Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss takes issue with the State Comptroller’s report saying the township spent $632,000 in opioid settlement funds by holding two “Opioid Awareness” concerts without consulting health experts, public safety officials, or residents.
“We’ve been going back and forth with the comptrollers office for a while,” Vauss said. “It’s just a very unfortunate situation. We have several documents which contradict their story.”
Irvington is one of many municipalities to receive opioid funds as part of settlements New Jersey and local governments struck with pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and others for their role in the deadly opioid epidemic.
“Rather than using the funds thoughtfully for prevention, treatment, or recovery efforts, OSC found Irvington leaders decided to hold two “awareness” concerts, in 2023 and 2024, with no input from even the township’s own health and public safety officials, community groups, or residents on the frontlines of the crisis,” according to a press releaser from OSC.
The mayor and his department heads decided to spend opioid funds on a 2023 awareness concert after a single meeting, according to the comptroller, who said the event ended up costing more than $350,000.
Nearly $13,000 was spent on renting “38’ Luxury VIP” trailers for the talent, and thousands of dollars more were spent on items like generators, an ice maker, popcorn machine, cotton candy machine, four flavors of shaved ice, a hot food display stand, and catered food, the release said.
“These funds are supposed to be lifelines for communities overwhelmed by the opioid epidemic – not a slush fund to host concerts and throw parties,” said Acting State Comptroller Kevin Walsh. “Irvington wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars that should have been used to save lives and help people recover from addiction.”
Irvington’s then-director of Health and Senior Services said she and her staff only learned about the June 10, 2023 event after seeing a flyer. She decided on her own to set up an information table at the event, according to OSC.
“We had VIP tickets. They were for Irvington residents,” Vauss said. “People came from all over. We wanted the Irvington residents up front.”
In 2024, the township opted to hold a second “awareness” concert without tracking metrics or evaluating outcomes of the first event, the report said, noting that the final tab on that event was nearly $280,000.
Although the concerts were billed as “opioid awareness” events, the promotional materials Irvington provided to OSC had no information about addiction or how to obtain treatment—they only promoted the artists, the mayor, and the concerts. Irvington officials claimed that thousands attended and the mayor and others delivered substantive public health speeches at both concerts, but Irvington provided little evidence to support these claims.
“With all due respect to the OSC, they know nothing about my community and the people within it,” Vauss said. “This initiative is about saving lives and bringing people together to eliminate the stigma associated with addiction. We maintain that we did nothing wrong, and while the OSC may feel differently, they have no right to misrepresent our finances in this investigation.”
Irvington also said that Narcan—a life-saving drug—was distributed at both events. OSC said it found no evidence that it was distributed at the 2023 event. And in 2024, just five days before the concert, the township asked a nonprofit to donate 50 Narcan kits. The township did not use any of its opioid funds to purchase Narcan, according to the comptroller.
“They said we didn’t have Narcan at the event and we did,” Vauss said. “We sent them pictures, showing that we did.”
While the Township invited service providers to set up tables and interact with members of the public at the 2024 event, OSC’s report said, “these were afterthoughts and could have happened at any community event.”
OSC also said that Irvington violated procurement law by awarding six-figure contracts to businesses tied to Antoine Richardson, a DJ who was put on Irvington’s payroll after Vauss was first elected mayor in 2014.
Richardson, known as DJ Qua, holds the title of “Keyboarding Clerk 1,” but has no set hours or office and said he works “as needed.” His only duties are DJing township events and providing audio services, according to OSC.
Without seeking competitive bids, as the law requires, Irvington awarded two contracts, valued at $368,500, to Richardson’s family businesses in order to secure musical guests for the concerts.
The township maintains this falls under an “extraordinary unspecifiable services exception,” which allows for the acquisition of services of an artistic character.
“We ensured that all certification and procedural requirements were met before awarding the contract,” the township said in a letter to Walsh.
From 2021 through 2024, Irvington awarded contracts totaling at least $468,900 to Richardson’s family businesses. During the same period, Richardson was paid a total of more than $180,000 in salary while receiving benefits and pension-eligible service time, according to OSC.
