Lemke tapped to replace Carey on county veterans services committee

Nick Lemke will replace Bryan Carey as the lay member on the county’s veteran’s service committee.

In order to be more responsive to the needs of the veterans community, a few years ago the county increased the size and membership of the veterans service committee to include appointed members from the community as well as elected county board members.

County Veterans Service Officer Sheila Sutton explained that Carey informed her he would need to step down from the committee because he moved to the Eau Claire area in mid-October.

At the October 23 veterans service committee meeting, Sutton recommended the committee select Nick Lemke to serve on the committee in Carey’s place. Lemke is a younger U.S. Army veteran and serves as the commander of the Medford VFW post as well as being actively involved with his family’s business, Medford Motors.

“He is a good resource in the business community,” Sutton said, noting that when she spoke with Lemke he was interested in restoring relations between the county and the veteran’s community.

Committee members unanimously approved having Lemke replace Carey on the committee.

In addition to looking at committee membership, committee members formally approved reelecting Sutton to serve as the veterans service officer. State statute requires the veterans service officers to go through a reelection by the county after two years in the position.

During this time, Sutton was to get all her certifications and accreditations as required by state statutes. Sutton reported she has completed all of those requirements and noted that she will be with the county in the position for two years as of April 19, 2025.

This process only has to take place on the first term after which she will serve an indefinite term and not have to go through the reelection process.

In other business committee members:

• Received a report from Sutton over the recent state veterans service conference, including updates on expanded availability of VA home loans allowing veterans to have more than one loan out at a time provided they live at the residence for at least a year. They also heard about changes with tinnitus as a service related disability with a 10% rating and how even if a veteran is rated at 0% disabled having the rating allows them to access the VA for healthcare. The next conference will be held on May 5 to 9 in Superior and the office will be closed during that period of time.

• Received notification that there will be a listening session from the VA on the PACT Act and proposed changes due to exposure of environmental hazards resulting in kidney cancers. The session will be televised in the veterans resource room at the courthouse on November 19 at 11:30 a.m.

• Received an update on a drive for donated items for veterans who reside in the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls. Sutton explained that this veterans home is one of three facilities in the state for older veterans. The Chippewa Falls home is a 48-bed facility and has a waiting list with 480 people currently on it. In this area the nursing home in Rib Lake and the Clark County Healthcare Center in Owen offer subsidized nursing home care for veterans. A complete wish list of items needed by the Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls is available from the veterans service office.