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C'ry of <br />Elk <br />River <br />REQUEST FOR ACTION <br />TO <br />ITEM NUMBER <br />Mayor and City Council <br />8.3 <br />AGENDA SECTION <br />MEETING DATE <br />PREPARED BY <br />General Business <br />March 4, 2013 <br />Michael Hecker, Parks and Recreation <br />Director <br />ITEM DESCRIPTION <br />REVIEWED BY <br />Background Screening Policy <br />Cal Portner, City Administrator <br />REVIEWED BY <br />ACTION REQUESTED <br />Approve by motion, the City of Elk River Background Screening Policy. <br />BACKGROUND /DISCUSSION <br />During the development of the Field and Facility Use Allocation Policy, it became apparent that we had <br />the need for a comprehensive background screening policy. National standards, as developed by <br />National Recreation and Park Association and National Alliance for Youth Sports, recommend a policy <br />to protect child safety through employee /volunteer background screenings. <br />The city's current screening policy is limited to Minnesota crimes, leaving substantial gaps in the screening <br />and lacks sufficient procedures to verify the identity of the person screened. <br />The attached policy applies to all Parks and Recreation employees and volunteers who will or may be <br />expected to have contact with children or vulnerable adults, as well as all Field and Facility Users' <br />program participants who will or might have such contact, as a condition of the approval for a field and <br />facility use permit. This applies to any youth sports organizations that use our athletic facilities. <br />A survey of local youth organizations found they annually conduct background screenings for coaches <br />and volunteers at a cost of $8 -19 per person. Our policy allows them be in compliance by conducting <br />their own background screening, if it satisfies all the elements of this policy. Our policy proposes a more <br />thorough screening every two years. <br />City Attorney Mark Mathison assisted with the development of this policy and provided a more detailed <br />analysis and consideration, which is attached for your information. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT <br />Currently, background screenings for staff and volunteers are completed by the police department <br />through the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which has never been a direct cost to the department. <br />The estimated cost for background screenings under the new policy is $7,400, for all full -time, part -time, <br />and seasonal employees, contract employees, coaches and volunteers in the department at $18.50 per <br />person. If approved by City Council, we will budget $7,400 in 2014 for professional services. <br />r P 0 W E R E 0 0 V <br />A"URE <br />