DRUG-TESTING MEASURE ADVANCES IN GREENUP

GREENUP - City employees here could be subject to random drug screenings if
a new policy passes second reading.

Greenup City Council had first reading of the policy with a vote of 5-0 at a
meeting Tuesday.

City Attorney Stephen McGinnis called the measure a ``standard drug-testing
ordinance."

If the policy is approved upon second reading, each year random testing
would be conducted on 50 percent of the city's water department employees
and 50 percent of the city police department - of which there are two
employees.

Testing would be conducted by an independent contractor, McGinnis said.

Councilman Chuck Clark said drug testing has been brought up in the past,
mainly as an issue of liability and prevention.

The city could be liable if an injury to co-workers or residents occurred as
a result of substance abuse, he said.

``It was actually proposed a long time ago, and no one ever followed
through," Clark said.

McGinnis said the council has yet to determine what will happen if an
employee tests positive.

``I told the council that's something they will have to decide for
themselves," he said. ``The policy just prohibits use and provides for
testing right now."

It is unclear how the city will deal with employees who test positive,
McGinnis said. The fact that Greenup's employees are unionized - unlike most
other cities in the county - could have an impact on how the city handles a
positive test, he said.

Drug testing policies for city workers vary throughout Greenup County.

Both Russell and Flatwoods already have random drug testing, though Russell
has cut back the number of employees it tests every year due to the expense,
according to the clerk's office.

Raceland regularly tests police officers and employees who drive city
vehicles at random. Other employees are subject to just cause or
suspicion-based testing.

Wurtland has a drug testing policy in place, but it has not yet been
implemented.

Bellefonte, South Shore and Worthington do not have drug testing policies.