Veterans' Affairs Commission - April 28, 2020 - Agenda
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
Tuesday, April 28, 2020 – 6:00 pm
Hosted Remotely via Microsoft Teams
Public Call-in Number: 866-590-5055
Access Code: 3351192
VICTOR OLIVIERI, PRESIDENT, PRESIDING
MARGO ELLIS, VICE PRESIDENT
GEORGE ISHIKATA, ACTING SECRETARY
WILLIAM BARNICKEL, MATTHEW BRAUER, DOUGLAS BULLARD, HANLEY CHAN,
DAVID CHASTEEN, DEBORAH DACUMOS, DAVID FROMMER, IKRAM MANSORI,
JEFF MARSHALL, STEPHEN MARTIN-PINTO, CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD,
COURTNEY MILLER, MYLES TUCKER, RAYMOND WONG
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
COMMUNICATIONS
Officer’s Reports
President
• Supervisorial Assignments
• Retreat Date – postponed until after DPH Order is lifted
• Mandatory Training Video (must be completed before meeting)
“Open Government Laws” – Sunshine Training (February 2020)
{Note: Press & Hold Ctrl Key & Click Left Mouse Button to activate video link}:
https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=f785ad9d-4d...
9ca4-0050569183fa&autostart=1&embed=1
Vice President
Acting Secretary
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
Committee Reports
Legislative Committee – Commissioner Tucker
Communications Committee – Commissioner Brauer
Events Committee – Commissioner Mansori
Rules Committee – Commissioner Ishikata
Finance Committee – Commissioner Marshall
Liaison Reports
Ad hoc Parks Committee – Commissioner Chan
Veterans Related Legislation
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
March Minutes
AGENDA CHANGES
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
CVSO Search and Office Staffing [Information Item and Possible Action Item]
Status of CVSO Office and various position searches (report from Kate Shadoan – HUB
Director)
• HUB is hiring a temporary position under Category 16 (good for 1040 hours per
fiscal year – essentially through December 2020)
• DHR is focused on hiring for essential health care workers for DPH during COVID-
19 State of Emergency
• CVSO team reports they are handling the current workload with their current staffing
• CVSO position has not been filled and there has been no progress in position
description – letter from VAC asking for Interim CVSO dated February 25, 2020 has
led to no action (attached)
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
Annual Summit Program Date [Action Item]
President Olivieri asking to hold remotely before budget season in compliance with
COVID-19 restrictions and order from the Mayor’s Office
NEW BUSINESS
Resolution Recognizing Captain Brett Crozier, United States Navy [Action Item]
Resolution text attached
Emergency Operation Center [Information Item and Possible Action Item]
Status of Veterans in the Community in light of COVID-19 and actions taken between
local, state, and federal levels to safeguard veterans in San Francisco (report from John
Gallagher – Veterans Claims Representative, and report from Victor Lim – EOC External
Affairs)
• Veterans Service Representatives wellness checks on 300 veterans every 10 days
• CVSO remote office hours only
• HUD-VAH vouchers usage
• Counseling services (remote only)
• COVID-19 report on veteran population
Bataan Death March Commemoration [Information and Possible Action Item]
(78th Anniversary)/End of WWII Commemoration (75th Anniversary). The event will be
on Saturday, August 29, 2020 at 10AM at Golden Gate National Cemetery.
Forum flier and videos attached to end of meeting agenda.
Appointment of Veterans Affairs Commission Secretary [Action Item]
PUBLIC COMMENT
An opportunity for members of the public to directly address the Commission on items of
interest to the public that are within the subject matter jurisdiction of the Commission, including
items being considered today which have not been considered by a Commission committee and
excluding items which have been considered by a Commission committee. Members of the
public may address the Commission for up to three minutes.
Each member of the public will be allotted the same number of minutes to speak, except that
public speakers using translation assistance will be allowed to testify for twice the amount of the
public testimony time limit. If simultaneous translation services are used, speakers will be
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
governed by the public testimony time limit applied to speakers not requesting translation
assistance. The President or the Commission may limit the total testimony to 30 minutes.
Members of the public who want a document placed on the overhead for display should clearly
state such and subsequently remove the document when they want the screen to return to live
coverage of the meeting.
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 and armed service communities.
ADJOURNMENT
This document is Official Business of the Veterans Affairs Commission, City and County of San
Francisco. It is part of the official Public Record of the City and County of San Francisco.
Public Access:
Public Records are covered under the State of California Brown Act, as well as the Sunshine
Ordinance of the City and County of San Francisco. These acts ensure that deliberations of City
Business are conducted “before the People,” and that City and County operations are open to the
People’s review.
For information on your rights under the Sunshine Ordinance (Chapter 67 of the San Francisco
Administrative Code), or to report a violation of the ordinance, please contact: Mr. Chris Ruston,
Administrator, Sunshine Ordinance Task Force, at (415) 554-7724.
Veterans Affairs Commission Meetings:
General meetings of the SFVAC are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every
month, with the exception for the month of July, when there is no scheduled SF VAC meeting,
and are held in Room 416 in City Hall.
