Pubdate: Tue, 17 Oct 2000
Source: Birmingham News (AL)
Copyright: 2000 The Birmingham News
Contact:  2200 4th Avenue North, Birmingham AL 35203
Fax: (205) 325-2283
Website: http://www.al.com/bhamnews/bham.html
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Author: Chris Scribner

VOLUNTARY DRUG TEST RESOLUTION EXPECTED TO PASS

The Birmingham City Council is expected to pass today a resolution calling 
for the nine council members and Mayor Bernard Kincaid to take voluntary 
drug tests.

The resolution had been delayed for the past three meetings because all 
council members were not present to vote on it, said Councilman Don 
MacDermott, the proposal's sponsor.

"I'd like to have all of us there so everyone can formally vote in public," 
said MacDermott, adding that he introduced it after the Jefferson County 
Mayor's Association members decided last month to recommend the idea in 
their towns.

The voluntary testing "sends a good message to our employees, and it sends 
a message to the general public that we're showing leadership," said 
MacDermott. The proposal has the backing of a majority of the council 
members and the mayor, he said.

Councilman Jimmy Blake has missed the last three council meetings, and 
Councilwoman Pat Alexander missed two of those meetings.

Blake, unaware that the item had been on the agenda for the past three 
weeks, said on Monday he would attend today's council meeting. He said that 
he intends to support MacDer mott's resolution, which he called a form of 
"pandering."

"I'm always for anything voluntary," said Blake, adding that he'd missed 
the meetings in part because he was tired of the bickering among council 
members and between the mayor and the council.
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