RUMFORD - After deciding last month that Rumford's municipal drug and alcohol policy for town employees isn't enforceable, Selectman Frank DiConzo decided to draft a new one.

He presented it Thursday night to selectmen and Town Manager Len Greaney. Then, just as quickly, he sought board consent to take it to the Maine Department of Labor in Augusta for further consideration, without board perusal.

Selectmen Chairman J. Arthur Boivin, Selectmen Mark Belanger and Brad Adley and Greaney appeared to be taken aback by DiConzo's presentation.

DiConzo said he wants a new policy in place that will allow the town to annually and randomly test all town employees, elected officials, and volunteers who serve on town committees for drug and alcohol use.

"Everyone who receives a paycheck from the town and volunteers for committees should be drug-free," DiConzo said.

Part of the impetus behind it, he explained, is a proactive stance to prevent negative press should a town official get busted for drug or alcohol use while serving the town.

Adley was the first to ask DiConzo why he didn't enlist help from Boivin or Greaney when drafting the policy.

"Right now, the town has no authority to suspend or fire an employee due to the lack of a policy," DiConzo answered.

That prompted Boivin to say that he believes such a policy should be directed at any employee who operates a piece of equipment for the town.

Belanger said he'd feel uncomfortable asking committee volunteers to take a urine test to check for the presence of drugs or alcohol.

"The charter says you can't act as an individual. You have to work with the town manager," Boivin told DiConzo.

But DiConzo replied that he'd read the charter and didn't find that language in governing document.

He said that everyone would be tested across the board for the first year, and then afterward, random testing would ensue.

When asked about tests costs, DiConzo said he sought some estimates and got a basic price of $50 a test.

"We'd be the first one to do this as a municipality and it would encourage other municipalities to follow us. We would set a good example across the state," DiConzo said.

"I don't think testing everyone is a good thing," Boivin said.

However, Belanger motioned to allow the process to move forward and the board voted 4-0 approving it.

Contacted Friday afternoon, Greaney clarified Belanger's motion, saying the board voted to take DiConzo's draft policy to the state Department of Labor, but only after Greaney reviews it.