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Board discusses upcoming water/sewer operator retirements and cross‑training needs
Summary
Officials outlined looming retirements among water and sewer operators, described licensing requirements including a '2‑way' operator license and continuing education credits, and urged coordination and cross‑training to avoid staffing gaps.
Board members raised staffing concerns for the town's water and sewer operations, reporting several retirements on the horizon and recommending cross-training between town and village facilities to preserve service continuity.
A committee member reported specific upcoming retirements and urged planning: "We have 1 returning in 2 years. We have 1 return Pat returns in 6 years." Board members discussed how licensing requirements complicate short-term replacements—one participant summarized the requirement: "It takes time too to get a 2 way license. You have to work at a 2 way plant for a year." The group reviewed renewal intervals and continuing-education requirements: a three-year renewal cycle and roughly 30 contact credits required over that period were discussed as constraints on rapid cross-certification.
Officials named a current two-way operator, Jared Perilsen, as part of the local staffing picture and noted cross-training at the village plant as a way to qualify more staff for higher-level licenses. Members emphasized that licenses differ by plant type and that operators need credited training to maintain qualifications.
The board agreed it should plan for retirements and consider shared staffing models that preserve redundancy while meeting licensing rules. No formal motion was recorded on this topic during the transcripted discussion.
