docketcity.com
Home › El Dorado County › Meetings

Veterans Affairs Commission

February 13, 2025 ·12:00 PM Final ·330 Fair Lane, Building A BOS Chamber Placerville, CA 95667

https://edcgov-us.zoom.us/j/91249101434

Agenda PDF Minutes PDF 📹 Watch video Official record ↗

Agenda — 29 items

  1. 1 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS: The Commission meeting room will be open to the public. The meeting will continue to be live-streamed via Zoom. By participating in this meeting, you acknowledge that you are being recorded. To observe the live stream of the Commission meeting go to https://edcgov-us.zoom.us/j/91249101434. Members of the public may address the Commission in-person or via Zoom to make a public comment. The public should call into 530-621-7603 or 530-621-7610. The Meeting ID is 912 4910 1434. Please note you will not be able to join the live-stream until the posted meeting start time. If you are joining the meeting via zoom and wish to make a comment on an item, press the "raise hand" button. If you are joining the meeting by phone, press *9 to indicate a desire to make a comment. Speakers will be limited to 3 minutes. Although the County strives to offer remote participation, be advised that remote Zoom participation is provided for convenience only. In the event of a technological malfunction, the only assurance of live comments being received by the Commission is to attend in person. Except for a noticed teleconference meeting, the Commission reserves the right to conduct the meeting without remote access if there is a malfunction. If you choose not to observe the Commission meeting but wish to make a comment on a specific agenda item, please submit your comment in writing. You are encouraged to submit your comment in writing by 4:00 PM on the Tuesday before the meeting to ensure the Commission has adequate time to review. Please submit your comment to the Clerk of the Board at edc.cob@edcgov.us. Your comment will be placed into the record and forwarded to Commission members.
  2. 2 PAGE BREAK
  3. 3 PROTOCOLS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
  4. 4 Public comment will be received at designated periods as called by the Commission Chair. Individuals will have three minutes to address the Commission. Except with the consent of the Commission, individuals shall be allowed to speak to an item only once. Individual Commission members may ask clarifying questions but will not engage in substantive dialogue with persons providing input to the Commission. If a person providing input to the Commission creates a disruption by refusing to follow Commission guidelines, the Commission Chair may take the following actions: Step 1. Request the person adhere to Commission guidelines. If the person refuses, the Commission Chair may turn off the speaker’s microphone. Step 2. If the disruption continues, the Commission Chair may order a recess of the Commission meeting. Step 3. If the disruption continues, the Commission Chair may order the removal of the person from the Commission meeting.
  5. 5 PAGE BREAK
  6. 6 CALL TO ORDER - PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG - 12:01 PM
  7. 7 ROLL CALL
  8. 8 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND WELCOME
  9. 9 ADOPTION OF AGENDA AND APPROVAL OF CONSENT CALENDAR
  10. 10 All items on the Consent Calendar are to be approved by one motion unless a Commission member requests separate action on a specific item including moving items to or from the Consent Calendar and adopt the Agenda and the Consent Calendar for discussion. At the appropriate time as called by the Chair, members of the public may make a comment on matters on the Consent Calendar prior to Commission action.
  11. 11 CONSENT CALENDAR
  12. 12 Commission to review and approve mileage reimbursement for Veteran Affairs Commissioners for the month of January 2025. 25-0278
  13. 13 Commission to review and approve Veterans Affairs Commission January 9, 2025 meeting minutes. 25-0279
  14. 14 END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
  15. 15 AGENDA ITEMS
  16. 16 Veteran Affairs Commission (VAC) to receive a recommendation from the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) Committee regarding the possibility of raising the funding limit for TOT Mini-Grants administered through the El Dorado Community Foundation from the current funding limit of $10,000 to as much as $20,000. VAC to consider accepting this recommendation from the TOT Committee. Commissioner Mullens-Becker reported that the TOT Committee met that morning and reviewed the application process for the mini-grants with Kathy Haven from the El Dorado Community Foundation. The Committee is bringing three changes to the VAC for approval. The first change is to ensure that all grants are reviewed by the TOT Committee and then brought to the VAC no later than June 30th, so the mini-grant process can begin on July 1st. This date aligns with the start of the fiscal year for the county, making it easier for the El Dorado Community Foundation to process and distribute funds. The second change is to increase (only for 2025) the mini-grant funding limit from $10,000 to $20,000. The Committee believes this increase can support more veteran services in the community, considering the reserve that the TOT currently has due to COVID. Lastly, the TOT Committee is requesting that applicants include the percentage of veterans served by the non-profit within their application. 25-0283
  17. 17 GUEST SPEAKER - VETERAN SPOTLIGHT
