Minutes for Veterans Affairs Commission Meeting: May 12, 2015

Call to Order

Having achieved a Quorum (see Roll Call, below), the May 12, 2015 General Meeting (of the SFVAC) was called to order (in City Hall Hearing Room #416) by President Stephen Noetzel at 6:00pm.  Meeting started with the traditional Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll Call

In Attendance for the Meeting:  (15) Commissioners: Baldonado, Dacumos, Dixon, Gallagher, Guy, Jenkins, Kennedy, Maffei, Marshall, Miller, Noetzel, Pandey, Rogers, Weeby and Wong.   

Absent:  Excused (1) Comm. B. Smith (Out of State travel).

Office of City Attorney was represented by Mr. Wayne Snodgrass.

Note: Commission strength currently at 16 members, with one (Mayoral Appointed) Vacancy.

Approval of AGENDA

Motion to accept Agenda was made by made by Comm. Maffei (2^nd. Comm. Dixon) Without objection, the Agenda was APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, as distributed.

Review of Minutes of Previous VAC meeting.

Motion to Approve draft of Minutes for VAC meeting of April 14, 2015 (as written by Comm. Kennedy), made by Comm. Guy, (2nd Comm. Maffei). After minor spelling corrections subject MINUTES were APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, as corrected.

Agenda item 1 – Call for PUBLIC COMMENT

• Guest (and Veteran) Michael Blecker, Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares spoke to comment about recent new initiatives and partnerships undertaken by Swords to Plowshares, to help alleviate the homeless Veteran situation in S.F.

• Guest, Ms. Lisa Newman-Wise of Deloitte Corp. spoke to inform Commission that Deloitte Corp wishes to partner with City of San Francisco to develop a user-friendly Online Directory of Services available to Bay Area Veterans. She congratulates Comm. Pandey on a great start in development of such a Directory, and hopes to work with him in mutual efforts to develop the Directory.

Agenda item 2 - Officers Reports  

A.   President’s Report;

President Noetzel presented a “Thumb-nail Introduction” of newly appointed VAC Commissioner SAM PANDEY. Sam is a US Army Veteran whose Active Duty period brought him to service in Djibouti, Africa where he worked in a Civil Affairs Unit. He continues his service with an active Reserve Unit while completing additional Public Service as a CORO Fellow in the office of Mayor Lee.  President Noetzel and the entire Commission welcomed new Commissioner Pandey with a warm round of applause.

President Noetzel also reviewed details of the MEMORIAL DAY EVENT at the PRESIDIO of San Francisco. The PARADE step-off is scheduled for 10:30am on MEMORIAL DAY, Monday, the 25^th of May, with a program to honor The Fallen to follow. He urged all Commissioners and guests to attend.

B. Vice Presidents Report; 

Vice President Michael Maffei stated that he had nothing to report this month.

C.  Secretary’s Report;  Secretary Kennedy reported that Public Notice and all relevant documents for this meeting were distributed timely and as per distribution schedules.

Agenda Item 3.  NEW Business – 

A.    Status and Prognosis for: End of Chronic Homelessness for Veterans of San Francisco.

        President Noetzel introduced our guest Mr. Bevan Dufty, Director of San Francisco’s Project HOPE (Housing Opportunity, Partnerships & Engagement) provided a comprehensive presentation on how the City continues to find innovative ways to end chronic homelessness and provide relief to needy individuals, groups and families. He reported that Mayor Lee remains committed to finding appropriate Housing and rehabilitative Social Services for the approximately 700 homeless Veterans within this population, by the end of this year. Mr. Dufty also applauded the efforts of San Francisco Landlords for their commitment to dedicating numerous rental units to the HUD VASH program,

        During the Q&A period after the presentation, Comm. Gallagher posed some pertinent questions with regard to Protocols for equitable assignment to Veterans Housing. Director Dufty explained that placement Protocol is based on a system that recognizes Total Life Need – including strategies to mitigate substance addiction within a priority of Length of ‘Time in Homeless Status.’  The presentation concluded with recognition that Placement Protocols will be moot, if the current strategies and goals for elimination of chronic Veterans homelessness in the city are achieved.

