BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer
MARLBORO – Individuals who volunteer with a first aid squad may eventually be subject to a background check.
The Township Council introduced an ordinance at its meeting on Sept. 7 that would, if adopted, require the members of volunteer first aid squads to undergo a criminal background check. There would not be a processing fee associated with the background check.
The ordinance is scheduled for a public hearing and a possible vote for adoption at the council’s Sept. 21 meeting.
According to the ordinance, a member of a first aid squad includes paramedics, emergency medical technicians and first responders in the Marlboro or Morganville first aid squads.
Individuals seeking a volunteer position with these squads are required to provide the following information: name, home address, birth date, Social Security number, driver’s license number and a signed statement certifying whether the individual has been convicted of any crimes or disorderly persons offenses.
According to the proposed ordinance, those crimes include involving danger to a person; against a family, children or incompetent individuals; involving theft; and involving any controlled dangerous substance.
Following the filing of an application, the volunteer first aid squad will send the application to the chief of police who will conduct an investigation. In addition, the applicant will be required to be fingerprinted and the chief of police is authorized to submit the fingerprint card and to receive criminal history record information from the Division of State Police/State Bureau of Identification.
In a related issue, the council passed a resolution increasing the fees for recreation soccer and recreation wrestling by $5.
Officials said the fee increase is being implemented in order to cover the cost of criminal background checks for employees and volunteers of the Marlboro Recreation Department. In April, the council adopted a law requiring criminal background checks of those individuals.
In other business at the Sept. 7 meeting, the council passed a resolution authorizing a contract to be executed between the township and BRB Valuation and Consulting Services. The purpose of the contract is for appraisal services regarding the DiMeo property at the corner of Conover and Pleasant Valley roads.
According to the resolution, the purpose of the appraisal will be to determine the market value of the site that includes a house and a barn.
Council President Patti Morelli said the appraisal is only for the 5 acres of land with the house and barn, not the rest of the farm, which is owned by the township as open space. Morelli said individuals have shown an interest in purchasing the home and therefore an appraisal of its value is needed.
And, Police Chief Robert Holmes, along with the council and Mayor Robert Kleinberg, presented Frank Perrini Sr. with a certificate of recognition for his assistance in a fire. Perrini is a retired New York City fireman.
On April 3 three houses in the Millponds residential development off Texas Road caught fire. According to Holmes, Perrini observed the fires and knocked on the doors of the burning homes to ensure that anyone who may have been inside got out safely.
“Because of his bravery we probably saved a life,” Holmes said. “He did a job for us and for that we’re going to recognize him.”