CONDUCT GUIDELINES:

The City of Traverse City recognizes that a secure, supportive, and inviting environment is necessary for the Senior Center.  Further, it establishes an environment where each person has a right to make choices and is responsible for the consequences of those choices.
Policy Statement:            No Guest, staff member, volunteer, or any other person shall be allowed to intimidate, bully, threaten to harm, or cause harm to any person or property at any time, for any reason.
Inappropriate behavior is defined by staff, who will use the parameters discussed at the Public Participation meeting of 10/7/98 as a guideline.  
**In a situation of physical attack or hostile physical contact, threat of intent to cause physical or mental harm, stealing, intentional damage to property, or lying, the following procedure may be ignored and immediate membership revocation issued.  
Procedure:  Should staff become aware of or observe inappropriate behavior in the Senior Center or sponsored event, they are to follow the following steps:  

Verbal Warning:

Step 1:            Staff will privately address the individual about what specific behavior is unacceptable and that the behavior will not be tolerated.  This step is considered a verbal warning that the behavior displayed is unacceptable and cannot occur again.  

Step 2:            If the person’s behavior continues, staff has the authority to direct the person to leave the building immediately.  If the person chooses not to leave the building voluntarily, there will be no other choice than to enforce their removal, by calling law enforcement for assistance.  

Written Warning:  May be issued if behavior persists on a separate occasion

Step 1:            Staff will privately address the individual about what specific behavior is unacceptable and that the behavior will not be tolerated.  The conversation will be put in writing and a copy given to the individual.  

Step 2:            If the person’s behavior continues, staff has the authority to direct the person to leave the building immediately.  If the person chooses not to leave the building voluntarily, there will be no other choice than to enforce their removal, by calling law enforcement for assistance.

 

Membership Revocation:            May be issued if behavior persists on a separate occasion

Step 1:            Staff will privately address the individual about what specific behavior is unacceptable and that the behavior will not be tolerated.  The conversation will be put into writing and a copy given to the individual.  

Step 2:            If a person’s behavior persists, but on a third occasion from the original verbal warning, staff is authorized to issue a revocation of membership to the individual and may direct them to leave the building immediately.

 

Appeals Process:

In the event of a member’s revocation of membership, they may appeal this decision to the Advisory Board, by submitting a written request to be placed on the agenda for a closed session.  The Board will review the case, hearing from both the member and staff.  If the Board should agree with the staff’s decision, the member’s revocation will stand as issued.  If the Board should disagree with staff’s decision, staff will have the opportunity to change their decision or refer the issue to City Administration for further review.

 
Adopted by Senior Center Advisory Board January 13, 1999.