Commission members hear concerns from veterans office staff

Concerns to advisory group echoed those raised to committee

Members of the Taylor County Veterans Service Commission weighed in on operations of the county’s veterans service office on Friday after hearing concerns from staff.

The Veterans Service Commission, which is made up of local veterans Donald Schindler, Rev. Warren Behling and Barry Anderson has limited power to take any action. Its primary role is to review requests for assistance for veterans with unmet needs and determine what help can be given. However limited the group may be in taking action on the offi ce operations, members noted they still had the ability to voice concerns like any other resident.

Commission members show of support came after veterans service office Shellie Shaw and Benefit Specialist Nikki Sherman shared their concerns about the need for privacy in the office to deal with veterans needs.

Shaw explained her goal of going to an appointment-based system in the offi ce. Both positions are currently on the 35-hour per week schedule. Shaw said that they are “losing ground” under that schedule with the amount of work the offi ce has. “We keep falling behind,” she said, noting that they are adding compensatory (comp) time frequently. “We are adding an hour of comp time every day,” she said.

According to Shaw she would like veterans to call and make an appointment ahead of time. “The committee is not a fan of that,” she said, referring to the county’s veterans service committee which is the county board oversight committee.

At the last meeting of the Veterans Service Committee on March 4, committee members and office staff had discussed creating a hybrid model with days the office would be for appointment-only and set times for walk-in clients. A plan was supposed to be developed and it was slated for further discussion at a future committee meeting planned for early May. The committee had also discussed converting an office space across the hall from the current VSO into a waiting room so that veterans would not have to wait in the hallway.

Sherman said Shaw needed the ability to alter things as needed to operate the office. She said it was hard when they are bombarded with walk-ins. She also raised concerns with HIPPA privacy law compliance.

“If they don’t have privacy they won’t come in,” Anderson said stating that is needed to serve the needs of veterans. “If you have stopped one veteran from killing themselves you have done your job,” he said.

“I know I have saved lives,” Shaw said.

“I don’t think they understand the importance of privacy,” Shaw said of the veterans service committee.

Commission members reviewed the annual report for the office and praised Shaw for her work in getting veterans the services they need. Anderson noted there are veterans who have physical wounds and others that are mentally wounded. “It is our job as commissioners to get them to come in,” he said, noting that he was happy to see the number going up as veterans get the help they need.