(1) A metropolitan park district has the right of eminent domain, and may purchase, acquire and condemn lands lying within or without the boundaries of said park district, for public parks, parkways, boulevards, aviation landings and playgrounds, and may condemn such lands to widen, alter and extend streets, avenues, boulevards, parkways, aviation landings and playgrounds, to enlarge and extend existing parks, and to acquire lands for the establishment of new parks, boulevards, parkways, aviation landings and playgrounds. The right of eminent domain shall be exercised and instituted pursuant to resolution of the board of park commissioners and conducted in the same manner and under the same procedure as is or may be provided by law for the exercise of the power of eminent domain by incorporated cities and towns of the state of Washington in the acquisition of property rights: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, Funds to pay for condemnation allowed by this section shall be raised only as specified in this chapter.
(2) The board of park commissioners shall have power to employ counsel, and to regulate, manage and control the parks, parkways, boulevards, streets, avenues, aviation landings and playgrounds under its control, and to provide for park police, for a secretary of the board of park commissioners and for all necessary employees, to fix their salaries and duties.
(3) The board of park commissioners shall have power to improve, acquire, extend and maintain, open and lay out, parks, parkways, boulevards, avenues, aviation landings and playgrounds, within or without the park district, and to authorize, conduct and manage the letting of boats, or other amusement apparatus, the operation of bath houses, the purchase and sale of foodstuffs or other merchandise, the giving of vocal or instrumental concerts or other entertainments, the establishment and maintenance of aviation landings and playgrounds, and generally the management and conduct of such forms of recreation or business as it shall judge desirable or beneficial for the public, or for the production of revenue for expenditure for park purposes; and may pay out moneys for the maintenance and improvement of any such parks, parkways, boulevards, avenues, aviation landings and playgrounds as now exist, or may hereafter be acquired, within or without the limits of said city and for the purchase of lands within or without the limits of said city, whenever it deems the purchase to be for the benefit of the public and for the interest of the park district, and for the maintenance and improvement thereof and for all expenses incidental to its duties: PROVIDED, That all parks, boulevards, parkways, aviation landings and playgrounds shall be subject to the police regulations of the city within whose limits they lie.
(4)(a) For the purpose of receiving criminal history record information by metropolitan park districts, metropolitan park districts:
(i) Shall establish by resolution the requirements for a state and federal record check of park district employees, applicants for employment, volunteers, vendors, and independent contractors, who, in the course of their work or volunteer activity with the park district, may:
(A) Have unsupervised access to children, persons with developmental disabilities, or vulnerable adults; or
(B) Be responsible for collecting or disbursing cash or processing credit/debit card transactions; and
(ii) May require a criminal background check conducted through a private organization of park district employees, applicants for employment, volunteers, vendors, and independent contractors, who, in the course of their work or volunteer activity with the park district, may have unsupervised access to children, persons with developmental disabilities, or vulnerable adults. A background check conducted through a private organization under this subsection is not required in addition to the requirement under (a)(i) of this subsection.
(b) The investigation under (a)(i) of this subsection shall consist of a background check as allowed through the Washington state patrol criminal identification system under RCW
43.43.830 through
43.43.834, the Washington state criminal records act under RCW
10.97.030 and
10.97.050, and the federal bureau of investigation.
(c) The background checks conducted under (a)(i) of this subsection must be done through the Washington state patrol identification and criminal history section and may include a national check from the federal bureau of investigation, which shall be through the submission of fingerprints. The Washington state patrol shall serve as the sole source for receipt of fingerprint submissions and the responses to the submissions from the federal bureau of investigation, which must be disseminated to the metropolitan park district.
(d) The park district shall provide a copy of the record report to the employee, prospective employee, volunteer, vendor, or independent contractor.
(e) When necessary, as determined by the park district, prospective employees, volunteers, vendors, or independent contractors may be employed on a conditional basis pending completion of the investigation.
(f) If the employee, prospective employee, volunteer, vendor, or independent contractor has had a record check within the previous twelve months, the park district may waive the requirement upon receiving a copy of the record.
(g) For background checks conducted pursuant to (c) of this subsection, the metropolitan park district must transmit appropriate fees, as the Washington state patrol may require under RCW
10.97.100 and
43.43.838, to the Washington state patrol, unless alternately arranged.
(h) The authority for background checks outlined in this section is in addition to any other authority for such checks provided by law.
