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Veterans groups urge board not to dilute veterans services during planned consolidation
Summary
A veterans representative told commissioners a proposed consolidation of social services and veterans services could weaken veteran-focused assistance and raised concerns about location, parking and locked-door practices at a relocated office.
A representative from the veterans community told the Alamance County Board of Commissioners Oct. 6 that a proposed consolidation of county social services could harm the quality of services available to veterans.
"I personally think that that would be a little bit detrimental to the services that veterans get in this county," said a speaker who identified himself as representing the veterans of Alamance County. He told the board the existing Veterans Service Office (VSO) operates as a specialized unit that works directly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and that placing the veterans director under another, larger director could "water down" the mission.
The speaker said there are currently three agencies with separate directors and that the proposed consolidated board did not explicitly prioritize veteran representation. He also raised practical concerns about a proposed relocation, including potentially insufficient handicap parking at the new site and the loss of the office practice of keeping the door locked to pre-screen visitors when needed. "Some of the veterans that come in there suffer from PTSD," he said, describing why staff currently sometimes prefer a controlled entry process.
Commissioners discussed board composition and representation. One commissioner said the current statutory or policy slots for the veterans advisory board (as described in the meeting) permit between 15 and 25 members and that increasing the number of designated slots could allow more veteran representatives without displacing other stakeholders.
No formal action was taken; commissioners directed that veteran representation be considered as consolidation plans are refined and that staff ensure veteran-service capacity is not diminished by any structural changes.
