County Wants To Drug Test Senior Citizen Library Volunteers

[matcom]

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BRONSON - Levy County's public libraries are struggling to get books checked out or reshelved because retirees who usually handle many of those chores have balked at a requirement that they "pee in a cup" as part of a mandatory drug test for all county volunteers.

"It's not like we are a high-risk group for coming in drunk or high or stoned or whatever," said one volunteer. "This is just a common-sense issue - why are we spending tax money to test 75-year-old grandmothers for marijuana? We should be using that money to buy more books and computers."

The situation has gotten to the point where the pool of 55 volunteers has dwindled to two and the number of hours worked by volunteers in the county's five libraries plunged from 330 in September 2005 to 11 this September, according to county library records. None of the former volunteers contacted by The Sun wanted to be publicly identified in a story about drug-testing.

"A large part of the problem is how the test is administered - it is an affront to some people's dignity, especially people who grew up in another generation," said the county's library director, Bonnie Tollefson.

Most of the volunteers are between the ages of 60 and 85. Under the county's year-old contract with First Lab, all drug tests are done on urine samples that are collected in plastic cups while a lab employee stands within hearing distance of the person providing the sample.

County officials said they realize that some people may find the test intrusive.

"But our public risk management insurance says we should treat volunteers no differently that any other employees," said Levy County Coordinator Fred Moody. "This is just the days that we are in and we know that there are some people who aren't happy about this, but it is something we are requiring if anyone wants to volunteer."

Moody said the drug-testing as well as background checks required for library volunteers are identical to what is required of all county employees and volunteers, including dozens of unpaid firefighters and hundreds of Community Emergency Response Team members from among the 36,000 county residents.

http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006210070330&template=printart

[LostinVA]

1. GIve me a frigging break -- stupid

Actually drug testing ANY non-safety or law enforcement personnel is bonkers.