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Meeting Information



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CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO

VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION

MINUTES OF DECEMBER 7, 2009 MEETING

415-554-6036

 

President Levin called the meeting to order a 6:10 P.M. & Comm. Buck led the Pledge.

Commissioners present: Regalado Baldonado, Jill Buck, John Caldera, Veronika Cauley,

Renie Champagne, James Guglielmoni, Wallace Levin, Stephen Noetzel, Michael Thompson, Robert Varni, Edwin Wilkerson, Dara Wong and Raymond Wong.

Commissioners not present; George Gibbs and Chris Gruwell were excused.

Margaret Champagne & Deputy City Attorney Wayne Snodgrass were also present.

13 commissioners present and 2 excused.

Comm. Cauley moved approval of agenda, 2nd by Comm. Thompson. Motion passed.

Comm. Guglielmoni moved approval of minutes of the Nov. 2, 2009 meeting, 2nd by Comm. Caldera. Motion passed.

PUBLIC COMMENTS - Comm. Caldera on behalf of the officers and members of American Legion Post 315 thanked the commission for passing the motion supporting the

report and the War Memorial Board of Trustees unanimous vote at their Oct. 8, 2009 meeting, to not give any more extensions and to stop direct payments of tax payers money to the American Legion War Memorial Commission (ALWMC), until they resolve questions and any discrepancies concerning the ALWMC income and expenditure statement for 2007 through 2009 and that they confirm that the ALWMC has adequate financial controls and practices in place to manage future income and expenditures on behalf of the posts of the American Legion.

President Levin welcomed new Veterans Affairs Commissioner Stephen Noetzel.

OPENING OF NOMINATIONS FOR PRESIDENT, VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY

Report of the Nomination Committee - (Comm. Baldonado, Champagne, Thompson & Wilkerson) Comm. Wilkerson presented the following nominations; President: James Guglielmoni & Robert Varni. Vice President: Raymond Wong. Secretary: Dara Wong.

Also nominated for President: Veronika Cauley. Nominations will be opened again in Jan.

DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION:

Motion by Comm. Guglielmoni, 2nd by Comm. Cauley to send a letter thanking  Supervisor Bevan Dufty and the Board of Supervisors for honoring veterans and the Veterans Affairs Commission at their Board meeting held on Nov. 10, 2009. This was the first time the Board had recognized the commission in 26 years and was very much appreciated. The motion also conveyed the commissions concern that on Nov. 12, 2009, the Rules Committee passed legislation pertaining to the commission without giving the members of the

commission the courtesy of informing us that this legislation would be brought before the Board of Supervisors. Motion passed unanimously.

Motion by Comm. Wong, 2nd by Comm. Caldera to thank the Presidio Trust for their dedication of the new Presidio National Cemetery Overlook on Nov. 11, 2009 and their presentation at the Presidio Officers' Club of the Prejudice and Patriotism Japanese American World War II exhibit. Motion passed unanimously.

 

 

 

PRESIDENT'S REPORT - President Levin conducted a review of the revised commission Bylaws passed out at the November meeting. He urged members of the commission to review the Bylaws & to give him input during December. Deputy City Attorney informed the commission that the Bylaws cannot be in conflict with the San Francisco Administrative Code

 

VICE PRESIDENT'S REPORT – Comm. Varni reported that he took commission candidate Matt Shay around to 9 members of the Board of Supervisors and that the commission needs an Iraq veteran, because they are the veterans presently in need.

 

HOMELESS VETERANS – Comm. Noetzel reported that the Veterans Connect Event

held on Nov. 10, 2009, at the SFVAMC Downtown Clinic was a success. He volunteered

and interviewed over 50 homeless veterans and he learned a lot from his experience. As a

commissioner, his goal is to research and identify ways the Commission can motivate the City, State and Federal government to do more to address the plight of the homeless veteran population of San Francisco.

 

EMPLOYMENT – Comm. Thompson reported that the 20th Annual Veterans Employment Committee Job Fair will be held at Fort Mason, on May 12, 2010. Invitations to employers in San Francisco & San Mateo County will go out in January.

 

LEGISLATION EVALUATION – Comm. R. Wong reported that the VA is now recognizing 15 illnesses connected to Agent Orange used in Vietnam.

 

NATIONAL VETERANS GROUPS – Comm. Guglielmoni reported that at the DAV Veterans Service Event, at the Veterans Building, had 497 veterans attending and the DAV Service Officers helped veterans with 152 claims.

Comm. Levin reported that American Legion Post 244 was sponsoring the Battle of the Bulge Associations 65th Commemorative event at the Veterans Building on Dec. 12, 2009.

 

VETERANS DAY PARADE – Comm. Champagne reported that thanks to the JROTC

units, there were 90 units in the parade and it was a good parade.

 

HONORS REPORT & ADJOURNMENT – in memory of the 5,150+ Americans killed in Iraq & Afghanistan, the homeless veterans that died in San Francisco, the veterans that died because of suicide during the month of November, the Navy Patrol Bombing Squadron's eight Navy fliers killed when their PBM Mariner seaplane crashed into Mount Tamalpais, on Nov. 30, 1944, Michael Scott Speicher, Navy pilot shot down on the first night of 1991 Gulf War, Lieutenant Commander Che Jeremy Barnes, pilot of Coast

Guard C-130 that crashed on 10/29/09, Richard Hall, 90, WWII Marine Corps officer Louis Mallet, led the last bayonet charge of the Korean War & was awarded the Medal of Honor and Navy Captain George Maxwell, World War II, Korea & Vietnam veteran.