Preserve WV AmeriCorps Program and Position Descriptions Preservation Alliance of West Virginia,

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1 Preserve WV AmeriCorps Program and Position Descriptions Preservation Alliance of West Virginia, The Preserve WV AmeriCorps program is a statewide program administered by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia (PAWV), the statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to historic preservation in the Mountain State, The purpose of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program is to implement historic preservation and heritage tourism projects throughout West Virginia by way of historic resource re-use, improvement, development, and interpretation. Members' service will emphasize community development and revitalization through projects focused on historic preservation, volunteer management, and cultural heritage tourism development. Preserve WV AmeriCorps members will be placed with individual sites throughout the state of West Virginia, ranging from museums and archives to Main Street organizations and city agencies. Position descriptions and sites are found at the bottom of this document. Positions open for recruitment are noted in the position descriptions. The program start date and the required orientation was originally August 28, Positions will be filled on a rolling basis. All positions must be filled by December 1, 2017, and members starting between August 28 and December 1 will serve for one year from their start date. All members must commit to serving for 11 ½ to 12 months (unless otherwise noted), with full-time members serving 1750 hours and half-time members serving 950 hours. Full-time members (1750 hours) will receive a $12,600 living allowance payable in 23 bi-weekly installments. Members qualify for student loan forbearance during their service year. Workers Compensation insurance and health insurance will be provided for members. A child care subsidy can be available for qualified candidates. Unemployment coverage is not included. Half-time members (950 hours) will receive a $6,300 living allowance payable in 23 bi-weekly installments. Students currently enrolled in an institute of higher learning are encouraged to apply for the half-time member positions, as the service time and projects for these positions may be used toward internship requirements (if approved by your institution). Workers compensation insurance will be provided. A child care subsidy can be available for qualified candidates. Unemployment and health insurance coverage are not included. All members are responsible for their own living arrangements and cost. No resettlement or moving allowance is included. All members will receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award at the successful completion of their term of service. The educational award for full-time members is equivalent to the Pell Grant

2 amount and is subject to change annually. (It was $5,775 for the program year.) The educational award for half-time members is pro-rated according to their service time and will, on average, be half of what a full-time member receives. Members with uncompleted terms or uncompleted hours do not receive an educational award. The educational award can be used for tuition at most colleges, technical, and vocational schools, or for the repayment of qualified student loans. Under new rules, some members 55 or older may choose to transfer their award to a child or grandchild. Existing qualified student loans can be deferred during members AmeriCorps service, with their loan interest paid for the deferred period. Member Requirements: The member must be a US citizen, US national, or lawful permanent resident alien. The member must have a high school diploma or GED and be at least 17 years old at the start of service. The member must honestly record any criminal history with the program director and must have a clear record, with no murder or sexual assault convictions. The member will be required to attend one day of orientation with his/her site supervisor on site at date to be determined. Orientation will focus on the AmeriCorps program policies, procedures, and prohibited activities, as well as on planning service activities and completing required surveys. Members starting before that time must attend the statewide AmeriCorps Swearing-in Ceremony and a special civic service project, both occurring in Charleston on October 11, Members will be required to participate in three total Civic Service Project days: one on October 11, 2017, another on January 15, 2018 (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), and April at a date to be determined. Other service days may be planned, and members can participate if desired and count this as AmeriCorps service time. Members will receive additional site-specific training from their service site and participate in individual training in topics related directly to their site duties over the course of the service year. Expect to attend quarterly meetings for the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program. This information will be provided to you and your supervisor during orientation. Other training activities may be scheduled during the first two months of service and throughout the year. Members will be notified of these trainings as soon as possible. Some will be mandatory; others will be optional. Members will be expected to provide their own transportation to trainings, civic service projects, and other program-related events. Travel is reimbursable (with prior authorization for optional activities). Carpooling with other members or PAWV staff is strongly encouraged. Member must track and log all service time and duties in a timesheet provided by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program director, as well as in an online AmeriCorps reporting system called OnCorps. While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or CNCS, staff and members may not engage in the following activities (see 45 CFR ): 1. Any activity attempting to influence legislation;

