The Clinton County School District will have a new company to perform its random drug tests following action taken at a special meeting last Wednesday, August 22 of the Clinton County Board of Education. The call meeting, which was mostly in closed session, lasted approximately two hours with two items of business on the agenda and all members on hand.

The board first took up the issue of hiring a drug testing company to conduct random drug and alcohol screening of bus drivers, students and school employees. The board had discussed the issue at its regular meeting the previous week, but tabled action pending more information in the agreement being gathered.

The board, on a motion by Kevin Marcum, voted unanimously to give a one-year contract to Forward Edge Associates of Lexington to perform the random tests. The board had used a local firm, the Lake Cumberland testing company, this past year.

The service agreement signed specifies some of the services Forward Edge will offer upon the direction of the school district, some of which include:

1. Enroll bus drivers, student participants and staff members in a random selection pool for the purpose of random testing.

(a) Maintain computerized list of bus drivers, student participants and staff members designated to be in a random testing program.

(b) On a random schedule and at least four times a year, Forward Edge will select a number of bus drivers, student participants and staff members to be tested using a computerized random selection program.

(c) Maintain on file procedures used to update random lists and standard procedures used to select bus drivers, student participants and staff members randomly from the official random selection lists.

(d) Follow written procedures and notify the district contact of any changes made to the procedures.

(e) Bus drivers, students and staff members selected randomly will be communicated to a designated company contact in a confidential manner.

(f) All bus drivers selected for testing during each random selection must be tested or removed from the district’s active driver list.

Forward Edge will also furnish services of a qualified Medical Review Officer for the district and ensure all lab results are reviewed by a qualified MRO per federal regulation and school district requirements; and ensure the MRO maintains test records on file.

The company will also arrange for each specimen collected to be shipped to a SAMHSA certified laboratory specializing in forensic testing and analysis, maintain records on the number of drivers, students and staff members in the testing program. They also agree to be available for drug and alcohol screening on a 24-hour basis.

The agreement notes that they will ensure costs are accurate and work to control costs with vendors on volume discounts.

Current prices for selected services are as follows:

* Non DOT Drug Screen, $20.00.

* Breath Alcohol Tests, $30.00.

* DOT Drug Screen, $45.00.

The school district is to provide a designated contact person authorized to receive test results and administrative reports; provide notification of additions and deletions to the testing list; provide Forward Edge with the district’s written substance abuse policy; ensure all participants selected at random for testing be at the collection site at a timely manner and document any bus driver, student or staff member who refuses to submit to the random drug or alcohol testing.

The testing firm also will retain a $1 million dollar errors and omissions insurance policy to cover possible claims brought by third parties arising from any errors made by Forward Edge Associates or its staff or agents.

Also, in the event of a tribunal, a qualified lab technician, as well as a Forward Edge agent, agrees to be available to testify regarding any and all drug testing done by the firm.

The agreement became effective retroactive to August 15 and will be for a one-year term unless cancelled by either party, which may terminate the agreement if the other party breaches any material obligation and fails to cure such breach within 30 days after being given written notice of such breach.

Following the vote on the drug testing firm, the board entered into a one hour and 50-minute executive session–with a school board association attorney Bob Chenoweth–to discuss possible or pending litigation issues.

Upon returning to open session, no action was taken and the meeting was adjourned.

The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Board of Education is scheduled for Monday, September 10 at 5 p.m. at the Central Office and is open to the general public.