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VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
MINUTES OF THE MARCH 5, 2007 MEETING
Commission meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m.
President Wilson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commission Meeting Agenda & Minutes of Feb. 5th meeting were approved.
Commissioners present: Veronika Cauley, John Caldera, George Gibbs, Chris Gruwell, James Guglielmoni, Wallace Levin, Michael Thompson, Bud Wilson & Raymond Wong. Commissioners Jill Buck, Renie Champagne, Cheryl Cook, Robert Varni & Edwin Wilkerson were not present. 9 present, 5 not present. Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass was also present.
PUBLIC COMMENT-Miguel Bustos, Mayor Gavin Newsom's new Director of
Commissions, attended the meeting to introduce himself to the members of the
commission. He reported on his plans to develop better communication between the
Office of the Mayor & all City commissions. He also wants to help the commissions
become more productive. Miguel was brought up in the Mission District & still lives
there. He has a Masters Degree International Conflict Resolutions. Comm. Gibbs &
Wilson asked why the City does not provide the commission with a secretary.
PRESIDENTS REPORT-Comm. Wilson reported that all information for the commission web site must be sent to him. More information is added to the site every month. Comm. Levin will not be at the April meeting because it is his wife's birthday & we need someone to do the minutes. Comm. Cauley agreed to do them.
VICE PRESIDENTS REPORT-Comm. Levin asked Deputy City Attorney Snodgrass to brief the commission about the rules & regulation pertaining to our commission. He reviewed the purpose of the commission, the Brown Act & the Sunshine Ordinance. Commissioners cannot represent the commission or make statements for the commission, if they are not authorized by the commission to take such action. Comm. Levin reported how hard it is some months to get the minutes out. He also reported that every month he puts on the agenda "If you cannot attend the meeting phone 982-3417". No one lets him or Bud know that they are not going to attend the meetings. Of the five commissioners not here tonight, only one called.
COMMISSION GOALS & PLANS
VETERANS CITY EDUCATION LOAN/GRANT PLAN
Comm. Gruwell has contacted many organization & agencies about this plan. Every semester there are about 30 veterans who are signing up for Veterans Benefits for the first time at City College. That adds up to 60 veterans a year. 80% are full time students. It takes 6 to 8 weeks to process their paper work & then they will receive
funds 4 to 6 weeks after that. That adds up 10 to 14 weeks before they get funds from the GI Bill. City College does not provide advance pay to these veterans. His
plan is for San Francisco to provide a one time advance for first time applicants from the Office of the City Treasurer. The amount would be no more than $1,000. The Treasurer would work with a local bank. The College Board would also
participate & support this program. Time line would be to start this with the next semester. Comm. Gibbs suggested that is would be advisable to have the grants in the form of a voucher aimed at paying for a student's specific education needs. Comm. Cauley made a motion, seconded by Comm. Caldera to support this education support program. No action taken on this motion. Deputy City Attorney Snodgrass asked that the motion be more specific. Comm. Levin stated that we all support this plan, because it is a good plan to help local veterans. The problem is that it still not completely organized to go into action. Comm. Gruwell stated that the individuals that can make this program go forward are ready to go forward & he would rather spend his time trying to actually do the operational things like finding the money, finding the folks that are willing to do the program, finding the people at the school who are willing to move the plan. Comm. Caldera made a motion, second by Comm. Levin. The motion was to accept and move forward with this project that will coordinate between the Veterans Affairs Commission, the Mayors Office & City College to make available funds to first time veteran students at City College. That the program will start with the Fall semester in August 2008. Motion passed.
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. A new shelter has been opened on 13th Street.
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. Real Life Line is a project to get jobs for the spouses of seriously wounded veterans.
LEGISLATION EVALUATION-Comm. Levin presented two bills that would support veterans & those that have died. Comm. Caldera made a motion, second by Comm. Thompson to support HR551 Federal legislation to help returning Iraq & Afghanistan veterans purchase homes. The other bill is Assembly 187, which will require counties to care for the graves of veterans. Motion passed.
MEMORIAL DAY-Comm. Levin reported that the Memorial Day Ceremony will take place at the Presidio, on Monday, May 28th. Parade will start at 10:30 a.m.
NATIONAL VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS-Comm. Wong reported that Wal-Mart is donating $500 to buy special pillows for veteran needs at the Palo Alto Veterans Hospital. He reported that there are problems at some VA Hospitals.
ADJOURNMENT-in memory of the 3,500+ Americans killed in Iraq/Afghanistan. We remembered Charles Reed, Fred Gomez & George Gibbs wife Lucille Gibbs.
Minutes submitted by Wallace Levin, 982-3417.
