OFFICIAL MEETING NOTICE

VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION

REGULAR MEETING MINUTES (DRAFT)

Tuesday, April 13, 2021 – 6:00 pm

Hosted Remotely via MS Teams

https://tinyurl.com/y4rrvmba

Call in (audio only)

+1 415-906-4659,,180661142#

VICTOR OLIVIERI, PRESIDENT

IKRAM MANSORI, VICE-PRESIDENT

STEPHEN MARTIN-PINTO, SECRETARY

WILLIAM BARNICKEL, MATTHEW BRAUER, DOUGLAS BULLARD, HANLEY CHAN,

DEBORAH DACUMOS, GEORGE ISHIKATA, JEFF MARSHALL, CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD, COURTNEY MILLER, MYLES TUCKER, RAYMOND WONG

AGENDA

CALL TO ORDER

6:01PM

ROLL CALL

Present: Ikram Mansori, Stephen Martin-Pinto, William Barnickel, Douglas Bullard, Hanley Chan, George Ishikata, Jeff Marshall, Christopher McDonald, Courtney Miller, Myles Tucker, Raymond Wong

Absent: Victor Olivieri, Matthew Brauer, Deborah Dacumos

COMMUNICATIONS

Officers’ Reports

 

• President Olivieri – No report

 

• Vice President Mansori

  • Explained later in meeting

 

• Secretary Martin-Pinto

  • Working on email addresses, more later in meeting

Committee Reports

Legislative Committee

• Commissioner Tucker asking for ARPA funding from federal government to fund veteran’s programs at City College

 

Communications Committee – Commissioner Bullard

• Met on March 26. Working on email issues. Lack of organic Information Technology (IT) support due to Veteran’s Affairs Commission being an orphan commission is a hindrance. Commissioner Martin-Pinto and Bullard working on finding solution for lack of IT support.

• Commissioner Bullard needs access to website and social media accounts. Commissioner Martin-Pinto working on solution.

 

Finance Committee

• Department of Adult and Aging Services held monthly meeting

• $1 million dollar budget, $690 000 dollars comes from county general fund

• 1000 veterans assisted in 2020

• Motion made to write letter to state veteran service office to commit to funding San Francisco county Veteran Service Office. Motion passed.

 

Events Committee

• Job fair to be announced in September, October, or November. Date TBD.

 

Rules Committee

• Rules committee recommends against vetting of veteran affairs commission candidates

• Also recommends against evaluating commissioners internally and county supervisors externally.

• Recommend using more subjective criteria for all evaluations

• A commissioner queried the Rules Committee regarding the prolonged absence of one commissioner, and the bylaws interpretation of this.  The committee indicated that three unexcused absences was grounds for dismissal, so the first step would be to determine if those absences were excused or not.  Secondarily, the City Attorney has indicated we only have authority to dismiss individuals we have appointed, so this would require action (likely by the Executive Board) to request the removal of the commissioner by the Mayor or Board of Supervisors (depending on who appointed the commissioner).

Ad hoc Committee

• Paul Cox of War Memorial Building

• Discussion with Supervisor Stefani about possible location in Presidio

 

Liaison Reports

District 1: Sup. Chan – Commissioner Ishikata

• Nothing significant to report (NSTR)

District 2: Sup. Stefani – Commissioner Miller

• Discussion with Supervisor Stefani about new location for Veteran Center, possibly in Presidio

District 3: Sup. Peskin – Commissioner McDonald

• Passing away of David Tejada

• Discussion about Below Market Rate (BMR) program for veterans

District 4: Sup. Mar – Commissioner Wong

• Discussion about BMR program

• Development project at 26^th Avenue and Irving Street and number of units available for veterans

District 5: Sup. Preston – Commissioner Dacumos

• Not present

District 6: Sup. Haney – Commissioner Mansori

• Nothing significant to report

District 7: Sup. Melgar – Commissioner Martin-Pinto

• Working with Myrna Melgar on BMR program. Discussion on who will be lead on resolution.

District 8: Sup. Mandelman – Commissioner Marshall

• NSTR

District 9: Sup. Ronen – Commissioner Chan

• NSTR

District 10: Sup. Walton* – Commissioner Tucker

• NSTR

District 11: Sup. Safai – Commissioner Bullard

• NSTR

 

APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES

• Motion made to approve March 2021 minutes by Cmr. Barnickel, seconded by Cmr. McDonald

• Motion passes

 

AGENDA CHANGES

• None

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Veterans Preference in BMR

• Next meeting on May 7 with Supervisor Gordon Mar

 

Support staff funding for Veteran Affairs Commission

• Update on results of letter asking for support staff

  • No new update

• Update on results of letter asking for badges for Veteran’s Affairs Commission

  • Will continue to reach out to Carmen Chu

• Update on email and IT support for Veteran’s Affairs Commission

  • Need assistance from supervisors

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

• Letter from CVSO asking for requisite support from state

  • Draft letter to ask for assistance from state

 

GOOD WELFARE

 

• NSTR

 

PUBLIC COMMENT

 

• Colin Wells, from Veterans Walk and Talk, spoke in support of SB519, alternative medicines to treat Post Traumatic Stress.

• Shaun Salvaje from Texas Normal spoke in support of cannabis to treat Post Traumatic Stress.

• Ryan Miller from Operation Evac spoke in support of SB519 and medicinal cannabis.

• Rodney Bailey spoke in support of SB519 and medicinal cannabis.

• Jim Lawson, 13 year USMC veteran, spoke in support of SB519 and medicinal cannabis.

• Ian McCall, former mixed martial arts fighter for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), spoke in support of SB519.

• Marquin Chandlet, a retired National Basketball Association (NBA) player spoke in support of medicinal cannabis.

• Dr. Lola Ohonba, medical doctor, spoke in support of SB519 and medicinal cannabis.

• Dr. Jen Christian spoke in support of SB 519.

• Max Griffin current MMA fighter for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) spoke and support cannabis and SB519.

• John Hunsinger spoke about need to be cautious of support of SB519, as more thorough language needs to be written to ensure sources of substances meet purity criteria and are not mixed with potentially harmful or unknown chemicals.

 

HONORS REPORT AND MOMENT OF SILENCE

In memory of American service members in all wars and conflicts who made the ultimate sacrifice. We also remember the passing of homeless veterans, veterans who died while awaiting approval of benefits, and suicides within the veteran’s community and the Armed Services.

ADJOURNMENT

At 7:36PM