District weighs unpaid intern vs. part‑time assistant as workload grows

Trustees discussed hiring help for outreach, website work, records and basic accounting, weighing unpaid internships against a paid part‑time administrative assistant or contractor.

The nut graf: Board members agreed the district needs additional capacity for public outreach, website and record‑keeping but not enough clarity yet on hours or duties to pick a hiring model; they directed staff to draft a job description and consult university career services before advertising.

Trustees said an intern could be low-cost and useful for marketing and communications work but noted supervision needs. “If it is unpaid, their next question is, do I get course credit?” a trustee said, noting that university arrangements can affect the offer. Other trustees argued the workload may be closer to an administrative assistant’s duties and recommended preparing a clear job description before posting.

Participants discussed scope and hours. One trustee said the role could be “probably 5 [hours a week]” with flexing to 20 hours around big events; another described desired skills as basic web and graphic design, records and public‑communications ability. Legal counsel reminded the board an unpaid intern still requires supervision and that if the district hires employees it must address workers’ compensation and insurance coverage.

Direction: Trustees asked staff to draft a job description with duties (website maintenance, data entry, public communications, mapping support and records) and to contact university career services and local colleges to identify interns; they will also advertise for part‑time contractor options and evaluate responses at the next meeting.

Ending: The board agreed to revisit the recommendation after receiving job‑description drafts and university feedback, and to confirm insurance coverage if hiring paid staff or contractors.