O-1990-1708 - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . ORDINANCE NO. 1708 AN ORDINANCE MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT ON THE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE; ADOPTING A DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR THE CITY OF LA PORTE; GONTAINING A REPEALING CLAUSE AND A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; AND PROV.IDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE: Section 1. The City Council of the City of La Porte hereby makes the following findings of fact: 1. Drug use is having serious adverse effects upon a significant proportion of the national work force and results in billions of dollars of lost productivity each year. 2. The City of La Porte, as an employer, is concerned with the well-being of its employees, the successful accomplishment of its municipal government missions, and the need to maintain employee productivity. 3. The City of La Porte, as an employer, can and should show the way toward achieving a drug-free workplace through a progtam designed to offer drug users a helping hand and, at the same time, demonstrating to drug users and potential drug users that drugs will not be tolerated in the City workplace. 4. The profits from illegal drugs provide the single greatest source of income for organized crime, fuel violent street crime, and otherwise contribute to the breakdown of our society; 5. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by City employees is inconsistent not only with the law-abiding behavior expected of all citizens, but also with the special trust placed in such employees as servants of the public. 6. City employees who use illegal drugs, on or off duty, tend to be less productive, less reliable, and prone to greater absenteeism than their fellow employees who do not use illegal drugs. 7. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by City employees impairs the efficiency of City government, undermines public confidence in City government, and makes it more difficult for other employees who do not use illegal drugs to perform their jobs effectively. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by City employees also can pose a serious health and safety threat to members of the public and to other City employees. 8. The use of illegal drugs, on or off duty, by City employees in certain positions evidences less than the complete reliability, stability, and good judgment that is consistent with access to sensitive information and the responsibility of City employees to protect the health and safety of its citizens, and creates the possibility of coercion, influence, and irresponsible action under pressure that may pose a serious risk to City security, the public safety, and the effective enforcement of the law. 9. City employees who use illegal drugs must themselves be primarily responsible for changing their behavior and, if necessary, begin the process of rehabilitating themselves. 10. Congress has enacted the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act, 41 U.S.C.A. S611, et. seq., and Drug Free Workplace Requirements for Federal Grant Recipients, 41 U.S.C.A. S702, et. seq., and regulations have been promulgated pursuant thereto. The City of La Porte is a recipient of federal grants, and is subject to the requirements of the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act, as it applies to Federal grant recipients. Among the requirements of said Federal act, is the implementation and publication of a drug-free awareness program for employees of the City of La Porte.