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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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If you missed City Council today on Comcast 17, you missed a good one!
Josh freeman asked Jesse Buchanan which blight control officer was caught with cocaine and were they still working. As the shock registered on Buchanan's face, he turned and walked several feet away and remained with his back to the camera. Eason walked up and told Josh that the individual did not possess drugs, but he had possessed drug paraphenalia. Eason stated the individual, the individual's supervisor and Eason discussed the matter and the individual admitted a drug problem. Eason stated he gave the person 72 hours in which to enter a drug treatment program.
When Freeman pushed on whether the alleged drug user was in a union, Eason stated he believed he was. Freeman then dropped the hammer that the blight control was non union. F eeman continued to question Eason about City of Flint policies and procedures on drug testing and personnel rules on drug use.
Flint does have a policy. This individual was not drug tested although as blight control, they probably drive a city vehicle. Eason continued to protest that he did not believe the possession of drug paraphenalia was a crime, so no police were called.
Eason lashed out at Freeman and strongly implied that Freeman did not comprehend the issues because of his work . Freeman works for Brown and Sons automotive on Davison. Freeman coutered that he had never been sued for sexual harassment. When Eason said he had been sued, but never lost a decision, Freeman asked how much he settled the cases for. Lawler interjected and stopped the nastiness and told Eason to stop talking.
Eason does not realize the city has the fastest grapevine, even faster than the county. When a decision was being implemented for a Flint Police Officer, it hit Flint Talk within an hour of implementation. Most in the mayor's office didn;t even know about it.
When Freeman asked Eason why a District Court Judge was threatened in the city hall garage with having their car towed, all Eason would say was "no comment". Freeman smiled and noted the question was answered. Freeman discussed how he and others searched for parking for the judges whn the one court room was moved to the north building. The Mayor even moved his car to another area of the garage. |
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Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:55 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Monday night at 10:30 pm the story will be rebroadcast! |
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Sun Mar 27, 2011 1:59 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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The individual "did not possess any drugs," he was videotaped purchasing "drug paraphernalia" and had "possession of drug paraphernalia." He was tested for drugs, and "tested positive" for drugs. The individual "admitted he had a problem" and as a result of the incident has entered treatment. Eason argued that he knew of no law or ordinance against possession of paraphernalia and knew of no one arrested for it. He also stated a police officer was fired because he tested positive for drug use. And, he stated the City of Flint has a drug problem because a high percentage of its employees are users.
What I want to know is why the double standards? What is the City of Flint's policy about employee drug use? My opinion is there should be zero tolerance. Anyone testing positive for drugs should be fired. Jackie Poplar and some others believe individuals deserve a "second chance."
Someone recently posted about a City of Flint truck weaving over the center line. If there's an accident, anyone gets hurt, including the employee, there's always a liability issue.
Jackie Poplar insinuated someone on City Council is a user. IMO, that's why all candidates for office should submit to voluntary drug tests.
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Edited to add:
Drug Paraphernalia defined
http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-333-7451
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"Michigan doesn't prohibit simple possession of drug paraphernalia, but does prohibit its sale. But if the police finds drug paraphernalia in a car, they may well seize it and test it for trace amounts of drugs - any trace amounts translate into a drug possession charge...."
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Source: http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72680&page=1
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Selling drug paraphernalia is a violation of city ordinance. Did Eason notify city attorney to follow up on the store selling it to employee?
Last edited by 00SL2 on Mon Mar 28, 2011 7:55 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sun Mar 27, 2011 3:24 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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OOSL Poplar should know as there have been allegations about her and drugs from a previous candidate. There have been allegations that another council person drinks too much.
Poplar got a second chance from the feds when she was caught extorting money from party store owners of Middle eastern descent. Some local lawyers believed she was an informant because of her special treatment.
Police and other city employess that are in the union are given an opportunity to clean up their act. The cop I believe he is referring to had PTSD and tested positive multiple times.
