TEXAS LIVING!

WOW! The City of Allen and the Allen Senior Recreation Center have a “_ _ _ _ storm” brewing. And, naturally, I have something to say about it! Let me preface my opinions and comments below by saying I believe this subject to be a City-wide project and not just a Senior Center effort. And the issue here? The Parks Department, as the managing department of the Senior Center has sent out letters to all the volunteers requiring signature authorization to complete background checks: and I quote from the letter, “Background checks including comprehensive criminal background inquiry, driving record and any other which might be applicable to the service being provided or in the service area in which you volunteer”. As background, let’s start with the definition of volunteer: Merriam-Webster defines volunteer as “1: a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service: as a: one who enters into military service voluntarily b (1): one who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest.” In the packet received, the City sent out a cover letter and two signature authorization forms, a Volunteer Consent/Release form for the above mentioned background checks, and a Volunteer Release form releasing the City form any potential claims for injury while performing ‘volunteer’ duties, amid other miscellaneous statements. One of the documents also states, “The undersigned Volunteer also acknowledges and agrees that participation as a volunteer may be terminated at any time by Allen personnel.” Terminated? Sounds like I’m an employee, but I don’t get any of the benefits. One of the forms also requires each volunteer to furnish their Social Security number. YIKES! 1st – the language is pretty clear and I have to ask the question, why would I give ALL that authorization to ‘volunteer’ to make coffee and clean tables in the dining room? What possible reason does the City need my driving or credit record? Heck! What if I did shop-lift twenty years ago, the Center now locks up everything anyway because staff is afraid to confront members who steal supplies. Now if I was a volunteer van driver, I could see accessing my driving record, but come on now, I was cleaning tables! 2nd – Donna and I have already given our SS numbers and drivers license numbers to volunteer to deliver Meals On Wheels; and Donna gave out all the same information again to volunteer at the local grade school for their reading program, at the Allen hospital to volunteer in the records department, and at St. Jude’s Catholic Church to be a Eucharistic Minister for church readings. Why duplicate the effort and the cost? And now the City wants to spend money needlessly! Come on government, find efficiencies in what you do! 3rd – Most of the complaints I’ve heard are about making SS numbers available. That may be a generational issue more than anything else. Most potential employers now require that information anyway. In my opinion – the City and the Center staff could have avoided this current situation if they would have scheduled informational meetings to update volunteers on upcoming changes. I have lost interest in the Center over the last several months for that very issue. Parks staff and Center staff make decisions that affect volunteers without using the very knowledge of those who help make City programs successful.