B.   Veterans Sue City and Board of Trust  Guest Paul Cox, Chair, American Legion War Memorial Commission (ALWMC) and signator of a newly filed LAWSUIT to insure that Veterans retain fair SPACE ALLOCATION in remodeled War Memorial Veterans Building provided history and background leading up to the lawsuit. The Lawsuit, filed in CA Superior Court is actually drawn on a narrow issue; specifically, it asks the court to define what constitutes a Patriotic Organization. Once defined, the ALWMC will be in a more clearly defined position, with respect to she subject Space Allocation, as the decades-old Trust Agreement provides for use of Building Space by ‘Patriotic Organizations’. After some discussion, the S.F. Veterans Affairs Commission reiterated its position that it may not (as a Commission) further advocate for Veteran Related Space Allocation until the lawsuit is resolved.

C.  Presentation of Directory of Services Available to Bay Area Veterans. New Commissioner Sam Pandey made a formal Audio Visual Presentation of his recently completed DIRECTORY of Services Available to Bay Area Veterans. Several Commissioners asked about specific agencies that were not included in the Directory. Commissioner Pandey pointed out that the Directory was still very much a Work in Progress, and the work represented his final document at the conclusion of his tenure as a

CORO Fellow in the Office of the Mayor.

Agenda Item 4.  Old Business

         A.  First Annual North Beach Veterans Day Parade and Festival.  Pres. Noetzel provided an Update Report on progress toward shifting the Parade from the Market Street location, to North Beach/Fisherman’s Wharf. Pres. Noetzel also announced that he and  ALWMC Commissioner Nelson Lum, had a meeting scheduled with a Senior Manager in the Community Relations office of the S.F. Giants, to explore potential of GIANTS sponsoring future events to benefit Veterans.

         B.  VAC Research Team on Veterans Mental Health .  Team Leader Comm. D. Guy, reported that research is ongoing but there was no reportable accomplishments this month.

         C.   Protocols for Equitable Assignment to Veterans Housing  Issue was addressed by HOPE Director Dufty within item 3A, above.

         D.   Research Team on Restorative Justice for Port Chicago Sailors.  Team leader Comm. A. Jenkins reported on progress on this issue since last meeting including a productive 4/16/15 meeting with Congresswoman Barbara Lee staffer Joe Commacho in her Oakland CA office. Attendees included Friends of Port Chicago representatives in addition to Pres. Noetzel and Comm. Jenkins. Primary effort, at this point, is to press for a Presidential Proclamation that would posthumously exonerate the Port Chicago Sailors. This issue continues to gain traction as the Research Team also has a meeting scheduled with Legislative Staff in the Walnut Creek office of CA District 11 Congressman Mark DeSoulnier

        E. Advocacy for Establishment of a Veterans Affairs Commission in City of San Jose, CA.  Lead Commissioner Sam Pandey provided a report on the on the availability of veterans services throughout the City and County of San Francisco. The report was followed by questions and answers with Commission members.

        F. Development of Veterans Advocate Position in City Government.  Lead Commissioner J. Marshal reported that efforts continue to better understand the needs of veterans services and the scope of work that for a City Hall advocate position.

        G.  83rd Annual U.S. Mayors Conference, in S.F., June 19-22 2015.  President Noetzel provided information about the upcoming Conference and reported that the Website for the subject Convention includes a “break-out” Session for 6/19 titled: Veterans Affairs Task Force.

Agenda Item 5.  Veterans Related LEGISLATION.  Commissioners Miller informed the Commission that HR 2029 has passed the House of Representatives.  Unfortunately, the Bill proposes a much smaller budget that will affect Veterans in the areas of healthcare, construction and even burial benefits.

Agenda Item 7.  ANNOUNCEMENTS:  Floor opened for short announcements of veteran related events and/or activities. President Noetzel informed Commissioners on the protocol for announcements in order to reach a lager audience. 

Agenda Item 8.  Honors Report and Moment of Silence:

In memory of American Armed Service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice in all wars and conflicts, plus the passing of homeless veterans and veterans who died while waiting approval of benefits requests and suicides within the veterans and armed services community.

Agenda Item 9.  ADJOURNMENT   (At 8:05pm)

Minutes of the 4/14/15 VAC Meeting written by Secretary Dwane Kennedy, and approved unanimously, as written, at VAC Meeting of June 9, 2015