NEARLY ALL TAKING DRUG TEST PASS

With a few dozen Orange County employees beaming behind him, Chairman
Mel Martinez announced that the county`s first step toward regular drug
testing of employees was an unalloyed success.

Last month, the county called for volunteers throughout the ranks of
Orange government to submit to drug testing -- and 1,022 volunteered.
Three failed the test and are undergoing drug treatment. All six county
commissioners, and Martinez, volunteered for the drug exams and passed
them.

"A few months ago, I said I wanted to rid this community of the
scourge of drugs, and I wondered if the commitment in the community was
there," Martinez said. "We are now leading by example."

Martinez`s plan calls for drug testing more than 2,000 county
employees who work in "sensitive positions" such as corrections
officers, heavy-equipment operators and those who work with children.
Recent court rulings allow government to test such employeesbut do not
allow blanket testing of all employees on a regular basis.

At least 1,000 employees -- above and beyond those who volunteered
last month -- will be tested. If any of these employees fail, they`ll
face "likely termination," said Ben Hardcastle, county spokesman.

The volunteers who failed have been diverted into drug-counseling
programs and will not be fired if they successfully complete those
programs. Those who didn`t volunteer and test positive will face
administrative review and likely firing, depending on the
circumstances.

Martinez, who regularly refers to drugs as "the scourge of the
community," proposed drug testing last year and vowed his program would
prove successful. He said Tuesday`s news was an important step.

"Orange County will lead by example," he said, "so other businesses in
the community will do the same."

While committed to ridding the community of drugs, Martinez made pains
not to tar those who tested positive. He saved his ire for the
contrabandand not the people who succumb to temptations.

"We`re proud of them and wish them well," Martinez said of the three
who tested positive. County officials would not say what drug or drugs
the three had used.

While he has talked tough on drugs, not all initiatives endorsed by
Martinez have fared well. A proposal last year to impound drug users`
cars has become bogged down in legal reviews and, according to some
county officials, may never be adopted.

The employee drug tests cost $27 per person, which brought the cost of
the voluntary round of testing to nearly $27,600. County officials have
not determined how to implement drug testing in the future.

It will either be a random schedule of testing or annual testing,
Hardcastle said.