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254 <br /> <br />Mr. O'Connell stated that school bus drivers will continue to <br />be tested annually which is the present policy. <br /> <br /> Mr. Towe questioned whether AIDS related testing had <br />been discussed. <br /> <br /> Mr. O'Connell stated that the Department of Social <br />Services has conducted training sessions concerning working <br />with clients with AIDS and that the Fire Department is <br />studying the issue and setting up training programs. Mr. <br />O'Connell stated that the Schools already have educational <br />programs concerning AIDS for their employees. <br /> <br /> Mr. Preston Gentry, President of the Professional <br />Firefighters Association, stated that the Fire Department has <br />addressed the AIDS issue and~has changed many of its <br />procedures. Mr. Gentry noted that the Fire Department is <br />also concerned with the threat of Hepititis B and is studying <br />immunizing employees. Mr. Gentry stated that the <br />Professional Firefighters Association fully supports the <br />proposed substance abuse policy and added that it is <br />comforting to employees to know that the City will offer to <br />help employees with problems rather than merely dismiss them. <br /> <br /> On motion by Mrs. Gleason, seconded by Mr. Barnes, <br />Council unanimously approved the amended Substance Abuse <br />Policy. <br /> <br />STAFF REPORT: USER SIDE SUBSIDY <br /> <br /> Mr. Louie Chapman, Assistant City Manager, presented <br />two alternatives for implementation of the User Side <br />Subsidy Program. <br /> <br /> The first alternative would combine Saturday service <br />with the User Side Subsidy and would provide door-to-door <br />service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the subsidy <br />available, the 350 possible users would be eligible for 5.62 <br />trips per month. Mr. Chapman listed the following <br />advantages for this alternatives: 1) it would be simpler to <br />use as there would be one set of coupons and rules; 2) it <br />would allow flexibility to the user to decide how to spend <br />the fixed amount of coupons; 3) it would be less costly to <br />administer; 4) it would be easier for the service provider; <br />and 5) it would allow for more evening, Sunday and holiday <br />trips. Mr. Chapman stated that the disadvantage would be <br />that it would not provide unlimited Saturday rides for fifty <br />cents per ride. <br /> <br /> The second alternative would separate the programs for <br /> Saturdays and the User Side Subsidy. The Saturday service <br /> would provide door-to-door service from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 <br /> p.m. for which there would be no limit on the number of <br /> trips taken. A time and distance limit would be imposed in <br />order to prevent abuse of~the program and passengers would <br />~be required to schedule trips 24 hours in advance. For the <br /> User Side Subsidy door-to-door service would be available 24 <br /> hours a day, seven days a week, with trip origin and <br /> destination within the City limits. Up to $1.50 per one- <br /> way trip would be subsidized for a total of approximately <br /> 2.86 one-way trips per person. Passengers requiring a lift <br /> equipped vehicle would have 24-hour demand response, but all <br /> other passengers would have a two-hour demand response. The <br /> separated program would have the following advantages: 1) <br /> it would provide unlimited Saturday service at fifty cents <br /> per ride~ 2) Saturday service would be more comparable to <br /> CTS; 3) Saturday service would not be linked to the <br /> User-Side Subsidy Program; and 4) it would be easier to <br /> justify expanding User-Side Subsidy in the future. The <br /> separated program would have the following disadvantages: 1) <br /> it would have two sets of rules to be understood by users; <br /> 2) it would be costlier and more difficult to monitor and <br /> administer; 3) it would be more difficult for the provider <br /> <br /> <br />