Paid Internship with Fairhaven

ANNOUNCEMENT: INTERNSHIP TOWN OF FAIRHAVEN

The Fairhaven Office of Planning and Economic Development provides planning services to the Town of Fairhaven in areas such as land use, zoning, and community development. Fairhaven is a community of approximately 16,250 residents located on Buzzards Bay, about twenty minutes east from the UMass Dartmouth campus.

The Town through its Planning Office has been awarded a several Community Development Block Grants [CDBG] from the Mass. Dept. of Housing & Development to implement its Neighborhood Revitalization Plan for the Cushman Park Neighborhood. The Plan consists of initiatives to improve its infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, sewer, water, etc.), private housing, its commercial potential, and its social services. The Town has hired a consulting team of engineers, housing and planning specialists to implement the Plan.

Overview of the internship/coop objectives: The internship will provide support to the Fairhaven Office of Planning and Economic Development as well as the consulting team in the implementation of the Town’s 2006 and 2007 CDBG Grants, which consist of infrastructure improvement projects and a housing rehabilitation program. The intern will also assist the Planning Department in preparing its 2008 CDBG application.

Primary duties and responsibilities: Data collection on properties and incomes; data analysis and reporting using Microsoft Access and Excel as well as mapping software; surveying residents for information in person and/or on the telephone; marketing public forums to residents to encourage participation; assistance with scheduling and set-up of public meetings.

What will the student learn from this experience? Data collection and analysis; property and infrastructure evaluation; computer mapping; marketing of public events; strategic planning. The intern will gain valuable insight on the use of data in developing long range plans as well as experience in marketing events to the public and working with a diverse group of professionals.

Job Title: Planning Intern

Compensation: $10/hour plus reimbursement for travel and travel expenses incurred as part of the job.

Academic preparation of the student (graduate, senior, junior, courses taken, GPA, etc.): Junior or Senior student; coursework in one of these areas desirable: marketing, finance, public administration, environmental policy or accounting.

Skills required: Experience with Microsoft Office Suite. Strong analytic skills, self-directed, detail oriented.

Hours of work: 20 hours/week

Start and end dates: Fall Semester 2007 (Sept. 1 to Dec. 22, 2007); extension through the spring semester 2008 may be available.

Primary supervisor: William D. Roth, Jr., Director, Fairhaven Office of Planning and Economic Development.

To whom should students send resume/application and how? Mr. William D. Roth, Jr., Fairhaven Planning Director, at broth@fairhaven-ma.gov or 40 Center Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719.

Deadline for submitting resume/application: September 21, 2007

How will the students be evaluated? Student will be evaluated based on their job performance. Students also would be required by the faculty supervisor to submit a 10-page report detailing their internship experience. This is relevant only if the student will be seeking credit.