PERRY LOOKING AT RANDOM DRUG TESTING OF SOME WORKERS

PERRY - City Council members are again considering implementation of a
random drug-testing policy for some city employees.

Councilman Riley Hunt said Wednesday that he'd like to include all
employees, but the city attorney has advised against it.

"I definitely think we should test employees because we don't want anyone
to be hurt," Hunt said. "I wouldn't mind being tested myself."

Hunt said the law limits the employees that a public entity may test
according to the type of job they do, although private businesses have the
right to test all employees.

City Attorney David Walker said Wednesday that the law allows only for the
testing of employees in public safety, public works and of other employees
who drive public vehicles.

Hunt said council members have agreed to have Walker draft an amendment to
the city's personnel policy requiring the testing of those employees. He
said council members reached that consensus at a council work session Tuesday.

Once the amendment is completed, it will go before City Council for an
actual vote before it can become city policy, Hunt said.

The matter came up several months ago and then appeared to fall by the wayside.

Councilman Joe Kusar had asked the city attorney to look into the
possibility after three Houston County sheriff's deputies were fired for
drug-related incidents.

Two of the officers were tested under the sheriff's department's policy,
one after he wrecked a vehicle and the other after he declined to state
whether he'd ever used drugs. The sheriff's office also does random drug
testing of its employees.

The Perry Police Department requires testing for pre-employment and in the
event of an accident but does not conduct random testing.

Kusar said that when first proposing the testing he'd like all city
employees to be tested, and Chief George Potter also said he favored random
testing.

In Warner Robins, random drug testing is conducted among city police,
firefighters and other employees who drive city vehicles or operate heavy
equipment, said Stan Martin, the city's personnel director. Gas department
employees also are tested, he said.

In Fort Valley, the random testing policy applies only to public safety and
public works employees, said Martha Harris, city administrator.

In Byron, only pre-employment drug testing is required and only of public
works employees, said Tim Bollinger, who supervises public works and human
resources.

In Houston County, random testing is conducted on law enforcement officers
and employees who hold a commercial driver's license, such as public works
employees, said Harold Wilson, the county's personnel director. Also, all
employees are tested before employment and may be tested based on
reasonable suspicion, Wilson said.