Committee approves staffing pattern change to add operator trainee at sewer district

The Washington County Public Works Committee voted during its April 2025 meeting to change the Sewer District staffing pattern by removing one laborer position (grade 8) and adding one operator trainee position (grade 12).

Sewer District staff said current staffing is interchangeable between three trainee/one licensed operator or four licensed operators; the district needs more trainees to address a long certification timeline. "It takes 4 and a half years from somebody coming in as a trainee to get the licensing to be seen," the Sewer District staff member said, arguing for more trainee slots to build future licensed-operator capacity. The staff member also said a senior operator position (grade 19) has been vacant for more than a year, which informed the staffing recommendation.

A motion to change the staffing pattern was put to the committee, voted on by voice and recorded as "Aye" with no opposition; the motion carried.

Committee documents note the change increases payroll costs because the added trainee position is a higher grade than the removed laborer; the Sewer District staff said budgeted funds associated with the unfilled senior operator position cover the immediate difference. The committee approved the staffing-pattern change and directed staff to implement the position swap.

The staffing change aims to increase the pipeline of licensed operators over several years and address operational needs at the wastewater treatment plant.