Finance committee authorizes $300,000 contract to help nonprofit run summer internships

The Pasadena City Council’s finance committee on June 22 authorized the city manager to enter into a contract with a nonprofit to support a summer internship program for local high school students.

Michael Trogan, career services administrator, told the committee the nonprofit (identified in staff materials as EXP / international trade education programs) reached out because it lacked the administrative infrastructure to run a large summer internship program. The proposed agreement would have the city help implement the program; the nonprofit would provide about $300,000 in funding to pay participants and cover administration.

Trogan said the program would serve up to 150 high school students, each receiving roughly 80 hours of work. He told the committee that roughly 85–90% of the contract amount would go to participant wages, with the remainder used to administer the program. Trogan also said the nonprofit uses a mix of private foundation donations and grant funding to finance the internships.

Council member Cole asked about the wage rate and the share of the contract paid to participants. Trogan said the pay would be tied to the local minimum-wage rate referenced in the presentation (the speaker cited approximately $18.47 per hour as the working assumption on the contract, which takes effect as wage rates change July 1). Trogan said there were no other material costs planned under the agreement beyond participant wages and fees to administer the program.

Cole and other members expressed support for the urgent start to the program given the summer timeline. The committee moved and approved the staff recommendation without objection.

Next steps: staff will finalize the contract documents and the city manager will execute the agreement so the program can start this summer.