Washington Township trustees will vote Aug. 11 on the final $5,000 payment to the Dublin Education Foundation, wrapping up a three-year, $15,000 grant that funds drug and alcohol prevention programs across Dublin City Schools.
The money comes from Washington Township's share of the OneOhio Opioid Settlement against pharmaceutical companies that manufactured, distributed and sold opioid painkillers. Trustees unanimously approved the grant on July 9, 2024, after DEF President Melissa Bogner and Vice President Deb Papesh told the board the foundation could fund only 54% of the drug and alcohol prevention grant requests it received — $8,862 of $16,432 requested.
What the money has funded
At the Dec. 9, 2025 board meeting, DEF Treasurer Josh Wilke reported to trustees that approximately $25,000 in new grants had been awarded, with nearly every school building in the district benefiting. Specific programs include a Building-Wide Resiliency Initiative at Deer Run Elementary, focused on building resiliency skills with family activities reinforcing lessons at home, and a cross-curricular project launched at Eversole Run Middle School and replicated at Karrer Middle School. At each middle school, 50 to 60 student projects are expected, with 10 to 20 centered on mental health topics such as creating positive after-school spaces.
One eighth-grade project at Eversole Run focused on drunk driving's community impact.
Wilke told trustees at the same December meeting that the focus on addiction has broadened to include social media and technology addiction alongside drugs and alcohol. Dublin Police Chief Páez noted that school resource officers now provide drug abuse prevention programming in Dublin City Schools, replacing the former DARE program.
Accountability questions
The grant requires DEF to report to trustees twice a year on how funds are spent. That requirement hasn't gone smoothly.
At the Aug. 12, 2025 meeting, when trustees approved the second $5,000 installment, Trustee Jan Rozanski said DEF's June 2025 presentation did not adequately demonstrate that township funds were used specifically for drug and alcohol prevention. He requested improvements in reporting.
"The Township funding was designated specifically for drug abuse awareness and prevention initiatives," Rozanski said at the Dec. 9, 2025 board meeting, reiterating the grant's conditions.
DEF representatives Gretchen Taylor and Melissa Bogner acknowledged at the June 10, 2025 presentation that they would improve their reporting to meet the biannual stipulation. Wilke told trustees at the Dec. 9, 2025 meeting that the township's grant had played a significant role in advancing mental health and addiction-prevention efforts in the district.
What's next
According to the Aug. 11 meeting agenda, DEF will present another update to trustees before the final-installment vote. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Washington Township Administration Building, 6200 Eiterman Road.