3 2. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; 3. Assisting, promoting or deterring union organizing; 4. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements; 5. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office; 6. Participating in or endorsing events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials; 7. Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization; 8. Providing a direct benefit to a) A business organized for profit; b) A labor union; c) A partisan political organization; d) A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS Code of 1986 except that nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and e) An organization engaged in the religious activities described in paragraph (vii) of this section, unless Corporation assistance is not used to support those religious activities 9. Conducting a voter registration drive or using Corporation funds to conduct a voter registration drive; 10. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; 11. Such other activities as the Corporation may prohibit. Any perceived association with the AmeriCorps program while engaged in any of these activities should be avoided; this includes any time members are wearing an AmeriCorps uniform and/or the AmeriCorps logo. Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the above activities on their own initiative on non-americorps time. The AmeriCorps logo should not be worn while doing so. Also, a member s service activities may not include: 1. Raising funds for his or her living allowance; 2. Raising funds for an organization s operating expenses or endowment; 3. Writing grant applications for AmeriCorps funding or for any other funding providing by CNCS; and 4. Writing grant applications for funding by any other Federal agency. Recruitment for this program encourages diversity and will not discriminate based upon race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, political affiliation, marital or parental status, or military service. The program will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified persons with disabilities.

4 National Service members must agree to a Criminal History Background Check as part of the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program: National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW); State of Residence Fingerprint Check, if applicable based on application address in the My AmeriCorps portal; State of Service Fingerprint Check; FBI Fingerprint Check. All Preserve WV Positions Skill Requirements: Demonstrable historical research abilities; Good written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking; Good organization skills, required for multi-tasking for event coordination and volunteer management purposes; Comfortable working with different types of people; Responsible and a self-starter; Experience with historical resources or historic preservation (or ability to prove capability to learn); Familiarity with heritage tourism (or ability to prove capability to learn); Some leadership experience or group/volunteer management experience (or ability to demonstrate effective leadership skills); Computer experience: internet research, Microsoft Suite (including PowerPoint, Excel, and optimally Publisher), , social media/blogging. (Graphic design skills not necessary but appreciated); Must be willing to travel using personal car or rental car throughout the state or region for some positions and training opportunities; College degree or significant life experience preferred; High school diploma or equivalent required. Application Process Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. Interviews will be arranged either in person or by phone. Interviews and position offers will continue on a rolling basis through the summer until all positions are filled. To apply, do the following: 1. Complete the My AmeriCorps application, submitted under the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program at 2. Each applicant must review the position descriptions (supplied via ) and send a cover letter or formal to dlapresta@pawv.org explaining positions of interest and why he/she would like to serve at those sites and be a good fit for the position(s). Applicants can apply to more than one site at once, using the same letter. If desired, applicants can also attach a resume or CV.

5 3. Complete a written questionnaire for the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program at 4. If you look like a possible fit for our program, we will reply to you by and arrange an interview with Preserve WV program staff. Interviews can be on the phone or in person. If you would like to travel for an in-person interview, we will try to arrange the interview to accommodate your schedule. Generally, program staff will then pass your materials along to the site supervisors at the individual sites in which you expressed interest. 5. If they are interested in you as a candidate for their sites, site supervisors will then individually contact you for an additional interview. In order to be selected for a position, you will need to be approved both by the program staff and the site supervisor. Following your interviews, completion of all application paperwork, and the checking of your references, program staff will make offers to selected candidates on a rolling basis. We may be able to hold your offer open for a limited time if you are considering multiple options; please let us know if you have time constraints. Positions will be filled on an ongoing basis until none remain open. 6. Once selected as a Preserve WV member, you will need to complete a fingerprint-based criminal background check for your state of residence AND West Virginia (if different). We will provide you with the information to get this done and will pay the cost, but you are responsible for following through to get your fingerprints taken before orientation. You will also be checked against the National Sex Offender Database. If you have any criminal history, you are expected to disclose this during your interview or on your AmeriCorps application when asked. A minor infraction will probably not disqualify you unless you fail to disclose it to us. If you are accepted into our program, we will let you know of other steps to enrollment, paperwork needed, and helpful information for relocating (if needed). If you have any questions, contact: Danielle LaPresta Preserve WV AmeriCorps Program Director Preservation Alliance of West Virginia dlapresta@pawv.org (No snail mail, please.)

