Mahwah December 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 11 Township adopts amended drug free zone map by Frank J. McMahon The Township of Mahwah adopted an updated drug free zone map at last week’s public meeting. Brian Campion, the township’s administrator, advised that the ordinance was about 10 years old and required updates. The map, which was prepared in accordance with state law, covers schools, parks, public housing, public library, Guest speaker and public museum zones. Dated Oct. 10, 2013, the map was prepared by Boswell McClave Engineering, the munic- ipality’s professional engineering firm. The document was approved and adopted as an official finding and record of the location and areas within the municipality of properties used for school purposes and which are owned by or leased to any elementary or secondary school or school board, and of the areas on or within l,000 feet of such school prop- erty. The document also includes any public housing facil- Councilman Robert Hermansen visited Cub Scout Pack 258’s November Pack Meeting to discuss his role on the Mahwah Townhip Council and the importance of voting. ity owned or leased by a local housing authority for the purpose of providing accommodations to persons of low income; any public park owned or controlled by the state, county, or municipality; any public building that is publicly owned or leased as a library or museum; and areas within 500 feet of such public housing facilities, public parks, or public buildings. Federal law and many state and local laws increase pen- alties for illegal drug-related activities in drug-free school zones and the penalties under these laws vary from juris- diction to jurisdiction in terms of whether they stand alone as separate offenses or serve as a sentencing enhancement and in terms of the defenses available. The United States Congress has supplemented the core offenses under the Controlled Substances Act with several additional offenses carrying increased maximum penal- ties, when the crimes are committed under certain speci- fied circumstances. One section provides that the penalties for manufacturing, distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute are doubled or tripled when such offenses are committed within a specified distance of a school or other (continued on page 22)