Pubdate: Mon, 06 Nov 2006
Source: Kingman Daily Miner (AZ)
Copyright: 2006 Kingman Daily Miner
Contact:  http://www.kingmandailyminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3469
Author: Jennifer Bartlett, Miner Staff Writer

BOARD TO DISCUSS METH FUNDING

KINGMAN - The Mohave County Board of Supervisors will  meet Monday to 
once again discuss the potential county  funding of the fight against 
the methamphetamines  epidemic.

The Board of Supervisors first discussed the funding  for both the 
Arizona Meth Project and the MethSmart  program at their Oct. 2 
meeting. The Arizona Meth  Project, being spearheaded by Maricopa 
County, and the  MethSmart program, being proposed by the Arizona 
Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, are both asking the  county for 
assistance in funding to make the programs a  reality.

The Arizona Meth Project is being fashioned after the  successful 
Montana Meth Project.

"With the recent passage of HB 2254 ... the state has  made available 
dollars to support the war against  methamphetamine," said Maricopa 
County Chairman of the  Board of Supervisors Don Stapley.

"As we all struggle to fight this scourge upon our  counties, we have 
an opportunity to make some positive  strides. As I presented at the 
April 20 CSA Board of  Directors meeting, Maricopa County is leading 
the  effort to implement an Arizona Meth Project. This  initiative 
will consist of an aggressive public  prevention campaign to inform 
our children, youth and  their parents of the terrible consequences 
of methamphetamine use,"

According to Stapely, Arizona would have access to the  high-quality 
media commercials used by Montana and  would take an aggressive 
approach to educating youth  about the dangers of meth.

As a result of the bill he mentioned, Stapely said a  specific amount 
of money was going to be allocated to  each county.

Maricopa County has already allocated their portion as  well as an 
additional $2 million to help get this  project up and running. 
Stapely is urging the other  counties to participate as well.

Mohave County Sheriff Tom Sheahan said his department  arrested 551 
people in 2004 on drug-related charges.  The number increased to 590 
in 2005 and has continued  to rise this year, he said.

Of those, about 15 percent are juveniles and about 65  to 70 percent 
were arrests for meth.

"Meth is one of the most addictive and destructive  drugs around," 
according to the Arizona Alliance of  Boys & Girls Clubs. "Over 98 
percent of people who use  meth become addicted and some die after 
just trying it  once.

"As a result, the Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls  Clubs has taken a 
proactive approach to address this  ever-growing drug epidemic. 
MethSMART, a  methamphetamine prevention/education program, will 
incorporate current research about problems confronting  young people 
and provide them with viable solutions to  help them handle 
challenging circumstances while  avoiding risky and unhealthy 
behaviors. By including  parent and staff education pieces, MethSMART 
successfully makes the prevention of methamphetamine  abuse a team 
effort for those adults involved in our  children's lives."

While the program will go on with the Boys and Girls  Clubs, the 
funding they are requesting from Mohave  County would assist them in 
spreading the program into  local schools.

The Board will also discuss a possible countywide  ordinance 
requiring spaying and neutering of cats and  dogs. This item was 
initially heard at the Board's Jan.  23 meeting, but was continued so 
staff could conduct a  feasibility study. The ordinance is being 
pushed by  local animal rights groups.

"It makes more sense to spay/neuter pets than to build  a new 
shelter, because it is more cost-effective," said  Lotti Benker, 
president of Help Animals Lives Today.  "The old shelter was 
constructed in 1975 with 40 pens  and it served a population of about 
25,847. Population for 2004 was estimated to be approximately 
179,981. The  burden of an 81-percent euthanasia rate in our 
county  is unbearable and totally unacceptable. It is 
morally  imperative to create positive changes now."

If approved, the ordinance would promote the health,  safety and 
general welfare of the residents of Mohave  County by reducing the 
number of stray dogs and cats.  It calls for any dogs or cats over 
the age of six  months to be spayed or neutered unless the owner has 
a license to breed.

The Mohave County Board of Supervisors will meet at  9:30 a.m. Monday 
at the Mohave County Administration  Building, 700 W. Beale St.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine