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VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
MINUTES OF SEP. 10, 2007 MEETING
Commission meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m.
President Wilson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioners present: Regalado Baldonado, John Caldera, Veronika Cauley,
Renie Champagne, George Gibbs, James Guglielmoni, Wallace Levin, Michael Thompson, Robert Varni, Edwin Wilkerson, & Bud Wilson. Commissioners Jill Buck, Cheryl Cook, Chris Gruwell & Raymond Wong were not present.
Commissioners Wong & Cook informed Bud that they could not attend the meeting & they were excused. 11 present & 4 not present (2 Excused & 2 Absent). Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass & Margaret Champagne were also present.
Commission Meeting Agenda & Minutes of June & Aug. meetings were approved.
PUBLIC COMMENT-Comm. Cauley voiced her concern about her status on the Commission & her concern that the commission has not selected her as president.
Vince Rios invited everyone to attend the American Legion event in honor of him & other veterans, on Friday, Sept. 28th, 3 to 6 p.m., at the Veterans Bldg. Green Room.
PRESIDENTS REPORT-Comm. Wilson reported that he delivered the letters to the Board of Supervisors & the Mayor requesting a budget for the commission.
V.P./SECRETARY REPORT-Comm. Levin reported on some local veterans that had passed away. The minutes are not placed on the city website until they are approved by the commission. He reported that he was consulting with City Administrator Ed Lee about city financial support for the commission. The Mayor's project to dedicate the official city flagpole at Polk & Grove, to all veterans killed in all of America's Wars is in the works. The pole was cut down in August.
COMMISSION GOALS & PLANS-War Memorial Trustees Veterans Building Seismic Upgrade Plan -Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass presented his evaluation of the War Memorial Trustees Veterans Building Seismic Upgrade Plan. A review of his report will follow. Comm. Levin suggested that we send a letter requesting that the Board & the Mayor keep us informed as to the Upgrade Plan. LOCAL VETERAN MEMORIALS-Comm. Varni reported on his research into the Foresters Golden Gate Park World War I Memorial Fountain. He located The Foresters Association of America chapter in Livermore. They now have only 9 local members & there are only 4 chapters in California. No one knew anything about this memorial. He suggested that maybe the memorial should be moved. This committee is now established with Comm. Varni & Gugliamoni as members.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS-Comm. Gibbs reported that their clothing drive for homeless veterans is going very well & they still need clothing.
JROTC & BLUE ANGELS SUPPORT-Comm. Varni reported that the Save JROTC Task Force is requesting that the School Board extend the life of the JROTC for an additional year. There are 250 JROTC units in the state & there is a move to do away with the JROTC unit credit, which will force them into P.E. The Blue Angels will fly over the city this year during Fleet Week. Comm. Guglielmoni reported that without the Blue Angels the attendance goes down 50%. Supervisor Daly will re-introduce the same resolution at the Board meeting on 9/11/07. Comm. Levin made a motion, 2nd by Comm. Thompson & Champagne, to pass the commissions Blue Angels Fleet Week support resolution. Motion passed.
LEGISLATION EVALUATION- Comm. Baldonado reported that two bills H.R. 760 (House) & S. 1315 (Senate), would give Philippine Commonwealth soldiers, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II, the same benefits as U.S. soldiers. He reported that President Bush promised to sign this bill when it reaches his desk.
NATIONAL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS-Comm. Guglielmoni reported that the DAV will sponsoring outings this month for veterans from Yountville Hospital, Fort Miley, Palo Alto & Livermore VA Hospitals. They are bringing a boat called Freedom from Monterey. They will conduct bay & river cruses for the veterans. Comm. Champagne reported that he assisted a group making a film on the freeing of the Philippines during World War II. He served on the battleship U.S.S. Mississippi, which played a major role in the invasion. The film is being made in support of Filipino veterans.
Comm. Caldera reported that local radio station Energy 92.7 honors citizens who help raise the bar in our community. This week they honored Comm. Caldera. AT & T donated $500.00 to American Legion Post 315 in his honor. The Post will honor the late Bob Basker on Sept. 28, Veterans Building, room 223, 6 to 9 p.m.
Comm. Guglielmoni reported that this month they held the annual Monterey Rock Cod Derby. They took 150 vets fishing and it was a very successful event. Members of the Monterey Defense Language Institute staffed the event.
Comm. Thompson reported that the Military Order of the Purple Heart will hold an event in Oct. on the 2nd Anniversary of the opening of the San Bruno VA Out-patient Clinic. Barry Bonds will be the guest of honor.
VETERANS DAY PARADE-Comm. Champagne reported that the Veterans Day Parade would be held on Sunday, Nov. 11th. He requested that the parade start at 11:00 a.m. Daly City will dedicate their new Veterans Building at 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 11th. Comm. Caldera made a motion that the commission supports the starting of the parade at 11:00 a.m. Second by Comm. Baldonado. Motion passed.
HONORS REPORT-Comm. Levin reported on the following local World War II veterans that had passed away; Joe Aquino (Army, 27 years, Corregidor, POW), Judge Laurence Mana (Municipal & Superior Courts for 22 years), Al Graff (Navy, famous Bail Bondsman), Michael Joseph Casey (Battleship USS California, SFPD retired), Attilio Chiappari (Pearl Harbor, retired Chief Petty Officer, 20 years), Marion Webb (European-African Theatre & D-Day) & Captain Fred Gehrman, Jr. (Vietnam War, retired Navy, 30 years).
ADJOURNMENT-in memory of those named above, the 4,184+ Americans killed in Iraq/Afghanistan, the 3,000 Americans killed on 9/11/01 & the homeless veterans that died on the streets of the San Francisco during the month of August.
Minutes submitted by Wallace Levin, 982-3417.
