The City Council makes the following findings regarding the need to conduct
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on persons who are finalists for certain city positions and who are applying to volunteer in city programs providing services to children or vulnerable adults, recognizing that the City Council has a significant interest in protecting the general public in the performance of government services.
(a) Certain city employees and volunteers work independently with and provide public services to some of the most vulnerable members of society: children, senior citizens, developmentally disabled individuals and mentally ill persons. Protection of these vulnerable persons warrants the investigation of persons who are finalists to fill these certain employment positions with the city and who are applying to volunteer in city programs that provide services to these members of the public.
(b) Some city employees work closely with public funds and accounts and are in employment positions that have access to property or assets of the city where losses are difficult to detect or prevent. In order to minimize the risk that the public trust will be violated,
of those individuals who are finalists to be employed in such positions are necessary.
(c) Several city employees enter the private homes of city residents on a regular basis in the performance of necessary and worthwhile public services.
on persons who are finalists for such positions are deemed necessary to minimize the risk that the personal safety of residents in their homes will be violated.
(d) Many city employees and some volunteers operate, on a regular basis, heavy machinery, buses, street maintenance equipment and/or other city-owned motor vehicles on public rights-of-way. In order to minimize the loss of public property and the loss of life in serious traffic accidents,
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of finalists for such positions are appropriate.
(e) In accordance with the state policy of encouraging the rehabilitation of criminal offenders, the
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prescribed herein shall not be an automatic bar to public employment but rather uses in assessing the rehabilitation of the finalist in accordance with M.S. §§ 364.01 to 364.10, as they may be amended from time to time.
(f) This Division B cannot guarantee that certain groups or individuals will be protected from the criminal acts of employees or volunteers; rather, its intent is to minimize certain risks in the performance of government services to the general public.
(Ord. 95-23, passed 11-20-1995; Ord. 98-7, passed 3-2-1998)