City employees are furious that Eason made this allegation. There are exceptions, but the sweeping allegations made by Eason are untrue. Most city hall employees are good people just trying to make it.
The truck driver that was pulled over was a water department employee who had been driving too long because of excessive overtime. Exhaustion and not drugs was the problem. Heavy equipment drivers are drug tested regularly. |
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Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:25 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Once again Eason puts a totally untrue comment into the political commentary in order to protect a friend. If you read Jones comment, 10% or less have been tested for drugs and less than 10% of that group have tested positive. Once again Eason indicts a total workforce to bolster his position. This story took over a week to publish and I am sure the administration was hard pressed to come up with a response to Eason's baseless lies.
Dispute over Flint worker kept on job puts spotlight on staff drug use
Published: Thursday, March 31, 2011, 8:49 AM Updated: Thursday, March 31, 2011, 9:06 AM
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal The Flint Journal
FLINT, Michigan — A top mayoral aide claims the city would have to fire half its workers if it cracked down on employees with drug problems.
City Administrator Gregory Eason made the comment at a public meeting last week after a city worker remained on the job following a positive drug test and allegations that he was caught on tape buying drug paraphernalia at a local party store.
Eason said there was no basis to dismiss the employee, and that if the city were to follow such protocol, “we would probably get rid of half the staff population here.”
“We do have some problems with substance abuse,” he said.
The situation and the public debate left some City Council members wondering how the city is enforcing its drug policy.
The employee in question, whom officials did not name, works in the city’s blight elimination office and is not a union worker.
He was not high when he was confronted by city officials, nor did he bring the items he purchased with him to work, Eason said.
But he admitted to having a drug problem when asked and later tested positive before enrolling in a drug treatment program, Eason said. City officials would not say what he bought or confirm what drug he tested positive for.
City Councilman Joshua Freeman said the employee, who drives a city vehicle on the job, should have been further disciplined for violating the city’s ordinance against possessing drug paraphernalia.
However, a city spokeswoman said the city has no proof the employee bought the items for drug use.
“He’s not on camera buying drugs,” Communications Director Dawn Jones said. “He’s on camera buying items that some say can be used for drugs.”
Freeman also showed a copy of the employee’s time sheet, which showed the part-time employee was making $10.78 per hour working 40 hours a week as recently as March 18.
Officials did not say when the employee failed the drug test, only that he still is working for the city.
“I guess the message is if you screw up, you get rewarded with a full-time job,” Freeman said.
The employee was caught on tape at a local convenience store, allegedly purchasing unspecified drug paraphernalia, Eason said. The store clerk sent the footage to City Hall, where the worker was questioned by Eason and the employee’s supervisor.
The worker admitted to having a drug problem and was told that if he did not enroll in a drug treatment program, he would be dismissed, Eason said. He said the worker then “immediately” enrolled in an outpatient program.
“We never found drugs on him,” Eason said. “When an employee admits on their own they do have a problem and is willing to go to a drug program, I don’t see any reason why you should punish them.”
Freeman disagreed and asked for a list of all city employees who have tested positive for controlled substances.
“These people are driving city-owned vehicles,” he said. “I guess the message is if you see a city vehicle coming at you, get off to the side of the road.”
Following Eason’s comments, Jones said Wednesday about 50 to 75 of the city’s more-than 700 active employees have been tested for drugs, according to the Human Resources Department. Of those, fewer than 10 percent have tested positive, she said
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“When you have a city with this many employees in 2011, there may be employees with substance (abuse) issues,” she said.
Jones said the city has an established no-tolerance drug policy that includes drug testing. Under every union contract, the city has the ability to test for drugs given reasonable suspicion, but random testing is regulated differently in each of the union contracts.
If an employee tests positive, “the first recourse is not firing, but that doesn’t mean we are tolerating,” she said.
“(We want) to help these employees help themselves to get into some sort of treatment program,” she said. “If it becomes a bigger problem than a treatment program can handle, then other disciplinary action has to take place.”
