Greene County updates personnel policy to require criminal-history checks for staff with child contact

The Greene County Board of Commissioners voted to add language to the county personnel policy implementing General Statute 153A-94.2(b), requiring criminal history record checks for applicants who will have contact with minor children.

County Manager presented the proposed change and said the language will be added under the personnel policy’s recruitment/employment section. Commissioners approved the change by voice vote without further discussion.

The county attorney told the board he had reviewed the statute and said it applies to any person who has contact with minors, which he said includes interns. "The statute says any person who has contact with minor children are subject to the statute. So I am of the opinion that it does in fact and indeed apply to interns," the county attorney said.

County Manager identified the implementation location in the manual as Article 4, recruitment/employment, Section 3; the board approved the motion to adopt the amendment and did not attach a separate timeline or implementation schedule in the meeting record. Commissioners did not request additional changes during the meeting.

The action formalizes the county’s procedure to require criminal history checks for applicants whose jobs involve contact with children. The county did not specify any changes to background-check procedures, the agency that will run checks, or a start date during the meeting.

The board later moved into a closed session for attorney-client privilege and then adjourned. No public comments were recorded on the personnel-policy item during the meeting.