Vets Affairs hopes to keep part-time position

Several items were discussed briefly at Wednesday’s Jasper County Veterans Affairs Commission meeting, including efforts to ensure the position held by their most recently hired department employee is renewed for another year.

Newly hired Veterans Affairs part-time employee Charlotte Ross, whose hire was approved by the county board of supervisors in February, replaces Keith Thorpe, who resigned in the fall of 2015.

The part-time position was approved last year for a 12-month duration, set to end April 30, 2016, so the commission discussed what Ross has accomplished in her first several weeks on the job, and how to bring that to the supervisors to make a pitch for extending her position for at least another 12 months.

Ross discussed her visits at various nursing homes and senior-living facilities in the area, attempting to contact veterans to see if they’ve inquired with the Veterans Administration and learn all of the benefits that might be available to them. She said she has been to four of the 10 area facilities on her list to visit with veterans.

“It’s good to match up records, because they have some that we don’t have, and we have some that they don’t have,” Ross said.

Commission Chairman John Billingsley asked if most of the veterans are on board, once they find out why she’s there.

“I think it’s going to take some time,” county Veterans Affairs Director Chris Chartier said. “Most of them will think it’s just more paperwork; another headache.”

Billingsley said he would take steps to attempt to get a spot on a Board of Supervisors agenda, going before the board with a written job description and some “talking points” in order to explain why the position should be kept for at least one more year.

“It shouldn’t cost them a thing to keep the position,” Chartier pointed out.

In other business at Wednesday’s meeting, the commission:

• Was updated by Chartier on Jasper County’s efforts to earn a Home Base Iowa designation designed to attract recently discharged veterans to the community. Location of the two street signs that will indicate the county is a Home Base Iowa veterans-friendly community were discussed, along with getting the last few businesses needed to commit and make a welcoming incentive package complete.

Chartier planned to meet with Home Base Iowa committee member late last week. Each community must get at least 10 percent of county businesses to commit to hiring veterans.

Twenty-six Iowa communities have earned the HBI distinction.

A city can put together an incentive package and qualify on its own, but Jasper’s efforts so far have all been to earn the designation as a county; Marion County is attempting to earn a distinction.

• Discussed other budget concerns not related to Ross’s position. Client assistance, driver payments and spending annual state funds on the appropriate timeline.

• Was updated by Chartier on planning for the Military Resilience Project retreat. The New York City nonprofit will send personnel to Iowa the weekend of May 20-22 for a special retreat at the Christian Conference Center, located south of Newton, and will select about 15 Jasper County veterans to participate.

Chartier said there really isn’t a minimum of veterans to make the trip worthwhile and he’s confident he can recommend to project leaders names of local veterans who would benefit. MIP will directly contact veterans to speak with them and find out if the retreat would help meet their needs.

Veterans who are chosen for the retreat will not be charged.

• Was updated by Chartier on his recent visit to a homeless veterans facility in Bremer County to see what it’s like before mentioned the facility to any area veterans. He said it’s a facility that houses vets at night and requires they be out of the facility during the day; Chartier said there is at least one person interested in helping set up a similar shelter in or close to Jasper County.

• Discussed plans to update the department’s web presence and get current on social media with the aid of a Central College communications student, who is taking it on as a class project.

• Was informed Chartier will be attending a national training for veterans affairs personnel the week of May 16-20 in South Carolina.

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com