In a letter to the state comptroller, the township said the idea behind the concert was to attract and engage.
“Celebrity influence attracts large audiences, spreading the message and story of the opioid crisis,” the letter said.
The concerts also gave the township a chance to spread awareness and disseminate informative content and support services in a non-stigmatizing approach.
The concerts featured individuals who have experienced the devastating effects of opioid addiction, humanized the issue and encouraged empathy and understanding. The musical performances included artists who have been personally affected by addiction or have created music with related themes, resonating deeply with the audience.
There were also guest speakers and experts available to provide insights about opioid addiction, treatment options, and prevention strategies, the letter said.
In a letter to the governor and state Senate president, the township accused the OSC of tarnishing the reputation of Irvington, doing a politically motivated investigation strategically releasing the report to the media to embarrass the target of the report.
“They were saying things in this report they know were not true,” Vauss said. “They have the documents. Why are they still saying this?”
After learning of the opioid money spent on the concert in 2023, OSC sent a confidential advisory letter to Irvington on May 21, 2024, recommending Irvington cancel its June 8, 2024 concert, recoup public funds, and rebid any future services. Irvington declined, held the concert, and later allocated additional opioid funds for planning a 2025 event.
Nearly a year later, when OSC sent a draft of the report for review and comment, Irvington responded first by suing for defamation. Since then, Irvington has taken legal actions to block OSC from releasing the report, including requesting—and being granted—a court order temporarily restraining OSC, the Governor and legislative leaders from distributing the report. The Appellate Court later lifted the order, and the N.J. Supreme Court rejected Irvington’s appeal—clearing the way for OSC to release the report.
“We are prepared to defend ourselves vigorously and seek justice for the mischaracterization of our efforts,” the township said in a statement. “Irvington remains committed to addressing the opioid crisis with integrity and compassion. We appreciate the support of our community as we navigate these challenges and continue to work towards a healthier future for all residents.”
Vauss has asked the governor and state Senate President Nicholas P. Scutari to investigate the Office of the State Comptroller.
“An independent agency should be appointed to conduct an audit review of the OSC’s practices and the allegations raised by the Township of Irvington,” Vauss said in a letter. “This investigation should include a review of their report’s methodologies, data sources, and conclusions.”
The OSC “not only disregards the truth but also operates with impunity, creating an environment that instills fear among local officials and employees,” the letter said.
In documents sent to OSC, the township provided evidence of numerous other concerts held to raise awareness about opioid addiction, including an event in Morristown and similar concerts in Nebraska, Georgia, California, South Carolina and at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.
“The Township’s Opioid Awareness Concerts followed this well-established public health model. The event blended high-profile musical performances with direct service provision including but not limited to: Onsite Narcan training; Consultations with a Rutgers-affiliated clinician; Information booths offering treatment referrals, harm reduction education, and opioid disposal guidance; live announcements from the mayor and other council members encouraging safe use, doctor engagement, and awareness of statewide needle exchange programs,” the document said.
The township estimated that more than 3,000 residents attended the event. Given that the township has approximately 61,000 residents this equates to an approximately 4% participation rate which is considered exceptional for public health outreach, especially in an urban setting, according to township officials.
The township’s events met their goals and had a quantifiable impact on the community. At least four individuals sought treatment on-site during the events, facilitated by participating medical professionals; others received Narcan training and kits; and hundreds more received education on opioid use, prevention, and recovery resources, according to documents from the township.
The township provided to OSC a letter from Rochelle Turner of the Rutgers Health, New Jersey Medical School’s Medications for Addiction Treatment Center of Excellence, which said that her agency has “attended past concerts to engage potential clients, share resources, and establish connection with other community organizations.”
“This engagement ensures that necessary services are delivered with the utmost care and expertise, ensuring the accessibility and inclusivity of services,” the letter said.
OSC has made 28 recommendations, including calling for the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide more oversight and concrete guidance to local governments on how to properly spend opioid funds.
“Local governments are asking for direction, and DHS is the agency with that expertise,” said Walsh. “A passive approach by state government risks setting local governments up to fail and may invite more waste.”
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