Veterans service officer asks for vehicle lease, fundraising to cover transportation and program costs

The Vermillion County veterans service officer told the council that caseloads and demand for home visits and transportation have increased and requested budget adjustments and a vehicle lease to maintain service delivery. "The vehicle would be more beneficial for the veterans than part time help," the veterans officer said while describing frequent home visits and transportation needs for medical appointments. The officer presented lease estimates from Enterprise for an Equinox ranging from about $6,790 to $7,225 per year depending on options, and a total annual operating estimate including maintenance, fuel and insurance of about $8,400. She told the council the office’s caseload has risen from roughly 10 active files when she started to more than 91 active cases, and that recent benefit awards returned backpay in the tens of thousands of dollars to several veterans. On burial assistance, the officer noted prior-year expenditures ($9,200 in 2023, $600 expended in 2024) and said she had budgeted $16,000 pending state guidance and review; she will consult the state representative at a scheduled meeting to confirm current recommended procedures and amounts. The officer described a local fundraising plan that would use 50/50 raffle proceeds and a 3-to-1 matching opportunity with Eli Lilly to expand a transportation and assistance pool for veterans, and said she was exploring using an available van in a neighboring county as part of a shared transportation approach. Council members asked for firm numbers on training, travel, and any planned vehicle lease and directed the officer to return updated figures after meeting with the state representative.