6 Preserve WV AmeriCorps Position Descriptions Listed in Alphabetical Order Fayette County Resource Coordinator s Office (Fayette County Commission) 1 Half-time Position (OPEN) Site Supervisor: Kelly Jo Drey Fayetteville, Fayette County The Fayette County Resource Coordinator s Office, under the Fayette County Commission, works with residents, businesses, and elected leaders to foster healthy communities, diverse economies, and equitable development throughout Fayette County and the New River Gorge Region. The Resource Coordinator s Office operates in partnership with the Fayette County Urban Renewal Authority to actively engage in efforts to save historic buildings in downtown Mt. Hope and encourage real estate development through public/private partnerships. This AmeriCorps position will focus primarily on revitalization efforts in Mt. Hope that have been identified through the City of Mt. Hope s comprehensive plan. AmeriCorps member tasks will help in meeting the comprehensive plan goal of building a small-town environment that fosters and encourages entrepreneurial enterprise. The main goals of this position are to create an inventory of properties in the historic district and a Mt. Hope Historic Walking Tour. The latter project was identified as a key project during the Appalachian Gateway Communities Regional Workshop and the Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative. (The purpose of this initiative is to help communities that serve as gateways to public land by expanding tourism, arts, and other economic development opportunities). The Preserve WV AmeriCorps member will serve approximately 20 hours a week and have an office space in the Regional Coordinator s Office in the Fayette County Courthouse. The member s duties will be to: Complete an inventory of properties in the historic district, including details from public property record search; o Engage the community in the property inventory to help identify property owners and prioritize redevelopment opportunities. Because the inventory will be used as the basis for redevelopment planning and implementation of mixed use development, the community should be engaged throughout the process to make sure the inventory is reflective of community needs and desires. This will likely include community meetings, regular updates to City Council, and one-on-one conversations with property owners and residents. o Contact property owners to further determine building specifications, occupancy, and the owner s desired outcomes for the property; o Complete preliminary assessment of building condition; o Identify redevelopment opportunities, prioritizing properties in the Main Street business district and those already listed for sale, and list them online in order to attract private investment. Include these properties in the downtown historic walking tour project;

7 Identify properties for the downtown historic district walking tour; Organize volunteer work day(s) for downtown beautification projects, particularly for storefront/façade clean up and improvements; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program; Organize a ribbon cutting event(s) to launch the downtown walking tour and celebrate the completion of a mural. Main Street Fairmont 1 Half-time Position (OPEN) Site Supervisor: Nikki Lewis Fairmont, Marion County Main Street Fairmont is a nonprofit 501 c 3 organization focused on the revitalization of Fairmont s downtown district. The organization believes that revitalization begins with investing from within and finding solutions for growth and progress through existing resources. Main Street Fairmont believes that working together is working smarter and we employ collaborative relationships for the greater good. Main Street Fairmont believes that we are our own answer for every need in the community and by speaking up and speaking out, we can shape our future. The Preserve WV AmeriCorps member will build organizational capacity, help with volunteer recruitment and organization for the Feast of the Seven Fishes (an annual and highly successful event), and create/maintain a volunteer and marketing program for the 4Fairmont initiative. The member will provide services at Main Street Fairmont's downtown office for approximately 20 hours a week mostly on weekdays and on some weekends and evenings for special events. Member duties will include: Implement and maintain a volunteer recruitment and management system for all Main Street Fairmont events, including NightGlow and Feast of the Seven Fishes; Participate in the Main Street Fairmont Promotions Committee; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program Raise awareness of the economic, cultural, and environmental benefits of historic preservation for residents and visitors through various communications; Maintain MSF website and all social media accounts; and Maintain communication with volunteers and supporters through a monthly newsletter. Monroe County Historical Society 1 Half-time Position, done full-time over a 6-month period (approximately March 2018 October 2018) (OPEN) Site Supervisor: Fred Ziegler Union, Monroe County

