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County staff recommend three candidates for Aging and Veterans Services advisory council; formal appointment set for Aug. 26
Summary
Health and Human Services staff presented three applicants for the Washington County Aging and Veterans Services Advisory Council and summarized recruitment, membership rules and open seats. The board did not vote; staff will bring appointments to the Aug. 26 meeting.
Washington County staff on Tuesday presented three candidates being recommended for the Aging and Veterans Services Advisory Council and outlined the council’s membership requirements, recruitment efforts and timeline for formal appointments.
The presentation was led by Mira Samantel, director of Health and Human Services, and Rebecca Miller, supervisor for Disability, Aging and Veteran Services. Miller told the board staff will ask the commissioners on Aug. 26 to appoint three members to the advisory council to three‑year terms ending June 30, 2028. Two would be reappointments and one an appointment following an extended absence, Miller said.
The county described the Aging and Veterans Services Advisory Council as a 19‑member body (13 regular members and six alternates) required by the Older Americans Act to include more than 50% of members who are age 60 or older. The council’s membership may include racial and ethnic minorities, unpaid caregivers, service recipients, health care providers, supportive services providers and local elected officials, staff said. The council generally meets every other month.
Staff reported active recruitment across county channels and community outreach: posting vacancies on the county site and newsletter, distributing English/Spanish flyers, attending outreach events, and sending direct mail to service recipients. At the time of the briefing staff said there were 11 open positions (six regular, five alternate), six recent applications, two withdrawals and one applicant who remained undecided.
Miller described the three applicants being advanced to the commissioners: Seferina Veil Leon Dale (resident of District 4; described as a longtime community promotor working with Latinx elders and a former council chair), Yaroslav Kutyravenko (resident of District 1; president of a Russian‑speaking seniors club and proposed as an alternate), and Victoria Wolf (resident of District 2; an Oregon National Guard veteran with a master’s degree in public health and public administration and proposed as an alternate).
Commissioners asked about the council’s age composition and outreach to younger caregivers and relatives of older adults. Miller and Samantel said the council intentionally recruits people who can inform county services for older adults and caregivers, including kinship care arrangements, and noted outreach to high schools and targeted direct mail to clients to increase representation of service recipients.
No formal vote was taken at Tuesday’s meeting. Staff reiterated that the board will be asked to act on the three appointments at the Aug. 26 board meeting.
