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El Dorado Veterans Affairs Commission seeks to expand veteran services, preserves grants and funds training position
Summary
The county Veterans Affairs Commission presented its 2024 annual report and requested continued county funding for veteran services, including a new office assistant position funded in part by transient‑occupancy tax (TOT) dollars. The board received the report and discussed funding timing and reporting metrics.
The El Dorado County Veterans Affairs Commission presented its 2024 annual report to the Board of Supervisors on Aug. 26, outlining grant awards, program staffing changes and the commission’s ongoing use of transient‑occupancy‑tax dollars to support veteran services and programs.
What the report said
Roger (chair of the Veterans Affairs Commission) and HHSA staff described 2023–24 grant activity and current proposals. The commission reported roughly $132,000 in grants awarded to community organizations (a mix of mini‑grants and annual awards), $37,002 in TOT funds moved to support an El Dorado County Office Assistant position in the Veterans Services Office, and ongoing support for a senior veteran services representative funded earlier by the county.
Annual grants included local nonprofit recipients such as Lake Tahoe Community College, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, hospice and food bank partners. The commission funds outreach and programs that include transportation assistance, referral services and educational support at Folsom Lake and Lake Tahoe community colleges.
Board and public discussion
Supervisors asked for clearer, up‑to‑date performance metrics from the Veterans Service Office, including the number of veterans served, benefits dollars secured and a breakdown of phone and in‑person contacts. Supervisors also asked whether the historical practice of allocating a fixed TOT amount to veterans services would be re‑stated in county documents after TOT revenue has been moved into the general fund. County staff said the annual allocation practice stems from prior boards’ decisions rather than the TOT ballot language; staff agreed to present future veteran‑service funding as a general‑fund allocation and to return more detailed monthly performance reporting from the Veterans Service Office.
Commission priorities and next steps
The commission said priorities for the coming year include formalizing a veterans‑owned business recognition program, strengthening partnerships with veteran housing and transportation providers, and expanding outreach with student‑services programs at area community colleges. The commission also plans more active monitoring of its grant portfolio and improved reporting on how TOT‑funded grants are used and paid.
Why this matters
Commissioners said local veteran services rely on a mix of county allocations, TOT‑funded grants and partner contributions; supervisors indicated they want clearer, regular performance reporting and confirmation of how the county will document the funding allocation now that TOT revenues flow into the general fund.
