Claremore Daily Progress

Headlines

October 8, 2008

County looks at drug testing

October 8, 2008 — Rogers County Commissioners say they will explore options for drug testing of county employees.

“We said last year we would revisit this,” Commissioner Kirt Thacker said. “I put it on the agenda so we could talk about it again.”

Last year’s attempt at introducing county-wide drug testing erupted into a controversy that commissioners want to avoid this time around. They said they will look at a sample policy available through the Association of County Commissioners of Oklahoma and will talk with other elected county officials before creating a Rogers County policy.



LAST YEAR

In March 2007, District 2 Commissioner Mike Helm presented the Board of County Commissioners with a Risk Management Resolution based on a preprinted form prepared by Traveler’s Insurance. That resolution would have established a county-wide policy that included drug testing.

Assistant District Attorney Barry Farbro told commissioners the resolution as written was too broad, in his opinion, and that he would rework it for their consideration.

Eventually, commissioners met with health officials about contracting for drug testing. Concerns over how the policy would be carried out and what the appeals process would be were among the details that needed development.

On April 2, 2007, Farbro told commissioners that a majority of elected county officials would need to approve the proposed resolution because the drug-testing requirement would set personnel policy for county departments.

Including the three commissioners, there are eight elected county officers. Each of the remaining five officers declined by letter support of the resolution.

“After reviewing the proposed resolution establishing a risk management policy, I decline to approve,” read the letter from Court Clerk Candi Czapansky.

The other four letters signed by County Clerk Peggy Armstrong, County Treasurer Cathy Pinkerton Baker, County Assessor Melissa Anderson, and County Sheriff Jerry Prather varied slightly in wording but each carried the same message.

They stated that they were not against drug testing in general, but in particular pre-employment testing. They balked at putting control in the hands of the board of commissioners for implementing and overseeing the other departments.

Commissioners voted April 23, 2007 against adopting the risk management resolution. In a 2-1 vote, Helm was the lone supporter.

At the time, Prather was one of the strongest opponents of a drug-testing policy being imposed upon his department by commissioners.

Prather said he preferred to handle issues in-house and did not feel the need for drug testing for his department. Prather said he supported pre-employment screening, post-accident testing and probable-cause testing, but believed random drug tests were a waste of taxpayer dollars.



THIS YEAR

Rogers County employees are subject to drug testing. According to state law, operators of heavy equipment with CDL licenses are subject to random drug tests. So are commissioners.

Chairman Dan DeLozier has said he has routinely been tested.

The county also requires drug tests of employees prior to hiring, according to the request of the hiring officer.

Emergency Management Director Bob Anderson said a policy had been approved by county commissioners of previous years. He asked if a current policy would amend or change that policy.

Commissioners said they would research the matter.

Prather will retire at the end of this year. His replacement will be elected in November.

Commissioners said they might wait until after the election to finalize a drug-testing policy so that they can include the new sheriff in their considerations.

Text Only
County looks at drug testing
by BY JOY HAMPTON , , Wed Oct 08, 2008, 03:58 PM CDT
Headlines
  • RSUdorms1web.jpg NEW DORMS: RSU going more traditional

    In just a year, Rogers State University will double the number of students sleeping, eating and studying on its campus. That’s twice the students walking to class in the morning. Twice the students calling RSU home.

    September 1, 2010 3 Photos

  • DEQ: Public drinking water in Oologah is safe

    Public drinking water in the Oologah area is not contaminated by heavy metals from the local Public Service Company of Oklahoma power plant according to officials at PSO and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

    September 1, 2010

  • Rebecca Dealy.tif County will not use carryover for new hires

    Rogers County Commissioners oppose spending money carried over from last year’s budget — in spite of county officers who say they need money now.

    September 1, 2010 1 Photo

  • lewis, jason mugshot.jpg Rogers County men arrested on burglary charges

    Sheriff’s officers are hoping the recent arrest of two Rogers County men will halt a recent bout of burglaries.

    September 1, 2010 2 Photos

  • courthousedesign1.png Crews zero in on courthouse design, cost

    Rogers County’s new courthouse has been nudged over and stretched to take advantage of the closing of Missouri Street, according to schematics unveiled Monday.

    August 31, 2010 3 Photos

  • WALTON4Sheriff.tif Sheriff: ‘Extraordinary’ need for new deputies

    The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office may lose the ability to provide even basic services if it can’t hire more deputies this year, Sheriff Scott Walton told commissioners Monday.

    August 30, 2010 1 Photo

  • Symphony League hosts membership drive

    The Claremore Symphony League will host a wine and cheese reception to launch the membership drive  for 2010 - 2011. The reception, to be held at the Will Rogers Memorial on September the 23rd from 5:30 to 7:30, will feature wine tasting and the presentation of the Honorary Chairman of this season’s Symphony League Ball.

    August 29, 2010

  • Felony charges filed against former Chelsea chief of police

    Formal charges were filed Thursday in Rogers County against a former Chelsea police chief.

    August 29, 2010

  • Report hits Oologah power plant for river pollution

    Waste improperly handled by the AEP/PSO power plant in Oologah may be contaminating the Verdigris River, according to a report released this week.

    August 29, 2010

  • Groups support bicycle safety overhauls

    Bicycling groups across the state said they support a new legislative package designed to protect riders and motorists. However, many cyclists are calling for the state to do more to educate residents and enforce existing laws and practices.

    August 29, 2010

Featured Ads
AP Video
Stocks