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VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION
875 STEVENSON STREET, SUITE 250
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103
MINUTES OF THE AUGUST 7, 2006 MEETING
Commission meeting was called to order at 6:05 p.m.
President Wilson led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commission Meeting Agenda was approved.
Minutes of the June 5, 2006 meeting were approved.
Commissioners present: Jill Buck, Veronika Cauley, Cheryl Cook, Renie Champagne, George Gibbs, Ralph Gibson, Fred Gomez, Wallace Levin, Charles Reed, Michael Thompson, Edwin Wilkerson, & Bud Wilson. Commissioners Raymond Wong & Brian Zweir were not present.Wayne Snodgrass (Deputy City Attorney), David Epstein (Reserve Officers Association), Kenneth Breiten (91st Division), Bill Stevens, Marilyn Wong & Gordon Renolds (USS Iowa Committee), were also present.
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Merilyn Wong & Bill Stevens presented the latest information on the USS Iowa.
She felt that the Port Commission gave them impossible requirements to birth the Iowa in San Francisco. The Vallejo City Council voted 7 to 0 to support bringing the USS Iowa to Mare Island in Vallejo. She requested a letter of support from the commission. She reported that the Stockton effort does not look good at this time. Bill thanked the commission for a decade of support. They are continuing their efforts to port the USS Iowa in the Bay Area.
David Epstein, Reserve Officers Association Convention Chairman, for the ROA's planned San Francisco Convention. The event will be held in June 2007.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
PRESIDENTS REPORT
President Wilson reported that the Commission Web site is up and running & we will add to it each month. He will forward all information to the City for placement on our Web site. The site looks good & is getting better every month. The Mayor is planning a memorial for Army Specialist 4 Chris Rose, the first San Franciscan killed in Iraq. The event will be held on Veterans Day. He will give the commission more information when he receives it from the Mayor's Office.
VICE PRESIDENTS REPORT
Vice President Levin reported that Comm. Buck & Zweir slots on the commission will come before the Board Rules Committee in Sept. LTC Kenneth Breiten is one of three new candidates who want to serve on the commission. They will receive notice of the meeting from the Board. He commended Marilyn Wong & Bill Stevens for their dedicated effort to bring the USS Iowa to the Bay Area. He reported that the commission membership changes, prepared by Wayne Snodgrass are ready to be voted on. Comm. Champagne made the motion, second by Comm. Reed & Wilkerson. Motion passed to forward the document to the Board.
COMMISSION GOALS & PLANS
Comm. Gibbs in his position with the Veterans Administration reported that he met with the Mayor's Chief of Staff, Steve Kawa, pertaining to the needs of Homeless
Veterans. He is working with his VA Director Bobby Rosenthal. They are working up a plan to present to the Commission and the Office of the Mayor.
COUNTY VETERANS SERVICE OFFICE
Comm. Cook reported that she is serving as State Education Chair for the County Veterans Service Officers Association. The office is moving into a larger office, in the same building. She will be part of the East Bay Stand Down. They just had a state audit & they were one of the few that passed with flying colors.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Comm Gibbs is one of the coordinators of the East Bay Stand Down, which will be held on Aug. 10 to 18. This is a premier Stand Down. Homeless veterans are given new clothing, free food, dental, legal & social services. Over 500 veterans will be brought to the event, at the Alameda Fair Grounds. All funds for the event are donated.
VETERANS DAY PARADE
Comm. Champagne reported that they are attempting to have the Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, Nov. 11th. The City has always forced us to have the Parade on the Sunday prior to Veterans Day.
LEGISLATION COMMITTEE
Comm. Cook conveyed her feelings pertaining to the commission's lack of aggressive action in regards to legislation. She prepared a list of present legislation, which was presented at the last meeting. She was not present because she was attending a County Veterans Service Conference. She felt some action should have been taken on her presented report. She felt that if we are not going to recommend legislation to the Board & the Mayor, then we should not have a Legislation Committee. Comm. Levin conveyed that members of the commission must step forward to serve on this committee, if the committee is to function properly. Comm. Cook agreed to serve.
OLD BUSINESS
Comm. Cook conveyed the need to send notes of condolence to the families of veterans who pass away. The Memorial Committee was formed in June, with Comm. Cauley & Comm. Gomez on the committee.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned in memory of the 2,700+ members of the Armed Forces of the United States killed in Iraq & Afghanistan. World War II veteran & former SF Seal Con Dempsey. Iraq veteran Army Specialist 4 Christopher Rose.
Minutes submitted by Wallace Levin, 982-3417.
