Court proclaims April as Child Abuse Awareness Month

Approves alcohol, drug testing 

In what was rather a quick and thorough meeting, commissioners flew through the March 8 commissioner court agenda approving a variety of topics.

County Court Coordinator Sandy Hill took the podium first and asked commissioners to consider a service agreement for drug and alcohol testing compliance services.

Hill said that drug and alcohol testing is mandatory before an employee is hired t and that “random testing is required by the Department of Transportation.”

Hill said that a background checks on each CDL driver that the county employs, along with results of the drug and alcohol test, would have to be kept in a locked file cabinet.

Hill said that the company that the county previously used was no longer offering the drug and alcohol testing services.

Hill updated the commissioners on the options available concerning the service agreement consisting of costs, location and training services.

The commissioners approved Hill’s request for a service agreement between VZC and the Drug and Alcohol Testing Compliance Service of Longview.

Proclamation

Sandy Hilliard asked the commissioners to adopt a proclamation that would designate April as Child Abuse Awareness Month in VZC.

Hilliard said that “in 2015, there were 171 children in Texas that died of child abuse or neglect. Those numbers are rising. In 2014, there were 156 children who died as a result of child abuse or neglect.”

Hililard said that three events had been planned that would help spark awareness.

“Go Blue Day will be April 8, and I encourage everyone to wear blue on that day. On April 11, there will be a candlelight vigil at Victory Church on College Street in Canton. Lastly, there will be a Go Blue Sunday. We have invited all the churches in the county to say a special prayer for all the children who have been abused or neglected.”

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