Hillsborough approves opioid-settlement committee and consent payments; public asks about settlement amounts and Brown Avenue funding

Hillsborough Township on Jan. 28 approved consent-agenda resolutions that included establishing the 2025 opioid-settlement committee and appointing two settlement coordinators, while also clearing claims and project payments on the claims list.

During public comment Maria Janusic, a Hillsborough property owner, asked how much money the township has received from the opioid settlements and what the settlement coordinators will oversee. The resident specifically questioned Resolution 44-2025 (establishing the opioid-settlement committee) and Resolution 50-2025 (appointing Melinda Maggio and Rebecca Grossman as opioid-settlement coordinators for 2025 and authorizing stipends).

Administrator Ferreira (staff) responded that Hillsborough is part of the statewide settlement process and the township is scheduled to receive money over the next 20 years; the administrator said they could not provide the exact per-year figure on the record during the meeting but described prior-year uses of the funds, including the purchase and distribution of Narcan kits. Ferreira estimated there were "several million dollars over the next 20 years" as part of the settlement flows to municipalities but did not provide a specific Hillsborough payout during the public comment.

On the claims list and consent items a resident also asked about items tied to municipal projects: one entry showed approximately $227,532.75 for four police vehicles, and a separate payment tied to Hillsborough MUA engineering work (about $244,003.41) described as ARP-eligible engineering fees. The resident asked whether Brown Avenue extension work was being paid by township taxpayers. Attorney Willard and other officials explained the Brown Avenue extension was originally a county project turned over to the township and funded with state NJDOT grant dollars and an escrow posted by the property owner; Willard said reimbursements to the property owner come from grant receipts and that "none of this project is being funded by Hillsborough Township taxpayers." The committee advised residents to contact the CFO for itemized claim-line explanations.

What happened at the meeting: the consent agenda (items 1 through 20) was moved and seconded and approved by roll call (Ben Breeding, Committeewoman Hand, Committeeman Lapani, Deputy Mayor Payne and Mayor Ciccarelli voted yes). The opioid-settlement committee for 2025 was established and two coordinators were appointed with annual stipends authorized by resolution; the transcript and published consent documents did not list the stipend amounts during public comment and the resident was told details will be presented at a later meeting.

Clarifying details: the administrator confirmed past settlement-related spending included Narcan kits; exact Hillsborough settlement receipts and the annual stipend amounts for Maggio and Grossman were "not specified" on the record during the meeting. Attorney Willard said the Brown Avenue extension funds are managed through developer escrow and state grants and that the township is acting as project administrator after the county transferred responsibility.

Ending: Officials told residents that the CFO and relevant staff would provide further line-item details about claim payments and that the opioid-settlement coordinators will report on planned uses of opioid-settlement funds in future presentations.