Drug testing expands to all county workers

By Jim Tiffin
Cibola County Bureau

GRANTS — Cibola County is changing its drug testing policy to include all employees and there will be zero tolerance if any employee tests positive, beginning probably in May, said County Manager David Ulibarri.

"We felt we were not treating all employees equally, and it will help our employees be drug-free," he said.

Currently the county only tests those who have high-risk positions with the county, such as Road Department, Sheriff's Department and the Cibola County Detention Center employees, he said.

All employees have an employee number and are entered into a computer. The computer will then randomly draw the employee's number for testing.

"The employee's supervisor or department head will then find the employee and escort them to Dr. Gutierrez's clinic or Cibola General Hospital," Ulibarri said.

Testing will be for illegal drugs from a urine sample, he said.

Ulibarri placed himself on the test list with the other high risk employees years ago and has been tested negatively twice, he said.

Commissioner Frank Emerson asked during the commission meeting Monday if the members of the commission were to be tested, Ulibarri said.

"The commissioners are not tested because they are elected," Ulibarri said.

"There is an amnesty," he said. "If an employee has a problem and they go to their department head and ask for help, we will help them.

"We will give them days off if needed and work with them any way we can to get them clean, but if the computer spits out their number and they are tapped on the shoulder and then say, 'I have a problem,' it's too late; they're gone," he said.

"We figure it is also a deterrent," he said. "If the employee decides to go out and party, or they are taking their spouse's pills for something they do not have a prescription for, that's too bad, it's illegal and they're gone," he said.

Those employees who have a legal and legitimate prescription from a doctor for medication they are taking, and test positive for that medicine, have no problem, Ulibarri said.

"But, those employees should tell their department head what medicine they are taking," he said.

The change in policy is expected to be approved by the commission at its May 8 meeting.

— To contact reporter Jim Tiffin call (505) 287-2197 or e-mail: tiffin.independent@yahoo.com