COMMISSION APPROVES GRAND APPLICATION, AGENCY AGREEMENT FOR DRUG TASK FORCE

TALLADEGA COUNTY - The Talladega County Commission approved a grant
application Monday for about $450,000 to fund the startup costs and one
year's operation expenses for the Talladega County Drug and Violent Crime
Task Force. The commission also approved the agreement participating
agencies will sign to join the task force.

Assistant District Attorney Barry Matson said he expects these agencies
will sign the agreement this week. They include the district attorney's
office, the Sheriff's Department and the Talladega, Sylacauga, Childersburg
and Lincoln police departments.

The agreement establishes the task force, its objectives, setup and the
responsibilities of the participating agencies.

The task force will initiate its own investigations into drug use and
resulting violent crimes, assist other law enforcement agencies in their
drug investigations, share information with other agencies, and train them,
the agreement states.

The grant application also discusses the goals and objectives of the task
force, one of which is to "reduce and ultimately eliminate the level of
distribution, sale, usage and manufacturing of drugs and narcotics
throughout Talladega County."

The application includes an overview of the drug problem in the county. It
mentions drug use in almost every sector of the county.

For example, traffickers have flown drugs into the two airports in the
county, and the Talladega Superspeedway produces a number of drug arrests,
especially for marijuana and prescription drugs. Area college students who
use drugs have a preference for the drug ecstasy.

While the task force will work on all parts of the drug problem, it will
focus on the three most prevalent: marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamines,
the application states.

Commissioner John F. Carter said, "We have a drug problem. Everybody has
drug problem. (The task force) won't stop it, but it will curtail it."

District Attorney Steve Giddens said the task force, once set up, will have
10 employees and its own location. The participating police departments
will supply one officer to work for the task force, and the Sheriff's
Department will provide two.

The district attorney's office will hire up to four employees to work for
the task force, Giddens said.

The County Commission is applying for a Community Development Block Grant.
The grant program is administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and
Community Affairs.

If awarded, the commission and the participating agencies will have to pay
a 25 percent match. Giddens said the commission's share of the match will
cost up to $30,000.

The grant's application includes a proposed budget for the task force's
first year, which will run from Oct. 1, 2002, to Sept. 30, 2003. Matson
said if ADECA does not award the entire amount asked for, the budget can be
amended to reflect whatever award is received.

He said he expects the application will be mailed this week.

Giddens said the county plans to apply for a new grant every year to fund
the task force.

In other business Monday, the commission agreed to let the firm preparing a
bond issue for the new Talladega County Health Department building
refinance the bond to allow the county to borrow money.

The building is currently projected to cost about $900,000 more than
previously expected, according to County Administrator Jim Hilber.

The commission decided to only allow the firm to refinance once the
Talladega County Economic Development Authority and the county's state
legislative delegation approve the decision.

Commission chairman Jimmy Roberson said state law requires this approval.

The commission first decided to give the go-ahead for the refinancing
without the approval. However, commissioners later changed the decision to
include the approval.

During a discussion after Monday's meeting went into recess, Roberson said
approval was needed, so the commission was called back into session and
commissioners voted to give the firm the authority to refinance only after
the delegation and the authority gave their approval of the action.

Also while the commission was back in session, it voted to increase the
amount of land to be used for the building's site.

The commission originally gave the department 4 acres, but the department
needed more land, Hilber said, adding that the commission will have to get
new surveys done and property descriptions drawn up before construction can
begin.