8 The Monroe County Historical Society (MCHS) is dedicated to discovering, collecting, preserving, interpreting and sharing the rich history, culture, and heritage of the past in order to inspire present and future generations to make the past a meaningful part of their contemporary lives. Its mission is to serve as trustee of Monroe County s historical legacy and as advocate for understanding its past. MCHS now owns several museum spaces, including the original Caperton Building, the adjacent Clark-Wiseman and Owen Neel Log Houses, and a new Carriage House Museum. There is a museum in the Caperton Building that is home to records including books, photos, and family papers collected over the last 50 years by Haskell Shumate, Dr. Ronald Ripley, and others. The Clark-Wiseman and Owen Neel Log Houses are adjacent and are furnished with a wonderful collection of period antiques, all derived from Monroe County and selected by Dr. Ripley. The Carriage House was completed in 2014 and is a timber-frame structure in the Gothic Revival style. It houses a collection of eight horse-drawn vehicles, ranging from a sleigh and buggy to a carriage and coach, as well as a farm wagon. This building is several hundred feet away from the other buildings, and an AmeriCorps member will conduct tours of all these buildings. The Society has no paid staff and relies solely on volunteers to staff the museums and conduct tours. An AmeriCorps member is needed to expand the capacity of MCHS and increase the volunteer team to assist in welcoming heritage tourism visitors. The member will serve approximately 40 hours per week over a 6-month period (approximately March 2018 October 2018). The member will be stationed at the Caperton Building, the main museum. Primary tasks will be: Volunteer coordination, recruiting, and training; Collections management, acquisition, and cataloging; Organize storage of artifacts; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program; Selection of certain museum records or photos for publication; Prepare for scheduled tour groups by ensuring that sufficient volunteer help is on hand and organized to show the various museums; Engage in a research project based on the museum collections or the courthouse records; Develop new exhibits; and Assist with restoration of the Caperton Building. Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center 1 Full-time Position (OPEN) Site Supervisor: Kate Greene Morgantown, Monongalia County (with possible travel statewide) The Northern WV Brownfields Assistance Center (NBAC) was created in 2005 by the West Virginia Legislature to empower communities to plan and implement brownfields redevelopment projects. The Center promotes economic development and environmental and public health protection through innovative redevelopment of brownfield sites. NBAC also promotes and

9 coordinates the development of brownfield property by providing training and technical assistance, facilitating site preparation efforts, engaging community involvement, as well as by helping communities with grant writing and leveraging project funding. NBAC administers the BAD Buildings Program and the associated Downtown Appalachia initiative, which provide community groups with the tools and resources to effectively address blight and redevelopment within their neighborhoods. Specifically, Downtown Appalachia supports the data-driven redevelopment of vacant or underutilized catalytic downtown properties. The AmeriCorps member will work within selected Downtown Appalachia communities to assess place and asset-based economic development opportunities and implement redevelopment-associated activities throughout the service year. The member will have an assigned space and a computer in the Morgantown office located on the WVU Evansdale Campus. The member will serve approximately 40 hours per week, mostly during the week with some assignments during evenings and weekends. The members should expect to coordinate projects internally with the BAD Buildings Program and the larger staff of the Center. All projects are anticipated to be completed over the course of one year of service. Tasks will include the following: Develop and maintain DA program resource files; Develop individual property profiles as part of project pipeline; Promote and input data for the Brownfields Listings Central Appalachian Brownfields Project Marketplace; Research and submit grant applications for NBAC/DA projects; Assist with volunteer management and implementation regarding NBAC annual events; Maintain contact with DA communities via , phone, mail, and social media; Provide NBAC social media and website with DA related news and updates; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program; Provide social media material a minimum of three times a week; and Coordinate and implement redevelopment or rehabilitation steps of catalyst sites with BAD Buildings Communities. Ohio County Public Library Archives - 1 Full-time Position (OPEN) Site Supervisor: Erin Rothenbuehler Wheeling, Ohio County The Ohio County Public Library, in cooperation with the goals of the West Virginia Library Commission and in compliance with the West Virginia Code of Rules, exists to provide books

10 and related materials that will assist the residents of the community in the pursuit of knowledge, information, education, research, and recreation in order to promote an enlightened citizenry and to enrich their quality of life. The Ohio County Public Library recognizes an obligation to amass and make available a Local History Collection. The purpose of this collection is to preserve materials that document the history of Wheeling and the Upper Ohio Valley region and to make these materials available to researchers and the general public. The Ohio County Public Library is the primary repository in Wheeling/Ohio County for publically accessible archival material concerning local history. The more archival material the library can process, the better the library will be able to serve the public as a destination for local history research. The library is currently in the middle of a renovation process scheduled to end in mid-fall 2017, in which it will expand an exhibition display area to include a small museum area that will need to be curated. The library has also been chosen as one of 18 sites to receive a traveling World War II display through Heinz History Center s History Center Affiliates Program. This will occur in May 2018, and the library will need to plan and curate a small World War II exhibit of its own as a complimentary display. The Preserve WV AmeriCorps member will serve approximately 40 hours per week during the hours of operation for the Ohio County Public Library. The member will have a dedicated area in the library s Archives Room to use as an office space and onsite access to office equipment. The member will complete the following duties: Rehouse and organize collections according to standard archival procedures; Digitize collections and add to the Ohio County Public Library s online collections; Create finding aids for and catalog collections to facilitate accessibility; Assist with curating museum displays; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program; Research interpretive signage for displays; Assist with the creation of lecture series related to exhibits; and Research and write posts for the archives blog and its history website. Old Hemlock Foundation 1 Half-time Position (OPEN) Site Supervisor: LeJay Graffious Bruceton Mills, Preston County The Old Hemlock Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and educational foundation. Its mission is to preserve and promote the legacy of George Bird Evans and his wife, Kay Evans. The Preserve WV AmeriCorps member will serve onsite at the 1782 Old Hemlock, the home of George Bird and Kathryn Harris Evans, 20 hours per week - primarily during the week, with some weekend activities. (The site includes two dogs from the Old Hemlock Line of English Setters, as well as a cat, so prospective applicants should be comfortable working around pets.) The main goals of the member s service are to help meet the needs of the surrounding