Some City Council members were split on the issue after the heated exchange between Freeman and Eason during the public meeting.
Councilman Sheldon Neeley said he was concerned about the city’s liability if an employee who has tested positive for drugs makes a mistake.
“My concern is solely ... to protect our treasury,” he said.
Councilman Michael Sarginson suggested there should be a “small break in employment to assess the situation.”
“That also might be a deterrent for these people,” he said.
But others said the worker deserves another opportunity to prove himself, especially since he admitted he has a problem.
“I don’t think any of us are that qualified that we should not be able to give someone a second chance,” council President Jackie Poplar said. “Drugs is a sickness, and it needs to be addressed.”
Councilman Bryant Nolden said he had a problem with alcohol and substance abuse at one time but managed to turn his life around with assistance.
“I figured out I had a problem and got help — my life is completely different,” he said. “I am all about giving a person a second chance.
“If he comes back and it happens again, then we have to follow protocol and do what we need to do.”
jacobsmith March 31, 2011 at 9:05AM
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Time to drug test them all, do it unannounced, and do it on Monday morning so it busts the coke heads as well as just the pot users.
If they decline the test, terminate them.
Now, a non-union employee in blight, hmm that is usually where mayors hide the jobs for friends, that person needs to be eliminated yesterday and we should drug test the Mayor and Eason at the same time.
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shanedr March 31, 2011 at 9:08AM
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So fire the half of the workforce that is using drugs then. You cannot solve problems by ignoring them. Eason needs to go because obviously he is not doing his job.
Those city employees need to understand there are a lot of unemployed people in this city. There will be far more applicants to fill any vacancies then can possibly be accepted. Those who are on drugs need to stop using and get treatment.
This issue is an example of why Flint is in such dire circumstances; very poor leadership at multiple levels.
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FLINTtownUNITE March 31, 2011 at 9:23AM
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Let the people smoke their weed.
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FLINTtownUNITE March 31, 2011 at 9:24AM
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High workers are good workers.
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robtjohnson March 31, 2011 at 10:00AM
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Well this is one way to trim the budget and get good people working for the city. To have illegal drugs and Do them is wrong and they need to follow the zero tolerance policy. This is a Way to get people that do not do drugs working and To get rid of Many problems the city has had for years. It is time the people take a Stand and stop this drug Problem that has Hurt this city more than any other issue there is going on. To allow them to continue is to say it is ok to break the laws and that is Plain Wrong.
And that is why my Brothers Murders are still on the streets they protect the Drug abusers and do not take them off the streets. I am Really sick of this Crap.
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sitango March 31, 2011 at 10:12AM
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One local school district has a zero tolerance for a positive drug test. That includes alcohol. I say drug testing for all. It should be random for ALL government employes. If they fail, they are terminated.
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aka.Walter March 31, 2011 at 10:31AM
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"test them all"......"trim the budget"
Any clue what it cost to have a Lab do 700 drug tests???
I say test as needed, if there is reason to believe someone is under the influence, but to test them all sounds like an expensive undertaking. I understand it's for insurance reasons if something bad happens with an employee under the influence, I just don't think Flint could afford 700 drug tests.
They should test for all drugs, no matter if prescribed by a doctor or not. I see many Zombie's on a daily basis under the influence of prescription drugs. It should apply to all drugs, legal or illegal.
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Group W Bench March 31, 2011 at 12:38PM
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If the insurance companies didn't provide big discounts for employers having a drug testing policy, do you really think that most would implement these programs out of their own pocket? Probably not as long as you don't show up to work stoned.
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pavjo March 31, 2011 at 10:31AM
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All City employees should have to take a drug test every year. There should be zero tolerance. If there is vehicile accident involving a City employee on duty or with a City owned vehicle any PI lawyer would be derelict for not suing the City. Here we go again more liability!!!!!!
