JACKSON TOWNSHIP COUNCIL MEMBERS TAKE RANDOM DRUG-SCREENING
TEST

Mayor Misses Meeting Because Of Business Obligation

JACKSON -- For the second time since adopting the practice, township
officials have undergone an unscheduled drug test.

Jackson has contracted with a drug-testing company to show up twice a
year, on random dates before Township Council meetings, to test the
mayor and council, Township Administrator William Santos said.

The company, DSI Medical of Pennsylvania, administered a test to all
five council members before their Tuesday night meeting, Santos confirmed.

Mayor Mark A. Seda did not attend the meeting and was not tested. Seda
said he could not make the meeting because his commercial
air-conditioning company was finishing a job in New York.

"I didn't know there was a test taking place," Seda said. "I had no
idea."

Santos said that no one in the township, not even his office, knew DSI
planned to administer a drug test this week.

Results of those tests had not been submitted to the township as of
Thursday, Santos said.

Township Attorney George R. Gilmore has said the results are medical
records and not available under the state Open Public Records Act.

Seda, while a member of the then Township Committee in 2005, proposed
randomly testing members of the governing body. He came up with the
idea less than a month after then-Committeeman Michael J. Kafton
pleaded guilty to drunken driving and was charged with possession of a
toxic chemical.

The committee unanimously approved a resolution in December 2005 that
called for random drug tests twice a year. Under the resolution,
committee members agreed if they tested positive they would pay a $500
penalty and attend at least 10 hours of certified drug and alcohol
counseling. They also agreed if they tested positive a second time,
they would resign.

Committee members were given a drug test just before their April 24,
2006, meeting. However, three of the five members -- including Seda --
had to provide specimens the following afternoon.

Seda said he and another member said they could not provide enough of
a urine sample that night. The third member did not attend the
meeting. This week, however, there was no makeup test, Santos said.

"I like the part of it being random," Santos said.

Councilwoman Emily Ingram said that for her the drug test was "no big
deal."

"I don't drink, and I don't take drugs," Ingram said. "I think I got
100 on this test."

A second random drug test was not given in 2006. Township officials
said that was an oversight, and in February the council passed a
resolution mandating twice-yearly drug tests.