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Fergus County extension staff raise concerns over 4‑H food‑safety training and supervision
Summary
MSU Extension personnel told commissioners of repeated food‑safety training duties, disputed access to online certification and said management conflicts were creating a toxic work environment; commissioners urged HR and MSU regional supervision involvement.
During the meeting, extension staff described repeated demands to provide food‑safety training and expressed concern about license liability and workplace tensions.
An extension staff member said she has taught ServSafe or comparable food‑safety training nine times this year and told commissioners that her manager’s license exposes her to liability if unlicensed volunteers or others run 4‑H food booths. "I have taught food safety 9 times this year... It's my license on the line if anything happens," the staff member said. She said requests from a colleague (Allison) to provide certification for others escalated to a confrontation and that she felt the office had become "toxic." The staffer said an online training platform previously used is no longer accessible to some employees who have left the university system, complicating alternatives.
The staff member said she has tried to offer make‑up sessions and online alternatives when participants missed in‑person classes, but described being asked to teach an excessive number of sessions and said she would set boundaries on future assignments. "If that's the case, then I'm about to walk out this door as a county altogether," she said, describing accumulated frustration.
Commissioners and other staff advised using documented HR channels and recommended the county contact Tracy, the MSU Central region supervisor, to resolve supervisory and licensing questions. They suggested a mediated coaching session with Tia to clarify supervisory lines and recommended that the county and MSU determine who is authorized to present certified training under the 4‑H banner.
The discussion also included historical context: prior to COVID‑19 some local in‑person county cards and short training were issued; during and after the pandemic, MSU and extension programming shifted more of the certification processes online, which some staff said created access and recordkeeping gaps.
No disciplinary action or formal change in assignment was recorded at the meeting. Commissioners urged staff to document concerns and to pursue MSU Central region and HR assistance. The discussion concluded with a recommendation to schedule follow‑up meetings to clarify roles, documentation and training access.
Next steps: county staff to contact MSU Central region supervisor Tracy and HR to resolve licensing responsibilities and to consider a facilitated coaching session for extension office staff.
