TOP OFFICIALS AT MOTLOW MONDAY AS TASK FORCE MEETS ON METH CONTROL

MOORE COUNTY - The Governor's Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse is
spreading word throughout the state about the homemade drug's
potential danger and will be holding its semimonthly meeting Monday at
Motlow College in Moore County.

Tullahoma Mayor Steve Cope, who is a task force member, summed up why
having the meeting, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Marcum Technology
Center, is significant to area residents.

"We have meetings in cities in every quadrant of the state to bring
information to the local people about what is going on in state
government and what the task force is doing," Cope said. "This meeting
is going to be in Tullahoma, and it's a chance to show at the local
level what we're trying to do."

Will Pinkston, Gov. Phil Bredesen's special projects director and the
liaison to the task force, said Cope was instrumental in having the
meeting in Tullahoma.

He said the meeting will focus on clean-up issues related to meth
labs. Pinkston said real estate agents, bankers and property owner
association members have concerns regarding how they will be impacted
by the task force's potential action toward implementing clean-up
requirements. He added that representatives plan to be present at
Monday's meeting. Cope said the task force's role is paramount because
methamphetamine production and abuse have become one of the state's
most significant problems. The task force has been mandated to make
recommendations on a comprehensive methamphetamine policy to Bredesen
by Sept. 1. In addition to Cope, the panel includes 12 ex-officio
members who provide general advice and counsel to the core group.
Other task force members are Sen. Charlotte Burks of Monterey, Rep.
Charles Curtiss of Sparta, Haywood County Sheriff Melvin Bond, drug
counselor David Brown of Chattanooga, TBI interim director David
Griswold, Nashville pharmacist Ed Hansberry, Franklin public defender
John Henderson and Leighta Laitinen of the Mountain States Health
Alliance in Johnson City.

Also on the task force are Hamilton Middle School assistant principal
Augusta Mayo of Memphis, Morristown Police Chief Roger Overholt,
Cookeville Judge Lillie Ann Sells, Cookeville Regional Medical Center
emergency medical director Dr. Sullivan Smith, Bledsoe County Sheriff
Bob Swafford, Hartsville prosecutor Tommy Thompson, Kingston Police
Chief James Washam, Putnam County Commissioner Johnnie Wheeler and
Rockwood pharmacist Doug Wilson.

The panel is chaired by Agriculture Commissioner Ken Givens.
Methamphetamine is a homemade drug with its primary ingredient being
pseudoephedrine, found in many over-the-counter cold remedies. Meth
also uses household chemicals such as lye and brake fluid in its
manufacture. U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency statistics show that
Tennessee has been a leading state in meth production. More than 1,100
labs were seized in Tennessee last year, which led the Southeast.

Alderman Troy Bisby asked the Tullahoma Board of Mayor and Aldermen
last Monday to consider adopting ordinances that he deems would
strengthen the city's control over meth-related issues.

He presented the board with two drafts - one regarding meth lab
clean-up issues and the other focusing on regulating sales of
ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenolylpropanolamine which are used in
products such as over-the-counter cold medicines.

The drug lab ordinance Bisby provided would require that property
owners be responsible for site clean-up costs.

Bisby said property owners as landlords would take a more active
interest in whether they rent to meth producers, and the landlords
would also be more aware about debris from illegal labs being on their
property. The other draft ordinance would regulate amounts of the cold
medicine products sold and require purchasers to show identification
and sign documents when they buy them.

"Like other states, we have to keep this at the forefront of our minds
because it is such a serious problem," Bisby said, referring to the
meth issue. Cope said the city could run into problems by adopting the
ordinances when their full scope has not been determined by the state
government. He added that the state is attempting to answer those
questions soon through the task force's recommendations.

He said enacting ordinances where state law regarding such issues is
unclear could make it tough for Tullahoma to enforce the measures.
However, Bisby said the city still needs to consider taking action.
"I'm willing to drop this when the state acts, but that could be
months or even years before anything is done," he said.

Cope said City Attorney Steve Worsham could review the draft
ordinances to find out where Tullahoma would stand.

"The city attorney can research it and see if it would work one way or
another," he said.

Bisby said how the ordinances would fit in with existing city codes
also needs to be determined.