At the mandatory safety meeting called for all workers Tuesday by Cameron County Public Works Supervisor Ruben Gonzalez he was adamant.
Any worker who was involved in any accident involving a county vehicle was to be prohibited from driving until he had a drug test and took a safety driving course to be paid out of his own pocket.
This last wrinkle was new to the workers and would constitute a considerable expense and time from work without compensation. But Gonzalez would have none of it. The rules were the rules and that was it. No exceptions.
Well, come Wednesday, his edict faced the litmus test.
There was Gonzalez driving County Engineer Paolina Vega and showing off the new 20-foot paved section of Oklahoma road in the county's southwest end when he inadvertently slid off the newly-paved section and into a bar ditch with his passenger.
So far, Gonzalez is still driving a county truck, has not had to take a drug test, and has not had to take a safety driving course.
What was the reason for the accident? Was he intoxicated by the presence of Vega sitting in the seat next to him? Or could it be that he was not use to driving on new asphalt?
Leaders lead by example.
Let's see what the response from the elected officials is to this little mishap. Will they chuckle understandingly? Or will they apply the new rules uniformly on everyone? The help is watching.