Meeting confirmation, and specific announcement of general meetings are made via public
posting of the Meeting Agenda as required by law, at least 72 hours prior to scheduled meetings.
Agendas for SFVAC meetings (and archived meeting minutes) are available on the SFVAC
Pages of the City of San Francisco website, and are also available for public view and inspection
at the 5th Floor Government Information Center at the San Francisco Public Library, at 100
Larkin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. The documents librarian telephone number is (415)
554-4472.
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
Disability Access:
City Hall of San Francisco is wheelchair accessible via all entrances. There is wheelchair
accessible public parking nearby, including the underground garage at the north side of City
Hall. The nearby BART/MUNI station (Civic Center) is wheelchair accessible as are nearby city
bus lines and stops. For more public transit information services, call (415) 923-6142 or dial 311.
If you or a Veteran, you know is in
immediate danger to themselves or others,
please call 911 or visit your local emergency room.
The Veterans Crisis Line is also available by
texting 838255 or by going to their website
and chatting with a mental health professional.
24/7 Confidential
Support
Text MYLIFE to 741741
Crisis Line:
(415) 781-0500
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
Video links to last year’s ceremony:
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/4061107-veterans-who-survived-ww...
death-march-honored-at-ceremony-in-san-bruno/
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/veterans-of-the-bataan-death-march...
in-san-bruno/159034/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNWgCt6zBFc&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5_RJ5Z3HPE&feature=youtu.be
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
February 25, 2020
Naomi Kelly
City Administrator
City Hall, Room 362
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
RE: Interim Appointment of County Veterans Service Officer
Dear Ms. Kelly:
The Veterans Affairs Commission recently learned that the position of County Veterans Service
Officer (CVSO) has been vacant for over a year. The CVSO is a crucial position for the veterans
and the family members of veterans in our community. The California Military and Veterans
Code, Section 970, provides each county within the State the appointment of a CVSO and the
City Administrative Code, Section 5.108.A-1, establishes the County Veterans Service Office
under the purview of the City Administrator. As such, the Veterans Affairs Commission formally
requests the appointment of an Interim County Veterans Service Officer.
Submitted for the Executive Board and the full membership of the current San Francisco
Veterans Affairs Commission.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
Victor Olivieri, Ph.D.
President
Veterans Affairs Commission
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
[Recognizing Captain Brett Crozier, United States Navy]
Resolution Commending Captain Brett Crozier, United States Navy for his
Courageous Leadership as Commanding Officer, USS Theodore Roosevelt.
WHEREAS, Captain Brett Elliott Crozier, United States Navy is a native of the Bay
Area, hailing from Santa Rosa and is an alumnus of local public schools; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier has served the United States with distinction as a
Commissioned Officer since his graduation from the United States Naval Academy in
1992; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier is a career naval aviator, having flown both rotary wing and
strike fighter aircraft; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier has served ashore and afloat in deployed environments in
support of active combat and peace enforcement operations across the globe; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier has led Sailors throughout his career, to include three
tours of Command; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier most recently served as Commanding Officer, USS
Theodore Roosevelt, leading over 4,000 Sailors aboard one of eleven nuclear powered
aircraft carriers in the active Naval Registry; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier, while afloat was faced with the unprecedented situation of
COVID-19 infecting a large segment of his Command; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier was faced with, in his judgement as Commander,
unsatisfactory support in battling the outbreak of COVID-19 aboard the USS Theodore
Roosevelt; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier authored a strong, compelling, and clear-headed letter that
vividly outlined the need for immediate action by the Department of the Navy to provide
the additional and rapid assistance necessary to ensure the health and wellbeing of the
Sailors entrusted to his Command; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier made the courageous decision to distribute his letter to
senior leadership despite the high likelihood that he would face strong professional
retribution; and
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, California 94102-4689
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier was abruptly relieved of his Command as a direct result of
his courageous deed to place the welfare of his Sailors above that of his career; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier’s swift actions, immense foresight, and willingness to
sacrifice a nearly thirty-year career in the service of his country have bolstered efforts to
ensure the wellbeing of the USS Theodore Roosevelt’s crew; and
WHEREAS, Captain Crozier has set an example of leadership, courage, loyalty, and
integrity for a generation of service members, Americans, and San Franciscans; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the City and County of San Francisco, on behalf of its officers,
employees, and residents, publicly recognizes the valiant sacrifices which Captain Brett
Crozier made to safeguard the Sailors entrusted to his Command of the USS Theodore
Roosevelt; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City and County of San Francisco expresses deep
appreciation for Captain Brett Crozier’s courageous actions, leadership, and integrity
during his nearly thirty-years of distinguished service to his Country; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City and County of San Francisco wishes Captain
Brett Crozier a successful career in his chosen profession and will always welcome him
back to the Bay Area; and, be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City and County of San Francisco presents a framed
copy of this resolution to Captain Brett Crozier as a token of the great affection and
respect in which he is held by the Board of Supervisors and the Veterans Affairs
Commission.