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CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO
VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
MINUTES OF JUNE 2, 2008 MEETING
415-554-6036
President Levin called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
In honor of Asian Heritage Month Commissioners Regalado Baldonado & Raymond Wong led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners present: Regalado Baldonado, John Caldera, Veronika Cauley, Renie Champagne, Cris Gruwell, Wallace Levin, Michael Thompson, Edwin Wilkerson, Bud Wilson & Raymond Wong. 10 present & 4 not present. Commissioners Jill Buck, George Gibbs, Jim Guglielmoni & Robert Varni were excused. Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass, Margaret Champagne, John Getzow, Bill Stephens & Merylin Wong were also present. Comm. Wilson moved approval of the June Agenda, with a 2nd by Comm. Thompson. Motion passed.
PUBLIC COMMENTS – Bill Stephens Director of the USS IOWA Committee presented the latest information on the 13-year effort to bring the USS IOWA to the Bay Area. The present plan is to bring the ship to Vallejo. They could receive the ship from the Navy in 2010 or 2011. They are now in the critical planning & fund raising stage of the project.
COMMISSION GOALS & PLANS – Commission support of City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass's proposed Bylaws replacement provisions concerning attendance. The proposal would be in line with what the Mayor & the Board has requested of all city commissions. This proposal would replace our present Attendance Bylaw, Article III, Section 5. Motion by Comm. Cauley, with a 2nd by Comm. Baldonado. Motion passed unanimously 10 to 0.
LEGISLATION EVALUATION – Commission support for the new GI Bill, Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act - H.R. 6081, Veterans Substance Abuse Treatment - H.R. 5554, VA Medical Construction - H.R. 5856, Veterans Emergency Care Reimbursement - H.R. 3819, Spina Bifida Care for Vietnam Veterans Children - H.R. 5729 & Veterans Cost of Living Increase - H.R. 5826. Motion to support this Federal Legislation by Comm. Wong, with a 2nd by Comm. Champagne. Motion passed unanimously 10-0.
NATIONAL VETERANS GROUPS – Commission support for the Disabled Veterans' Life Memorial Foundation's effort to construct a memorial in Washington
D.C., to honor all of our Nation's disabled veterans. Motion to support this effort by Comm. Caldera, 2nd by Comm. Champagne. Motion passed unanimously 10-0.
ANNOUNCEMENTS – Commission support to not meet in July for our traditional
recess. Motion by Comm. Cauley, with a 2nd by Comm. Thompson. Motion passed.
HEALTH &WELFARE – Comm. Cauley reported on the plans for the Veterans focused Project Homeless Connect Event, on July 23rd, at the War Memorial Veterans Building. This will be the first Homeless Connect program for veterans & the first such event ever held at the Veterans Building. Comm. Cauley has volunteered at many of these events & has helped over a thousand veterans.
VETERANS EMPLOYMENT – Comm. Thompson reported on the May 17th, Veterans Job Fair, at Fort Mason. Comm. Wilkerson & Comm. Wong also attended the event. Comm. Thompson who works at EDD & Comm. Wilkerson who worked at EDD, have found jobs for thousands of veterans.
MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY – Comm. Levin thanked Commissioners Baldonado, Buck, Caldera, Gibbs, Gruwell, Guglielmoni, Thompson, Varni, Wilson & Wong for attending and taking part in the Ceremony. This year we paid special tribute to the 90th Anniversary of World War I, African American Buffalo Soldiers & those Americans killed in Iraq & Afghanistan. The first 4 Cannon salute was conducted in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Senator
Leland Yee, Assemblywoman Fiona Ma, City Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Supervisors
Carmen Chu, Sean Elsbernd, Ross Mirkarimi, Police Chief Heather Fong and Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White all attended the Ceremony.
NATIONAL VETERANS GROUPS - Comm. Wong reported that he & Comm. Champagne recently presented VFW medals to Univ. of S.F. ROTC Cadets. The VFW is also working with the Navy Sea Cadets Color Guard, who participated in three Memorial Day Events.
Comm. Caldera reported that the American Legion Cathy Post & Swords to Plowshares conducted Memorial Events to honor veterans.
Comm. Baldonado thanked the Commission for our support to Filipino Veterans.
Comm. Champagne reported that at a May 30 Post Office Ceremony, he presented a Special VFW Citation to Philip Choy in honor of his 38 years of military service.
HONORS REPORT & ADJOURNMENT - Meeting adjourned in memory of the 4,450+ Americans killed in Iraq/Afghanistan, the homeless veterans that died in San Francisco and those veterans that died of suicide during the month of May. The Commission also honored Ethel Preston Richardson, 92, one of the first African American woman to serve in the Army during World War II. Pedro Manalo Javier, 79, 28 year Navy veteran who served in World War II, Korea & Vietnam John Wilkes, 92, World War II Army Chemist who received a Bronze Star. Michael
Salome, World War II POW.