  18. 18 Kathy Haven, Community Impact Officer from the El Dorado Community Foundation, discussed the TOT mini-grants program for non-profit veteran organizations. Haven reported that the grants would open on April 7th and close on May 1st. Any non-profit that complies with State and Federal regulations can apply for any of the grants that the Foundation administers. The Foundation can help non-profit organizations that are new to the grant writing application process. Reynolds reported that individuals who are interested can visit the El Dorado Community Foundation website to learn more about applying for grants (eldoradocf.org/grants-catalog/). 25-0280
  19. 19 EX-OFFICIO REPORT - RECEIVE AND FILE (Brown)
  20. 20 COMMITTEE REPORTS - RECEIVE AND FILE
  21. 21 • TOT (Transient Occupancy Tax) (Reynolds) - Commissioner Reynolds stated there was nothing additional to report for the TOT Committee since the Veteran Affairs Commission (VAC) had just discussed and voted on the TOT Agenda Item. • RULES (Welch) - Commissioner Welch was not available to provide a report. • HOUSING (Welch) - Commissioner Welch was not available to provide a report. • LEGISLATIVE (Smith) - Commissioner Smith stated there was nothing to report. • TRANSPORTATION (Thompson) - Zelinsky reported that El Dorado Veteran Resources (EDVR) has another volunteer to drive veterans to Mather for their medical appointments. The Probation department also has bus passes for veterans to use. • BUDGET (Reynolds/Mullens-Becker) - Commissioner Reynolds reported that the House Council is working with the county on the 2025 budget. • EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT (Mullens-Becker) - Commissioner Mullens-Becker reported that in December she obtained a listing of all veteran-owned businesses within the county. Mullens-Becker will keep this list updated and reach out to businesses in Folsom to add them to the list as well. • OUTREACH (Reynolds) - Commissioner Reynolds reported that he has been posting frequently on Facebook, where there are 1,500 followers. Reynolds hopes to reach 2,000 followers by the end of the year for the Veteran Affairs Commission Facebook page. He is also considering expanding outreach to Instagram.
  22. 22 COMMUNICATIONS' REPORTS - RECEIVE AND FILE
  23. 22 Veterans Service Officer (VSO) Brown was unavailable, so Veteran Services Office Administrative Technician Courtney Frame read the Ex-Officio Report. Frame reported that the Veteran Services Office is now fully staffed. Moises Velasquez was hired at the end of January to fill the open Office Assistant position. Velasquez brings experience from working at the San Francisco Veteran Services Office. Next, Frame reported that VSO Brown and Veterans Service Representative I (VSR) Christopher Diggins would be attending the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers winter training conference during the week of February 23rd - February 28th. During the conference, the State's VSOs will meet with their representatives regarding Assembly Bill 53, which would make military retirement pay and DoD survivor benefits tax-exempt. Next, Frame reported that for the month of January, the Veterans Service Office received 308 phone calls, 69 scheduled appointments, and had 171 walk-in visitors. Next, Frame reported that the Veteran Services Office had not yet received the audit report from CalVet, but they were able to secure over $1.7 million in retroactive funds and approximately $165K in recurring monthly payments for their clients in the last six months. Lastly, Frame reported that there was no change to the services provided to veterans and their families in the South Lake Tahoe area. 25-0391
  24. 23 • VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING – VETERANS HOUSE COUNCIL (Reynolds) - Commissioner Reynolds reported that the Veterans Memorial Building (VMB) Use Agreement is close to being completed and that they just need proof of insurance. Next, Reynolds reported that County Facilities was contacted about a refrigerator that was freezing items, and a worker was sent to fix it. Lastly, Reynolds reported that there was a request to move the TV in the lounge to a position above the bar. • AMERICAN LEGION SERVICE OFFICER (Zelinsky) - Zelinsky reported that the Navigation Center has helped reduce the homeless population sleeping outside. One homeless veteran, who has previously stayed at the Navigation Center, is currently spending time at the Veteran Services Office. The Veteran Services Office assisted this veteran in submitting an Intent to File to receive benefits for PTSD. Next, Zelinsky reported that he has been recommending that veterans and their families visit the Veteran Services Office to apply for benefits from service-connected disabilities. Lastly, Zelinsky reported that he is working with a homeless veteran currently in custody in South Lake Tahoe. He is coordinating to get this veteran to Veterans Court for additional assistance once they obtain a copy of the veteran's discharge paperwork. • EDC VETERANS ALLIANCE - Commissioner Culver stated there was nothing new to report. • VA VET CENTER/MILITARY FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP/EL DORADO VETERAN RESOURCES (Whalen) - Whalen was not available to provide a report. • REGIONAL VETERAN EVENTS - Commissioner Reynolds reported there was nothing new to report on Regional Veteran Events.
  25. 24 GOOD OF THE ORDER (COMMISSIONER ANNOUNCEMENTS)
  26. 25 OPEN FORUM
  27. 26 Open Forum is an opportunity for members of the public to address the Veteran Affairs Commission on subject matter that is not on their meeting agenda and within their jurisdiction. Public comments during Open Forum are limited to three minutes per person. The Commission Chair may limit public comment during Open Forum.
  28. 27 NEXT MEETING LOCATION, DATE & TIME March 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM 3883 Ponderosa Rd El Dorado County Child Support Services Shingle Springs, CA 95682
  29. 28 ADJOURNMENT - 12:44 PM