IN THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
Title
AN ORDINANCE establishing the position of Legislative Intern within the Office of the Jackson County Legislature and setting forth provisions governing the appointment, supervision, and employment of Legislative Interns.
Intro
ORDINANCE NO. 6097, June 8, 2026
INTRODUCED BY Manuel Abarca IV, County Legislator
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNTY LEGISLATURE OF JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Ordinance is to establish a Legislative Internship Program to provide educational and professional development opportunities for students and other qualified individuals interested in public service, local government, public policy, constituent services, communications, and legislative affairs.
SECTION 2. CREATION OF POSITION.
There is hereby established the position of Legislative Intern within the Office of each member of the Jackson County Legislature.
SECTION 3. NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT.
A. Legislative Interns shall be classified as part-time, seasonal employees.
B. Legislative Intern positions are intended primarily for service during the summer months, although a Legislator may appoint interns during any period of the year as deemed necessary and appropriate.
C. Legislative Interns shall serve at the pleasure of the individual Legislator who appoints them and shall have no expectation of continued employment beyond the duration of their appointment.
SECTION 4. NON-MERIT STATUS.
A. Legislative Interns shall be designated as non-merit employees and shall not be subject to the provisions of the County Merit System.
B. Legislative Interns shall not accrue seniority, tenure, or any employment rights beyond those expressly provided by County policy or applicable law.
SECTION 5. APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY.
A. Each County Legislator shall have sole authority to recruit, interview, select, appoint, supervise, evaluate, discipline, and dismiss Legislative Interns serving within that Legislator's office.
B. No approval from the County Executive, Human Resources Department, or any other County official shall be required for the selection of a Legislative Intern. The role of the Human Resources Department shall be limited to processing employment documentation, payroll records, and compliance requirements. Human Resources shall have no authority to approve, reject, screen, rank, select, supervise, discipline, or terminate any Legislative Intern.
C. All hiring decisions regarding Legislative Interns shall be made solely at the discretion of the individual Legislator.
SECTION 6. SUPERVISION.
A. Legislative Interns shall report directly and exclusively to the Legislator who appointed them.
B. Legislative Interns shall not be supervised by any County department director, elected official, or employee other than the appointing Legislator.
C. Legislative Interns may assist with constituent services, research, communications, legislative projects, community outreach, special events, administrative support, and other duties assigned by the appointing Legislator.
SECTION 7. NUMBER OF INTERNS.
A. Each Legislator may appoint and employ such number of Legislative Interns as the Legislator determines necessary.
B. The number of Legislative Interns employed by a Legislator shall be limited only by the amount appropriated and available within that Legislator's office budget.
SECTION 8. EXEMPTION FROM POSITION CONTROLS.
A. Legislative Intern positions are hereby exempt from any countywide position control, full-time equivalent (FTE) limitation, hiring freeze, vacancy control measure, or personnel cap that may otherwise apply to County departments or offices, unless such restriction is expressly made applicable to Legislative Intern positions by ordinance.
B. The authority to establish, fill, maintain, or eliminate Legislative Intern positions shall rest solely with the individual Legislator, subject only to the availability of appropriated funds within that Legislator's office budget and compliance with applicable federal, state, and local law.
C. No County official, department, agency, board, commission, or administrative office shall reduce, limit, deny, or otherwise interfere with a Legislator's authority to appoint Legislative Interns.
D. Legislative Intern positions shall not be counted toward any countywide staffing limitation, personnel allocation formula, or departmental staffing cap.
SECTION 9. COMPENSATION.
Legislative Interns may be compensated at rates established within the appropriated budget of the appointing Legislator's office or may serve in an unpaid capacity, consistent with applicable federal and state law.
SECTION 9. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.
The Human Resources Department and Finance Department shall provide such administrative assistance as is necessary to process appointments, payroll, onboarding documentation, and compliance requirements for Legislative Interns.
SECTION 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its signature by the County Executive or upon becoming effective as otherwise provided by law.
Enacted and Approved
Effective Date: This Ordinance shall be effective immediately upon its signature by the County Executive.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Unsigned by County Counselor
__________________________
County Counselor
I hereby certify that the attached ordinance, Ordinance No. 6097 introduced on June 8, 2026, was duly passed on ______________________, 2026 by the Jackson County Legislature. The votes thereon were as follows:
Yeas _______________ Nays _______________
Abstaining ___________ Absent _____________
This Ordinance is hereby transmitted to the County Executive for his signature.
____________________ ________________________________ Date Mary Jo Spino, Clerk of Legislature
I hereby approve the attached Ordinance No. 6097.
____________________ ________________________________ Date Phil LeVota, County Executive