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Wausau approves firefighter–paramedic apprenticeship with NTC after adding grant‑expiration protections
Summary
The committee approved a partnership with Northcentral Technical College to run a firefighter–paramedic apprenticeship, voting 5–0 to add contract language that apprenticeships will be terminated (or apprentices may pay to finish) if grant funding expires mid‑cohort, and then approving the amended program 3–2.
The Wausau Human Resources & Public Safety Committee voted July 7 to approve a firefighter–paramedic apprenticeship partnership with Northcentral Technical College, but only after adopting an amendment to protect the city if federal grant funding lapses mid‑cohort.
Fire Chief Kopp introduced the partnership and said the program’s details and financials were included in the committee packet. Chief Kopp acknowledged risks tied to workers’ compensation and FMLA and told the committee equipment purchased for apprentices would remain with the Wausau Fire Department. Northcentral Technical College representative Brad Gass said federal dollars are never guaranteed and that if funds were suspended the program would be paused; he added that apprentices receive semester credentials they can use elsewhere if necessary.
Alder Wiskowski moved to add explicit language to the memorandum of understanding and to individual apprentice contracts clarifying that if grant money expires during a cohort the city would terminate the apprenticeship and would not continue to incur payroll costs; the amendment passed on a committee vote reported as 5–0. The committee then returned to the main motion and — after additional discussion about limited‑term employee (LTE) status and minimal unemployment exposure — approved the apprenticeship as amended by a 3–2 vote. The chair recorded that Alders Larson and Tierney opposed the final approval while Alders Wiskowski, Martins and Killian supported it.
HR Director Lisa Nowak said apprentices would be hired as limited‑term employees and that the finance and legal staff would review contract language before council consideration. Committee members requested that the MOU and the individual contracts explicitly spell out procedures if grant funding is withdrawn so apprentices would be fully informed.
The apprenticeship will proceed to the full council with the committee amendment noted.
