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Shorewood council discusses insurance and background-check policy for South Shore Senior Partners
Summary
Council members considered whether the South Shore Senior Partners should carry their own insurance and pay for volunteer background checks or receive city-supported checks and a discounted facility rate; staff estimated combined background-check costs near $150 per volunteer and the council asked staff to explore contract-term and insurance options with SSSP.
After reconvening following the regular council meeting, Shorewood council members focused on a proposed agreement with the South Shore Senior Partners (SSSP), the volunteer-run group that provides senior programming at the Shorewood Community and Event Center (SCEC). Park and Recreation Director Czech summarized two unresolved items in the draft agreement: who bears insurance costs and what background checks are required for volunteers.
City Attorney Shepherd recommended background checks for volunteers as a best practice to protect the city and noted that, to date, the city’s insurance policy has been covering SSSP activities even though SSSP is a separate organization. “I would recommend that if there were volunteers staffing the building, there be background checks conducted, as a best practice to protect the City,” Shepherd said.
Staff provided cost estimates for background checks: the routine background check was cited at about $85 to $110, a Minnesota BCA check at roughly $40, and when both are performed staff estimated a total near $150 per volunteer. City Clerk/HR Director Thone told the council that staff typically ran both checks for positions with access to minors and that costs have risen in recent years.
Councilmembers debated whether the city should pay for SSSP volunteers’ checks and insurance or require SSSP to procure its own policy and checks while offsetting costs with a discounted facility rate. Councilmember DiGruttolo said she supported city-funded background checks for volunteers because many SSSP activities serve seniors and the public, and she favored limiting the depth of checks for short volunteer shifts, suggesting the BCA check might suffice for those roles. Councilmember Maddy proposed requiring SSSP to obtain its own insurance and checks while offering a reduced monthly facility fee to help offset costs.
The council expressed a consensus in favor of shortening the draft agreement’s term (SSSP had requested a shorter term) and asked staff to surface the termination provisions more prominently in the contract language. Park and Recreation Director Czech said SSSP currently pays a long-standing discounted monthly rate (about $600 per month since 2009) and staff will discuss insurance and fee options with the SSSP. Councilmembers also asked SSSP to present to the council about its services, membership and needs.
There was no formal vote on insurance or background-check policy during the session; instead, the council asked staff to pursue options with SSSP and return with revised contract language and cost implications. The work session adjourned at 8:42 p.m.
