Veterans Employment Committee of San Mateo County Inc.

Business Meeting Minutes: 11/05/07, Monday

Held at the PeninsulaWorks San Carlos Facility-Winter Conference Room.

 

 Recorder: Sheryl Shaffer and Rose Sutton

 

Meeting called to order:  Sheryl Shaffer led Pledge of Allegiance and welcome.  Roll called.

 

Roll call of officers:

Chairperson,         Sheryl Shaffer                Present             AMVETS Post 34

1st Vice Chair/Treasurer,   Helen Wong          Present             AMVETS Post 34

2nd Vice Chair/Correspondence,      Nick Itensis  - Present  - Veteran

3rd Vice Chair/Special Projects,  Joseph Cody,  Excused       World of Veterans

Recorder          Rose Sutton   -   Present  -  Next Step Center

 

Others:

             Frank Sherr                 Excused                       AMVETS Post 53

            Michael Taylor             Present                         EDD  San Carlos

            Lucio Vera                   Excused                       EDD San Carlos

            Jim Kenney                  Present                        SMC Vets Ser Officer

                                                                                                     

 

Minutes of last meeting:  Sheryl reminded everyone that all the minutes are posted on the web site.  www.vecsamnt.org. Just click on the Minutes link on the home page to view the minutes.  One correction to the previous minutes, is that the San Mateo County will hire one more Veteran Service Rep (benefit Analyst 3 pay grade) not 3 more reps.

 

Correspondence:  We received the minutes from the SCVEC.

 

Secretary/Treasurer Report:  Helen Wong reported account balances and submitted transaction reports.  Bills for ink cartridges and the Norton 12 in 1 anti-virus software for the laptop were presented, as well as travel costs for the Chairwoman, TV show taping and food for the volunteer crew.  Available Resources will provide billing for the web site hosting.  Helen said that we share our VECSM post office box with the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 464, helps to save money for both groups.

           

 Next Step Center: The veteran funding under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) is changing focus and emphasing service to recently discharged (last 48 months) veterans.  homeless veterans are de-emphasized under this funding source.  To support efforts to reach goals under WIA and to leverage resources Next Step seeks to restructure the current partnership with EDD-San Carlos and intensify outreach efforts. Next Step will also look at redefining their partnership with DOR to provide comprehensive employment services to OIF and OEF amputees and traumatic brain injury veterans. Next Step is concentrating on locating other funding sources. The Vietnam era veteran is aging and their numbers are decreasing at Next Step. Next Step will continue to serve this population but will need to find additional funding.

 

World of Vets Report:  Excused.

 

County Veterans Service Officers Report:  Jim Kenney will move to his new office, on Harbor Blvd. where the County of San Mateo Social Services is located.  They will be hiring a new vet service rep soon but no recruitment announcement has been made yet.

 

E.E.D. Staff:  Michael Taylor told us being on the planning committee for the “Welcome Home Vets” to be held live at Moffett Field and they expect about 1,000 people.  The VA will help to promote the event.  We would like to participate in the Hometown Days Parade in May 2008.  We could have a booth there and have flags that we can sell for a “donation” maybe for $3.00 to generate some funds for our group.

 

TV Show:  Sheryl Shaffer said she would like to be a guest or co-host on the show mid-March, 2008 and talk about Riverside National Cemetery. Helen suggested Leo McArdle as the other guest. Sheryl will host the show.

 

Helen talked about how the Vietnam Veterans of America is looking for people who would like to train to become service officers. To work under the leadership of a county veteran service officer and to learn to do claim work. It would be an internship position for about 6 months.  Jim Kenney said he would be happy to provide materials for book learning.   

 

Phil Kurokawa announced that he was resigning his position with the VECSM and the Media Center effective immediately.  I would like to thank Phil for all his outstanding work and dedication to the VECSM. He has volunteered his time and helped us at many of our Job Fairs and other events when he was asked.

 

We had elections since Phil resigned his position 2nd Vice Chair/Correspondence and everyone agreed to stay in their current position and Nicki Itsines will take over as 2nd Vice Chair. 

FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER:  Helen Wong mentioned that her AMVETS Post 34 is working with a fundraiser company that sells drinks at various raceways in No. Calif. and split the proceeds with non profit groups.

 

Please note that we meet once a quarter and that the next meeting date is Monday, March 17, 2008.  We encourage you to join us and participate as we would like to keep our VECSM going but we need you to help us. Please mark your calendar. The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

 

Next Meeting: Monday – March 17, 2008 at 3:30 P.M. at EDD-PeninsulaWorks, 550 Quarry Road, Winter Room, San Carlos.

 

BUGLE CALL:  Volume 15,                            Issue 10, 11 & 12.

                                                                      

                                  

                 P.O. Box 25540