Council OKs background checks for local coaches
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer

Scott Martin

JACKSON - In an attempt to protect children, the Township Council has adopted an ordinance that requires background checks to be conducted for youth sports coaches.

The council adopted the new law in a 5-0 vote at its meeting on Oct. 24.

"Now we have an ordinance in place that will mandate criminal history and sex offender background checks on all volunteer and all recreation personnel throughout Jackson," Councilman Scott Martin said.

The ordinance was designed to include a criminal background check for any person who is involved with coaching, managing, supervising participants, or any other title consistent with these terms. Also included are any umpires, referees, member of any boards that govern such organizations or anyone who uses township owned property for activities of the organization.

For the purpose of the ordinance, a youth is defined as any person younger than 18 years of age.

An individual's failure to comply with the requirements of the law by refusing to submit to the criminal background check will prohibit that person from participating.

According to the ordinance, any person who is found to have a criminal background will be disqualified from serving in the position that was being sought.

The initial draft of the ordinance gave the township administrator the responsibility for coordinating the criminal background check.

Martin said the final version of the ordinance allows a nonprofit organization to employ its own individual or company to conduct criminal background checks on its own personnel at its own expense.

"The organizations will have to supply the township with a list of names of the people who have cleared their checks," Martin said. The organizations can use any source they want as long as they are doing a criminal history and a sex offender check, he added.

During the public portion of the meeting resident Gary Black thanked the council members and Mayor Mark Seda for adopting the ordinance and bringing it to everyone's attention.

"Some things I know," Black said. "Sex offenders can live with children even though these steps are being made. Children are not safe. Parents should check who their kids play with, who they're around and their parents."