for a certified program that has no payee in the books, for an uncertified transfer out, and for a records refusal.The rubric
Articles about this town
Rutherford Borough
Rutherford Borough certified 22,607.94 of promotional merchandise, including 7,396.19 of dog bag holders, to the State as three police prevention programs, and did it again in FY2026.