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Ottawa County veterans services reports rising federally awarded compensation and seeks changes to burial and outreach policies
Summary
Veterans services staff told the committee their department brings large amounts of federal compensation and pension dollars into the county, reported grant spending patterns, and asked the committee to consider policy changes including burial allowance and outreach to raise take‑up of benefits.
Jason Schenkel, Ottawa County Veterans Services manager, presented department data showing a sharp rise in federal compensation and pension awards to county veterans and described spending and grant trends that he says produce economic benefits for local families.
Schenkel told the planning and policy committee that compensation and pension awards delivered more than $70 million to beneficiaries in 2023 and that the department’s work in filing claims helps bring nontaxable income to veterans and surviving family members. "As a county, we received over $70,000,000 in comp and pension revenue," Schenkel said, and he described outreach, VSO staffing changes and grant usage.
The department reviewed grants and spending: an MBA grant (multi‑year grant tracked back to 2020) that has at times not been fully spent and a Michigan Veterans Trust Fund and local veteran services fund used for emergent assistance and burial benefits. Schenkel said the department plans to spend more of available funding in 2025 and has adjusted budget assumptions for transportation and medical travel after observing utilization rates.
Commissioners asked about homeless veterans, burial assistance eligibility, and whether the department could change asset or income caps. Schenkel said a point‑in‑time count of people experiencing homelessness identified roughly 20 veterans in the county and that the department will meet with funeral homes in April to explain new burial policy and outreach.
Policy matters raised: Commissioner Josh (surname not recorded) proposed exploring a graduated burial allowance or raising asset limits so more veterans could qualify; Schenkel said the county burial allowance is locally funded but he can ask the state to include burial support in next year's grant and the committee could direct fiscal staff to study a general‑fund increase.
Ending: Commissioners encouraged continued outreach to improve benefit take‑up and suggested the department return with proposals on burial allowance adjustments, metrics for grant spending, and staffing implications for achieving higher claim rates.
