90-14-103. Office of community service. (1) There is an office of community service, which is headed by a coordinator and established in the office of the governor.
     (2) The purpose of this office is to:
     (a) renew the ethic of civic responsibility in the state;
     (b) encourage the citizens of the state, regardless of age or income, to engage in full-time or part-time service to the state;
     (c) call young people to serve in projects that will benefit the state and improve their life chances through the acquisition of literacy, job skills, and interpersonal skills;
     (d) build on the existing organizational framework of state and local governmental entities to expand full-time and part-time service opportunities in a wide variety of programs for all citizens, particularly youth and older Montanans;
     (e) involve participants in activities that would not otherwise be performed by employed workers; and
     (f) establish corps to accomplish labor-intensive improvements to public or low-income properties or to provide services for the benefit of the state, its communities, and its people through service contracts that specify the work to be performed by the corps.
     (3) The coordinator must be appointed by the governor, after consultation with the advisory council. The coordinator serves at the pleasure of the governor.
     (4) The coordinator shall, with the advice of the advisory council, assist the governor in the planning, coordination, operation, and evaluation of programs within state government or under grants, donations, bequests, or other resources received by and administered through state government for Montana community services.
     (5) The coordinator is responsible for the submission of applications for federal grants and for funding from any other sources for the creation or operation of corps and volunteer projects. The coordinator shall ensure accountability for all resources received.
     (6) The coordinator, together with the advisory council, shall integrate and develop state plans for all services provided under this part, including but not limited to the office of public instruction's serve America program, the Montana university system innovative projects, the Montana conservation corps established in 23-1-301, the department of military affairs' corps involvement, and other community and volunteer service programs.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 534, L. 1993.