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Council pays WSI trainee up to $500 and orders clearer training-pay policy
Summary
After lengthy debate about precedent and liability, Pipestone city council voted to reimburse a trainee up to $500 for documented travel and training time to obtain a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certificate and directed staff to clarify personnel policy on training reimbursement going forward.
The council considered a complaint from Jody Jensen about reimbursement for her daughter's travel and training time to obtain a Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certificate. Krista, manager of the local aquatic center, testified that WSI training involves many hours of online and in-person work and that the facility had turned away children from lessons because of staff shortages. “To start, lifeguard and WSI trainings are not easy,” Krista told the council.
The Park and Recreation Commission recommended either paying for the training or increasing wages; staff and some council members raised liability concerns about paying employees for offsite travel time because, if paid, participants are on the city clock. After debate over fairness, policy precedent and budget implications, the council moved to reimburse the trainee up to $500 based on submitted hours and mileage documentation and instructed staff to write clear policy language so future training and reimbursement expectations are in writing. The motion passed by voice vote.