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hlpflintplz March 31, 2011 at 10:42AM
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Yes all city employees should be tested for drugs! but how can we expect them to do the rite thing and possibly save the city oh say millions? like the 2.5 million dollar settlement for basement floods on the south side .....one of the persons lied and lied and lied some more and never had to prove their side when the truth was they did not have the damages they claimed but the city never made them prove their damages and paid millions so it is the city's stupidity and fault not the peoples yet we are the ones who pay for their mistakes! after the settlement a reporter from the flint journal walked the neighborhood but was not interested in the TRUTH!
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moreed March 31, 2011 at 10:42AM
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I say test them all as well , and get rid of anyone who doesn't pass the test. Plain and simple
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bphammer March 31, 2011 at 10:45AM
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If half the workers are using , half the workers should be replaced.There are many qualified people looking for work in Flint.I am appalled by Mr Easons statement.
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undertakers78 March 31, 2011 at 11:19AM
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Gregory Eason comments are unbelievable. This guy is a joke. What a terrible example he sets. Anyone with half brain here can connect the dots here and figure out what happened. Bottom line this person tested positive for illegal drug use. Mr. Eason said all the usual evading scumbag excuses as to what happened. Nice example the City of Flint Administrator is setting here. Let's get Gregory Eason out of his position immediately and get a no-nonsense forward minded individual in there to handle these matters.
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tdimhcs March 31, 2011 at 11:25AM
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Wow........a comment from the Communications Director! First one of the year I have heard!
So was the guy a crackheard or weedhead? Drug test EVERYONE! Did they no conduct a drug test before he was hired or was the hiring a political payback?
There are enough people unemployed that could use a job!
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jacksondm March 31, 2011 at 11:50AM
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I'm not part of the City workforce -- but was for a few years. I think Eason must have been high on something to make such an absurd statement ! Could it be 10% ? Maybe - - just like virtually every other industry / 10% is probably realistic. BUT (and I oppose any illegal drug use ) should the person who smokes a joint over the week-end in his own home be fired for drug use ? Arrested if caught in the act " Of course. Fired on Monday because he got high or drunk on his own time on Saturday? Hardly. The vast majority of city workers are decent / law abiding / hard working and good citizens.
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Fri Apr 01, 2011 8:49 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Numero407 may be right. I believe the guy was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Murder in 1985.
numero407 March 31, 2011 at 11:56AM
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tdimhcs, I heard it was chore boy. And we all know this guy wasn't going to wash any dishes with it. Rumor around city hall is he is related to someone in the administration, hence he was not terminated. Considering some of the decisions that are made at city hall , I wonder how many of them are doing drugs. I watched a city council meeting a couple of weeks ago. Bryant Nolden nominated a guy to he city advisory board. This guy has been arrested numerous times for domestic assault and is suspected of committing a couple of murders. He also is suspected of selling drugs from his home. But he lives in Nolden's ward so he must be ok. If you associate with crooks then you are probably a crook yourself.
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fast200 March 31, 2011 at 12:17PM
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Phoney righteousnous and a meaningless pay cut. With maybe 102,000 people left in Flint, city council still thinks Flint needs nine councilmembers. Where's their drug test?
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davenport4lifefirst March 31, 2011 at 12:20PM
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I do believe that all elected officials of the city, are city employees also, so shouldn't they be tested randomly also? As a matter of fact I believe All elected officials from the President on down should be drug tested, through the Hair testing process, that goes back 3 months. "Davenport for Mayor 2011"
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Royalcoachman March 31, 2011 at 12:36PM
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Test from the Mayor down, including the city council. They are city employees right.
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3gunmack March 31, 2011 at 12:37PM
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"I just don't think Flint could afford 700 drug tests."
Well, "I got five on it"...if you set up a fund and let citizens pay for it, it'd happen in no time...
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morbidcorpse March 31, 2011 at 1:26PM
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It's ok, folks. Everything will be fine, now that we have a new Logo for Flint stating the rise of our, "bright future!"
