Allentown officials seek funding for municipal alliance

ALLENTOWN – The Borough Council has authorized the submission of a strategic plan to assist with funding for a municipal board.

During a recent meeting, council members passed a resolution authorizing the submission of a strategic plan for the Upper Freehold-Allentown Municipal Alliance grant for fiscal year 2019 in the amount of $39,949 from the federal Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund, $29,962 in-kind (any asset other than cash) and a $9,987 cash match.

Members of the alliance work to spread awareness of substance abuse and seek to prevent it from occurring in the two communities they serve.

According to the resolution, the Borough Council has applied for funding to the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse through Monmouth County.

The resolution states that the Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse established municipal alliances for the prevention of alcoholism and drug abuse in 1989 to educate and engage residents, local government and law enforcement officials, schools, nonprofit organizations, the faith community, parents, youth and other allies in efforts to prevent alcoholism and drug abuse in communities throughout New Jersey.

“The Borough Council recognizes that the abuse of alcohol and drugs is a serious problem in our society amongst persons of all ages and therefore has an established municipal alliance committee,” the resolution states. “The Borough Council further recognizes it is incumbent upon not only public officials, but upon the entire community to take action to prevent such abuses in our community.”