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VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
MINUTES OF March 3, 2008 MEETING
President Levin called the meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.
Commissioner Wilson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners present: Jill Buck, John Caldera, Veronika Cauley, Renie Champagne, George Gibbs, Wallace Levin, Michael Thompson, Robert Varni, Edwin Wilkerson & Bud Wilson. Commissioners Regalado Baldonado, Chris Gruwell, James Guglielmoni & Raymond Wong, were not present. 10 present & 4 not present. Comm. James Guglielmoni & Raymond Wong were excused. Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass, Dara Wong, Margaret Champagne, Ralph Gibson and Darryl Toscas were also present.
Commission March agenda & the minutes of the Feb. 2008 meeting were approved.
COMMISSION GOALS & PLANS - Comm. Levin reported on the Commission letters of support to the Mayor & Board of Supervisors for the American Legion War Memorial Commission's Required Seismic Retrofit Exodus from the Veterans Building, Feb. 19, 2008 Resolution to the War Memorial Trustees. Motion by Comm. Caldera & second by Comm. Cauley. Motion passed.
EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH & WELFARE - Comm. Cauley reported on Commission support for the veteran focused Project Homeless Connect Stand Down, on July 23, 2008, at the War Memorial Veterans Building. Motion by Comm. Buck & second by Comm. Cauley. Motion passed.
Comm. Thompson reported that the Veterans Employment Committee sent out 2,500 invitation letters to employers in San Francisco & San Mateo Counties, inviting them to participate in the May 14th Job Fair. The Fort Mason event will help veterans find jobs.
VETERANS MEMORIALS - Comm. Varni reported that it would take funds to repair the Golden Gate Park Forrester's World War I Memorial. We may need a fundraiser to get the money to repair the memorial.
PUBLIC COMMENTS - Darryl Toscas, American Legion Post 40 & Chairman of the Veterans Building Trophy Room, reported on his great efforts to improve the viewing of this historic material. He has successfully made the area more colorful & interesting to observe. It is open on Monday & Wednesday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. His phone number is 415-776-0600 for more information.
PRESIDENTS REPORT - Comm. Levin asked Comm. Caldera why he did not list his letter to the Mayor about other commissioner's attendance, in the report of his activities in February that he presented to the commission. Comm. Caldera reported that this was old business & that he had brought this up as new business
at the April 7, 2007 meeting. That 5 commissioners missed more than 5 meetings in 2007. That the Mayor had sent out a letter on commission attendance in August 2006 & in Oct. 2006 he sent out an additional letter requesting that each commission should come up with an attendance policy. That the Board of Supervisors passed Resolution 502-06 urging city commissions to come up with an attendance policy. Per the Mayor all absences should be excused absences. That the policy should be for 100% attendance, with practical attendance being at 90% attendance.
Comm. Cauley, Champagne, Buck & Levin conveyed their disapproval of Comm.
Caldera's action per commission attendance. They all felt that this matter should be resolved within the commission. Comm. Levin reported that the issue of attendance would be placed on the April agenda for review, evaluation & action. That the commission has been in existence for 25 years & we have never had this kind of a problem. During this time period no commissioner has ever gone to the Mayor, the Board of Supervisors or other city departments with commission business. That we have By-Laws that cover the issue of attendance.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS - Comm. Gibbs reported that the East Bay Stand Down would be held on Aug. 7, 8, 9 & 10, at the Pleasanton Fair Grounds. (eastbaystanddown.org for more information)
NATIONAL VETERANS GROUPS - Comm. Gruwell's letter to Local Assets thanking them for helping hospitalized veterans was tabled.
LEGISLATION EVALUATION - Comm. Wilson reported on the Governor's Budget Proposal for a reduction of $260,000 with the California Department of
Veterans Affairs for subvention to counties for veterans' claims & outreach services.
This will be placed on the April agenda for commission action.
MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONY - Comm. Levin reported that the Memorial Day Ceremony is basically the same each year & it is just a matter of plugging in units & people into the different parts of the program. One of the main problems is the lack of military units in the Bay Area. The 91st Division & the Presidio Trust are the main supporters of the event. He presented a complete review of how the ceremony is organized.
HONORS REPORT & ADJOURNMENT - Comm. Levin reported that unfortunately it appears that we will reach the 4,000 killed in Iraq this month. That we should adjourn in memory of the 4,350+ Americans killed in Iraq/Afghanistan, the homeless veterans that died in San Francisco during the month of February, Congressman Tom Lantos, Robert Young (Army Vietnam), PFC Mark Anthony
Sheehy (Army Iraq), John Wilkes (Ph.D. Army World War II), Eugene Dawydiak
(Navy World War II) & Jim Linberger, Army World War II & Korean War, former commissioner & a truly dedicated veteran.
Minutes submitted by Wallace Levin - Commission phone 415-554-6036.
