Richland County ad hoc committee outlines plan for 11 paid interns after $75,000 allocation

The Richland County Ad Hoc Committee heard details of a draft countywide internship program on a motion day, with Director of Human Resources Ike Harley telling members the FY2027 budget includes $75,000 earmarked to start the program.

"During the last budget cycle...there was $75,000 allocated in that budget for internships," Director Ike Harley said, and staff calculate that amount "will be able to hire 11 interns at the rate of $15 an hour" for a 37.5‑hour workweek over a 10‑week summer term.

The program draft presented to the committee said staff surveyed county departments and received responses from 21 departments; 14 reported they could provide meaningful learning opportunities and would be interested in hosting interns. Harley said the county will post positions in early 2027 with the aim of onboarding interns in June 2027 and that additional funding would be requested for FY2028.

Committee members pressed staff on who the program should target. "Are you all looking at graduate students, undergraduate students, high school, how are you coming up with those 11?" one member asked. Harley said department needs will determine eligibility and that some roles—public works, for example—may be appropriate for high‑school students. The draft allows interns ages 16 and up and proposes using the county’s Workday system for applications; interns would undergo the same hiring processes as other hires, including background checks and pre‑employment screenings.

Several members recommended expanding beyond a summer‑only model. Councilman Levinson and other members suggested considering year‑round, part‑time internships for college students so the program can serve a broader pool of candidates; others warned that high‑school placements may be limited to summer because of school schedules. "One, I'm just happy we're starting this," a member said, urging staff to design a program that preserves access for both high‑school and college students as it scales.

Harley shared program design examples from neighboring counties: One Spartanburg uses weekly training sessions to introduce interns to local government functions such as planning, land use and public safety; Beaufort County offers a weekly curriculum covering financial literacy, professionalism, communication and problem solving. Harley said Richland County could adopt similar weekly training modules during months when most interns are on site.

Miss English asked whether high‑school participants could receive school credit. "When you're working with the high school students, will that be the case so that they can achieve...credit for that?" she asked. Harley said staff would research high‑school requirements and structure the program to allow school‑designated credit where feasible.

Next steps outlined by staff included meeting with interested departments to draft job descriptions, finalizing a training curriculum, and returning to the committee with a policy and curriculum for a committee vote before forwarding to full council. No formal action to adopt the internship policy was taken at the meeting; the committee instead approved routine agenda items (minutes and adoption of the agenda) and directed staff to continue work on the draft. The committee adjourned after concluding discussion.

Votes at the meeting included approval of the May 5, 2026 minutes (motion moved and seconded; roll call votes recorded as yes by Livingston and Mackey) and adoption of the meeting agenda (roll call yes votes by Little, Livingston and Mackey). A motion to adjourn was subsequently approved.