11 community by increasing knowledge and appreciation for local history and the environment, with emphasis on the life and philosophy of George Bird Evans. The member's service will include tasks focused on historic resource improvement, preservation, heritage tourism, and environmental stewardship services. The member s tasks will include the following: Collection management and archiving; Improve historic resources and make them more accessible to the general public; Record, transcribe, and edit oral histories; Enhance the volunteer management system, as well as volunteer recruitment, management, and mentoring; Assist with coordination of an annual event to celebrate the legacy of George Bird Evans - to include registrations, oral histories, event set up, and event documentation and reports; Develop partnerships with colleges, public schools, and professional organizations; Museum services, such as exhibit development and docent training; Repoint windows at the Old Hemlock, as well as paint windows and frames on the exterior; General maintenance and cleaning of the historic house as needed; Act as docent for tours; Assist with assessing desirable gift shop products and the design of objects; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program; Assist with outreach to Bruceton School; and Script and story board 5-15 minute film(s) about the Old Hemlock Foundation, George Bird Evans s art, and/or George Bird Evans s literature, with the option to coordinate with a professional film company to produce a movie. West Virginia Regional History Collection (West Virginia University Libraries) 1 Halftime Position (OPEN) Site Supervisor: John Cuthbert Morgantown, Monongalia County The mission of the West Virginia and Regional History Center (WVRHC) is to acquire, provide access to, and preserve information resources in all formats which elucidate the history and culture of West Virginia and the central Appalachian region. As the Special Collections division of the WVU Libraries, the WVRHC also preserves selected information resources beyond the state and regional scope which contribute to the teaching, research, and service mission of West Virginia University. The Preserve WV AmeriCorps member will help the WVRHC to build capacity to enable the center to start processing, digitize, present, and exhibit a complete archive of Dr. Emory Kemp s materials, as well as those of the Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology. Dr. Kemp is an Honorary Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is the founder and director of the Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial

12 Archaeology at West Virginia University, where he was also chair and professor of civil engineering at the College of Engineering, and a professor of history in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. For more information about the Institute, visit This project will set an example of the type of archive development that the WVRHC can produce and the type of research WVRHC will be able to attract by quickly moving its archives into the public realm. In addition, this archive brings with it a network of supporting individuals and organizations from which WVRHC can build new research and educational opportunities. The Preserve WV AmeriCorps member will serve between hours per week, with the opportunity for an accelerated completion of the service year if agreed upon at the beginning of the service term. The member will serve at the WVRHC on the 6 th floor of West Virginia University s Downtown Campus Library. The member will conduct the following tasks: Begin to process the archives of Dr. Kemp and, as required, the Institute for the History of Technology and Industrial Archaeology (IHTIA). This will occur under the tutelage of the staff of the WVRHC, specifically reporting to the Assistant Curator of Archives and Manuscripts. On a day-to-day basis, this involves the following duties: o Arrange archival materials to promote ease of access and use, o Perform basic preservation measures as needed, and o Write and/or edit descriptions of archival collection materials. Transcribe oral history testimonies of Dr. Kemp's career and the establishment/ functioning of the IHTIA - as collected by the Preservation Alliance of West Virginia and Dr. Barbara Howe (Professor Emeritus of History and founder of the WVU Public History program) Suggest/develop other avenues to collect relevant materials or interviews for the archives; Begin pre-planning for exhibiting the Kemp archive, both for an online roll-out and physical exhibit; Recruit/supervise volunteers as available for processing of the listed tasks; Develop and propose at least one hands-on historic preservation group project as required by the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program; and Participate in archive- & preservation-related meetings with the library staff, as well as personally interact with archive-related individuals (including Dr. Emory Kemp, Dr. Janet Kemp, Dr. Barb Howe, and others who can contribute to the preservation).