BAY MINETTE — As a business, the city of Bay Minette remains busy at all times, which can be overwhelming, particularly for Mayor Jamie Tillery and city clerk Rita Findley.

But a couple of weeks ago, help came in the form of 19-year-old Brent Culver. Culver is interning with the city until the end of February.

"Some of the things I've needed to do and haven't had time to do because of other responsibilities, he's doing," Findley said.

Culver began his duties Jan. 5 and immediately got to work. In less than a week, he color coded the districts on the district map to make identifying them easier.

"He's updating the Web site and working on some standard advertisements that can run anytime on the digital billboard," Findley said.

Culver is a sophomore at Birmingham-Southern College where he is majoring in biology. He said he took the internship because he enjoys being around politics.

"I'm helping out the mayor and city clerk and learning the process," he said.

Culver said this is not his first political internship and will not be his last.

"One thing that got me interested in politics was when Harry Shiver invited me to intern with him for one week during my senior year,” he said. “That's what really got me interested."

Culver said the experience is teaching him more than if he were sitting in a classroom.

"I like getting involved with the city of Bay Minette and making it a better place, and learning how things really work," he said. "Textbooks say it works this way but you really have to experience it to see how it really works."

The internship is not a paid position, but volunteering is nothing new to the Bay Minette native.

"I was in Key Club, Delta Ambassadors and Rotary Ambassadors during high school," he said. "I was also involved in the youth group at First United Methodist Church and did a lot with them."

Culver also served as a lifeguard at the city pool.

"He was really great out at the pool," Findley said.

Additionally, Culver was on the swim team, Science Olympiad team and a member of the National Honor Society at Baldwin County High School. 

"He was an Eagle Scout," Findley said, noting that Culver's Eagle Scout project was the sign coming into Bay Minette that displays community signs for churches, community and civic clubs and others.

"He's done a lot of volunteer work so he was a great candidate for intern," she added.

His involvement didn't end when he started college, Culver founding the Birmingham-Southern College Republican group and serves as its secretary.

"I'm also a resident advisor," he said.

Culver said the main task right now is updating the city’s Web site. He's already assisted in getting the new citizen request form on the site and is working on getting the district map on the site as well.

"If there's someone getting ready to move to Bay Minette it would be nice to have a welcoming Web site," he said.

Findley said she couldn't say enough about how much help he has been. "I don't want him to go back to school," she said. "He even helped me move into my office. We're glad to have him here."

Immediately after his tenure here ends, Culver will head to Montgomery where he will be fulfilling yet another internship, this one with Sen. Harry Ann Smith.

"I applied for the internship through the Alabama Law Institute," he said. "I will intern with her through May, for the entire session."

Findley said this internship will not be a one-time position.

"If we can find more good young people who we can help with their schooling (through the internship) we'll be glad to talk to them," she said.

Culver is the son of Brenda Culver of Bay Minette.