[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. 1963, adopted 7-24-2007, established a Municipal Youth Services Commission to consist of the same membership and same terms of office as the Municipal Alliance and to hold meetings at the same time as the Municipal Alliance. Said ordinance also provided that the Municipal Youth Services Commission is authorized to submit applications for grant funding, subject to the approval of the Township Committee, and that it shall have a budget as authorized by the Township Committee. A complete copy of Ord. No. 1963 is on file in the office of the Township Clerk.
[Ord. #1860, 3-28-2006, adopted]
The purpose of this section is to establish the Bernards Township Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse, whose mission is to provide consultation, programs, training and resources to the Bernards Township community with the goal of preventing and reducing the use and abuse of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
[Ord. #1860, 3-28-2006, adopted]
There is hereby established in the Township of Bernards a permanent committee to be known and designated as the "Bernards Township Municipal Alliance Against Substance Abuse" (hereinafter referred to as "Alliance"). The Alliance must publish an agenda for each Alliance meeting, adopt bylaws, keep minutes of all Alliance meetings, permit public comment at meetings and have a quorum of Alliance members for action to be taken by the Alliance - a quorum is 50% of the official Alliance membership plus one.
[Ord. #1860, 3-28-2006, adopted; Ord. #1982, 11-1-2007, amended]
a. 
Membership to the Alliance shall consist of 15 members, which shall formally meet on a monthly basis. Members shall be selected by the Township Committee and shall serve for a period of one year commencing at the Township Committee's annual reorganization meeting and ending on December 31 of that calendar year. The Township Committee shall annually designate one of the members to serve as Chairman and presiding officer.
[Ord. #2118, 8-10-2010, amended]
b. 
Membership to the Alliance may include but shall not be limited to the following:
[Ord. #2092, 12-15-2009, amended; Ord. #2118, 8-10-2010, amended; Ord. #2262, 2-25-2014, amended]
1. 
A representative from the Township Committee.
2. 
A representative or an employee of the Board of Health.
3. 
A member of the Township's Board of Education or a designated Board of Education staff person.
4. 
A representative of the Township Police Department. An alternate Police Department representative shall also be appointed to act in the absence or temporary disability of the regular representative.
5. 
A representative of a Parent-Teacher Organization in Bernards Township. An alternate Parent-Teacher Organization representative can be appointed from another Parent-Teacher Organization.
6. 
A local Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) or local Bernards Township school representative.
7. 
A representative of a local civic association.
8. 
A representative of local religious groups.
9. 
A representative of the senior citizen community.
10. 
A representative with significant knowledge of substance abuse treatment and prevention or a representative from a substance abuse treatment organization.
11. 
Three private citizens who reside in the Township.
12. 
Two students who reside in Bernards Township.
[Ord. #1860, 3-28-2006, adopted]
The responsibilities and powers of the Alliance shall be as follows:
a. 
To create a network of community leaders, private citizens and representatives from public and private human services agencies who are dedicated to a comprehensive and coordinated effort to promote and support drug and alcohol prevention and education programs and related activities with an emphasis on all ages along the developmental life processes.
b. 
To conduct an assessment of their community to determine the needs of the community in relation to alcoholism and drug abuse issues.
c. 
To identify existing efforts and services acting to reduce alcoholism and drug abuse.
d. 
To coordinate projects within the municipality to avoid fragmentation and duplication.
e. 
To develop programs to be implemented at the municipal level or participate in regionally developed programs that accomplish the purpose of the Alliance effort and the purpose of the Municipal Alliance Committee.
f. 
To assist the municipality in acquiring funds for Alliance programs.
g. 
To cooperate with the Governor's Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, the County Local Advisory Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse and the Alliance Steering Subcommittee to provide municipal data, reports or other information which may be required for the County Annual Municipal Alliance Plan or needed to assist the Alliance effort.