FREEHOLD – The Borough Council has authorized the submission of a strategic plan to assist with funding for a local organization.
On Dec. 18, council members passed a resolution authorizing the strategic plan for a grant for the Freehold Borough and Freehold Township municipal alliance.
The grant will be for fiscal year 2019 and will consist of $41,010 from the federal Drug Enforcement and Demand Reduction Fund, $30,757 in-kind (any asset other than cash) and a $10,252 cash match for a total alliance budget of $82,020.
The alliance is formally known as the Freehold Municipal Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse. Members of the alliance work to spread awareness of drug abuse for residents of Freehold Borough and Freehold Township and seek to prevent it from occurring in the community.
According to the resolution, the Borough Council 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 established a 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.”
In other business, the council passed a resolution authorizing the purchase of two law enforcement vehicles, a total $52,792, from Winner Ford of Cherry Hill. The purchase was authorized after council members determined that Freehold Borough police pursuit vehicles need to be replaced, according to the resolution.
The council passed a resolution awarding a $58,500 contract to Falkinburg Tree Service of Brielle for tree removal and trimming. According to the resolution, Freehold Borough has one of the more significant inventories of shade trees in Monmouth County and the decision to award the contract was based on a review of the recent tree inventory and from complaints that municipal officials have received.
Finally, the council passed a resolution awarding an $18,960 contract to Best Building Maintenance Corp., Teaneck, for janitorial services. Buildings covered by the agreement are Borough Hall, the public works service center, police headquarters and the Freehold Public Library.
