Who’s on the brand spanking new Alliance

The members of the new Hillside Alliance Against Drug Abuse (previously the Hillside Mayor’s Alliance) were announced this week.

Not a member is George Cook, who during the last four Council meetings lobbied for a seat on the panel.

It probably didn’t help Cook, who ran for a seat on the school board in April, that he described the new Alliance in a newspaper article as “a little toy and they are pulling it back and forth to see who gets it.” Even if it is true.

“They” are the Township Council who appointed the usual suspects plus one person (guess) who didn’t even ask to be on the committee!

They are:

Councilman-at-large Frank Deo — resident, special education director for the Hillside Board of Education

Nagy Sileem — Board of Education president

Dr. Elbert Smith — Board of Education member

Lt. Michael Katsoudas, Police Department

Robin Kaufman — Board of Health

Deborah Stroud — former 2nd Ward Councilwoman, member of the health and UEZ boards

Rayba Watson, resident

Queen King — resident, business owner

Anna Mae Gibas, senior citizen resident

Note that the new Alliance — which seeks to prevent drug abuse by young people — does not include a Hillside High student. Cook had also lobbied for a student to be appointed to the committee.