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yokeonu March 31, 2011 at 4:36PM
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Greg Eason is a fool. To make a statement like "have to fire half..." the workers due to drug problems. I am insulted. This employee was NOT a unionized city worker and did not go through the proper hiring process. Why, do you ask? Well, guess his name and you can track it to a pastor's son. Greg and Donna Poplar have been hiring many "friends". Besides, I doubt this person would of been able to pass the drug test based on his criminal drug history.
The supervisor did the right thing and fired him. There are plenty of unemployed workers that could use that job. Unfortunately Greg trumped that decision and then put him at 40 hrs! Greg Eason needs to be drug tested. If there is no I need to die! in his system - well, there should be. His tantrums remind me of a 2 yr. old possessed by the devil.
The concensus of the workers is that he should have been fired. Don't give the workers a bad name because of the favors that Greg Eason hands out.
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mr_db March 31, 2011 at 6:45PM
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I couldnt have said it better myself. The journal doesnt even know half of what is going on in the City of Flint. Eason probally ment Half of the "temps" they hired in the last year probally couldnt pass a drug test. Eason should realize anybody who holds a CDL have ramdom drug tests, and 1 thing for sure is all permenant city employees value their job and are not that stupid to do jobs and face the consequences of getting fired or 29 days off. But this article is just a sample of how the current administration does things around here they make the rules as they go.
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rjriley5000 March 31, 2011 at 8:43PM
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Flint has to clean up their act and this is a good place to start. Run the tests and pay for them out of the saving of created by canning those who are using drugs. There will not be any problems finding good replacements in today's economy.
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mr_db March 31, 2011 at 11:06PM
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I totally agree!!!, And 1 more thing, if there are temporary positions they should be fairly posted, and fairly hired for all people who apply no more of these administraitions friends and families!!!
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largehat March 31, 2011 at 11:49PM
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This one incident is just the tip of the iceberg for the COF. If you are of the preferred race and connected you are fastracking into positions you are not even qualified for or capable of handling. This administration is the most incompetant to date.
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agp3075 April 01, 2011 at 3:01AM
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All public paid by public funds officials and workers should be subject to pre-employment and random drug testing. I would also include the president of the US and all the way down to the guy or gal that cleans the public buildings. There are several of these employee's that drive a public vehicle while on the clock. The private sector employee's that drive a vehicle for business on public roads are subject to random physicals and drug testing. I would wish all senators, representatives and local officials to be subject to the same. I would be concerned of a substance abuser writing or enforcing the laws of our nation or local government. I am including the prescribed prescription drugs that they are on too. I know from experience that prescribed drugs can be worse than illegal drugs in altering the persons reasoning ability. |
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Fri Apr 01, 2011 9:09 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Freeman brought the ordinance where buying paraphenalia is illegal in Flint. Nice touch.
Speaking of touch - does anyone know if the stories about Eason thumping Josh Freeman in the chest are true? Allegedly Eason was angrily shouting at Freeman and hitting him in the chest with his finger. I am told that some bystanders wasnted Freeman to file a complINT AGAINST eASON. |
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Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:29 am |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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Andy Heller nails it in his blog, "Half the city's workers are on drugs, we're told, but which half?" Published: Wednesday, April 06, 2011, 8:43 PM Updated: Wednesday, April 06, 2011, 8:48 PM
By Andrew Heller | Flint Journal The Flint Journal
http://blog.mlive.com/flintjournal/aheller/2011/04/half_the_citys_workers_are_on.html
Resulting comments are on target, too. |
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Wed Apr 06, 2011 9:38 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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It seems that Judge Dowd was on sick leave and eason went off on the visiting judge who was taking her place for parking in the Cith hall garage. Judge Perry offered to trade parking spaces and Eason threatened to tow Judge Perry's car. Great way for the visiting Judge to remember Flint by.
This series of events begs the question as to why does the Mayor keep this idiot Eason? Some in the community have suggested there might be blackmail but others say they are just 2 of a kind. In reality it appears everyone is stumped. |
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Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:12 pm |
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