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VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
MINUTES OF THE FEB. 5, 2007 MEETING
Commission meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m.
President Wilson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Vice President Levin read the roll call in honor of having 15 members on board.
Commission Meeting Agenda & Minutes of Jan. 8th meeting were approved.
Commissioners present: Jill Buck, John Caldera, Renie Champagne, George Gibbs, Ralph Gipson, Cheryl Cook, Chris Gruwell, James Guglielmoni, Wallace Levin, Michael Thompson, Robert Varni, Bud Wilson & Raymond Wong. Commissioners Veronica Cauley & Edwin Wilkerson were not present. 13 present, 2 not present. Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass, Legion District 8 Commander Vince Rios & Margaret Champagne (Aka Mrs. Renie Champagne) were also present.
REPORTS
COMMISSION GOALS & PLANS
VETERANS SHORT TERM CITY EDUCATION LOAN PLAN
Comm. Gruwell presented the general concept of the loan plan. He reported that he has talked with members of the Community College Board about this plan. He also checked with the Office of the City Treasurer & the Mayor. He was thinking about the loan or grant being set at one thousand dollars. Comm. Buck reported that she had spoken to members of the Presidio Trust Board, about providing low cost housing for veterans. Comm. Cook raised some interesting points pertaining to this plan. She reviewed some of the government education programs already available to veterans & suggested that the commissioners study the G.I. Bill. It was also suggested that interested commission members contact each other & work on this plan prior to the next commission meeting. Comm. Levin requested that before we can act on these good ideas, we must have something in writing brought before the commission for our evaluation.
PRESIDENTS REPORT-Comm. Wilson reported that the Mayor had an event to thank commissioners at City Hall. We got short notice about the event. He wanted to make sure that our email list is up to date, so that when he gets notices like this he can inform all members of the commission.
VICE PRESIDENTS REPORT-Comm. Levin requested that our two new commissioners introduce themselves. Comm. Bob Varni was a Merchant Seaman during the Korean War & then joined the Army, where he served in Germany.
Comm. John Caldera has been a member of the Alexander Hamilton Legion Post 448 for 8 years & he is a Navy Veteran. He served as a Hospital Corpsman & he led the 3000 ties project to honor the 3,000 killed in Iraq.
COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE-Comm. Cook reported that in the near future her office will move to another location, she has a new staff member & they will soon open a branch at Laguna Honda Hospital. Their present caseload is around 8,000. She passed out a list for commission member's personal cards.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS-Comm. Gibbs reported that his VA Office still needs clean clothing for homeless veterans. He especially needs men's warm coats. Comm. Cook reported that the Veterans Administration is putting a priority on helping veterans returning from Iraq & Afghanistan.
HEALTH, WELFARE & EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE-Comm. Thompson reported that the 17th San Francisco Job Fair will be held at Fort Mason, on May 23, 2007, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Building A. Comm. Wong passed out a job opening list from the U.S. Postal Service, who hire many veterans.
LEGISLATION EVALUATION-Comm. Wong reported that the VFW is against proposed legislation to give combat veterans special parking privileges, because it would take places from disabled people.
NATIONAL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS-Comm. Wong reported that the VFW Voice of Democracy program will be held on Feb. 16th at Mercy High & students will give patriotic presentations. He & his wife Dara will be honored at the District 15 reception in room 207, on Feb. 10, at 12 noon.
Comm. Guglielmoni reported that he met with the Superintendent of Schools of South San Francisco to work on an Americanism Program. He is working on this program for AMVETS.
NEW BUSINESS- Comm. Caldera suggested that the commission support the concept of having a Veterans Ball or Dance every year at City Hall. He will work on a plan. Comm. Buck reported that she had information about what San Diego County has done in the area of homeless veterans. Secretary Levin reported that his wife's birthday will fall on April meeting date & he will not be able to attend the meeting. Thus someone else must do the minutes.
OLD BUSINESS-Comm. Levin reported many citizens are still working to save JROTC & we must not give up in our effort to save this important & productive program. He is helping the Lowell JROTC used toner cartridge project. The main mover of doing away with the JROTC Program, School Board member Sanchez was elected President of the School Board.
ADJOURNMENT-in memory of the 3,000+ Americans killed in Iraq & the 300+ killed in Afghanistan. We also remembered Charles Reed, Fred Gomez & George Gibbs wife Lucille Gibbs.
Minutes submitted by Wallace Levin, 982-3417.
