The Jefferson Township Municipal Alliance Committee for a Drug-Free Community presented a powerful panel discussion on the dangerous consequences of drug and substance abuse on Jan. 8 at Camp Jefferson. The second in a series, the discussion featured speakers offering four different points of view, all very pertinent to the topic.

PHOTO/JOHN R. LUCIANO

Guest speaker Michael Frank of the Alumni Association of the Morris County Drug Court speaks about how the court helped him to recover from addiction at the Municipal Alliance Committee meeting on Jan. 8. Other speakers wait their turn.

"The title 'Consequences' is so far reaching and means different things to each panelist, and to each of us," Debi Merz said.

Merz is a co-chair of the Alliance and a Jefferson Township councilwoman. She opened the meeting to a crowd of concerned residents and volunteers who contribute to the township's efforts to fight drug abuse. The four speakers for the evening were:

Julian Hill, Esq., from the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, who is the Morris County Drug Court Program Assistant Prosecutor

Detective James Caruso of the Jefferson Township Police Department who is the head of the detective bureau

Michael Frank, an alumni of the Morris County Drug Court and head of its Alumni Association

Superintendent Joseph Kraemer of the Jefferson Township school district

The meeting drew a crowd of about 40 people. Mayor Russell Felter was in attendance, as was Councilman Michael Sanchelli and Community Affairs Police Officer Joe Hale. School substance abuse counselors Joanne Martino and Barbara Francavilla attended, as did Missy Murtha and Donna Costanzo, two local PTA presidents.

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Municipal Alliance hosts panel discussion on drug abuse in Jefferson