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WEST MILFORD - Town hopes to scrutinize its volunteers
(by David M. Zimmer - Staff Writer - October 15, 2008)
WEST MILFORD - In an effort to safeguard local youth, the Township Council is developing an ordinance to mandate background checks for volunteers, municipal employees and contracted instructors for township-sponsored youth-based activities.
During its workshop meeting on Oct. 1, the council made some decisions on a new ordinance being drafted by Township Attorney Fred Semrau that would require background checks for individuals involved in recreation and other youth activities endorsed by the township.
In order to keep criminals out of direct contact with the youth of West Milford, the township is planning to utilize the New Jersey State Police background checks that most municipalities use to review the records of township employees and volunteers.
Mayor Bettina Bieri said that there are outside vendors, like the Volunteer Review Operations, that keep the records so the municipal staff does not have to maintain the files in addition to deciding whether an applicant has any reasons for disqualification. However, since there are costs associated with this service, the council decided to allow the Police Department to collect the information.
Nevertheless, the individual recreational organizations need to certify that the checks are done so the township has proof of compliance, Bieri said.
If a prospective volunteer wants to appeal the determination made on his or her past transgressions, the township administrator will decide if he or she will be able to volunteer for youth sports or activities, Semrau said.
Council President Joseph Smolinski and Mayor Bieri both said they have heard concerns from current and prospective volunteers about the list of disqualifying factors, which includes drug use or possession charges.
“Something they may have done back in the ‘60s and ‘70s doesn’t make them a bad person,” Smolinski said.
Councilman Robert Nolan said that the presence of background checks alone should be enough to keep the unwanted, who would be wary of having the checks done, away from West Milford’s youth.
Smolinski asked Semrau to redraft the ordinance for the next workshop to include disqualifying factors for certain crimes, like abuse or assault on a child, after which the offender could be deemed rehabilitated and fit to volunteer.
Mayor Bieri also recommended the ordinance be adapted to extend these background checks to those interacting with seniors and developmentally challenged individuals.
“They are almost as likely to be victims as the youth,” she said.
Councilman Philip Weisbecker said they should adopt the ordinance and then amend it later to include other at-risk groups. Smolinski agreed with the decision to amend the ordinance later, saying that the Recreation Department has worked for years on getting background checks for township volunteers and instructors and the council should adopt it soon.
The Recreation Department wanted the township to pay for each $26 background check, Smolinski said, but the township is looking for recreation programs to add the costs to the registration process for each separate program. Since the amount of volunteers typically depends on the amount or children registered, this would ensure a small, $2 or $3 gain in registration costs across all programs, Mayor Bieri said.
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