BOARD TO DISCUSS METH FUNDING

KINGMAN - The Mohave County Board of Supervisors will meet Monday to
once again discuss the potential county funding of the fight against
the methamphetamines epidemic.

The Board of Supervisors first discussed the funding for both the
Arizona Meth Project and the MethSmart program at their Oct. 2
meeting. The Arizona Meth Project, being spearheaded by Maricopa
County, and the MethSmart program, being proposed by the Arizona
Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, are both asking the county for
assistance in funding to make the programs a reality.

The Arizona Meth Project is being fashioned after the successful
Montana Meth Project.

"With the recent passage of HB 2254 ... the state has made available
dollars to support the war against methamphetamine," said Maricopa
County Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Don Stapley.

"As we all struggle to fight this scourge upon our counties, we have
an opportunity to make some positive strides. As I presented at the
April 20 CSA Board of Directors meeting, Maricopa County is leading
the effort to implement an Arizona Meth Project. This initiative
will consist of an aggressive public prevention campaign to inform
our children, youth and their parents of the terrible consequences
of methamphetamine use,"

According to Stapely, Arizona would have access to the high-quality
media commercials used by Montana and would take an aggressive
approach to educating youth about the dangers of meth.

As a result of the bill he mentioned, Stapely said a specific amount
of money was going to be allocated to each county.

Maricopa County has already allocated their portion as well as an
additional $2 million to help get this project up and running.
Stapely is urging the other counties to participate as well.

Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan said his department arrested 551
people in 2004 on drug-related charges. The number increased to 590
in 2005 and has continued to rise this year, he said.

Of those, about 15 percent are juveniles and about 65 to 70 percent
were arrests for meth.

"Meth is one of the most addictive and destructive drugs around,"
according to the Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs. "Over 98
percent of people who use meth become addicted and some die after
just trying it once.

"As a result, the Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs has taken a
proactive approach to address this ever-growing drug epidemic.
MethSMART, a methamphetamine prevention/education program, will
incorporate current research about problems confronting young people
and provide them with viable solutions to help them handle
challenging circumstances while avoiding risky and unhealthy
behaviors. By including parent and staff education pieces, MethSMART
successfully makes the prevention of methamphetamine abuse a team
effort for those adults involved in our children's lives."

While the program will go on with the Boys and Girls Clubs, the
funding they are requesting from Mohave County would assist them in
spreading the program into local schools.

The Board will also discuss a possible countywide ordinance
requiring spaying and neutering of cats and dogs. This item was
initially heard at the Board's Jan. 23 meeting, but was continued so
staff could conduct a feasibility study. The ordinance is being
pushed by local animal rights groups.

"It makes more sense to spay/neuter pets than to build a new
shelter, because it is more cost-effective," said Lotti Benker,
president of Help Animals Lives Today. "The old shelter was
constructed in 1975 with 40 pens and it served a population of about
25,847. Population for 2004 was estimated to be approximately
179,981. The burden of an 81-percent euthanasia rate in our
county is unbearable and totally unacceptable. It is
morally imperative to create positive changes now."

If approved, the ordinance would promote the health, safety and
general welfare of the residents of Mohave County by reducing the
number of stray dogs and cats. It calls for any dogs or cats over
the age of six months to be spayed or neutered unless the owner has
a license to breed.

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors will meet at 9:30 a.m. Monday
at the Mohave County Administration Building, 700 W. Beale St.