El Paso Veterans Advisory Committee approves minutes, appoints member and excuses absences; subcommittees report on employment, homelessness and mental health

The City of El Paso Veterans Advisory Committee handled routine business at its meeting, approving minutes, taking votes on absences and making one appointment to a subcommittee before hearing committee updates on employment, homelessness and mental‑health efforts.

Minutes and appointments: The committee approved the minutes for May 15 following a motion and second. The committee also voted to appoint James Green (District 4) to the employment subcommittee; Green chose to serve on employment.

Excused absences: The committee voted on a slate of excused absences for members who missed prior meetings. A motion to excuse Brian Kinnoff passed after roll call; one committee member recorded a nay during that vote. Motions to excuse Donovan Brown and Donald Morris passed as moved and seconded.

Subcommittee reports: - Employment: Melissa Harkrow, employment subcommittee chair, reported on state legislation that affects occupational licensing for service members and spouses and on childcare bills. Harkrow said federal activity was limited and noted a Pride Industries hiring fair on July 25 at the Armed Forces Reserve Center (start time cited as 10 a.m.). - Homelessness: Don Brown (District 6) reported on participation in a new Continuum of Care (CoC) governance charter intended to coordinate local homelessness organizations and strategic planning. Brown said he will join street outreach to better understand service gaps and to coordinate with VA and Fort Bliss partners to locate and assist homeless veterans. - Mental health: Committee members summarized local behavioral‑health resources for veterans, including VA and community providers; members pointed to a meeting on Aug. 11 (11:30 a.m., El Ricon near UTEP) to review relevant House and Senate bills and to update the committee on crisis‑response and suicide‑prevention trainings. The Emergence Health Network Veterans 1‑Stop and other community providers were listed as options for veterans who are not already in VA care. A face‑to‑face SAVE training was announced for July 23 at the Old Glory Memorial and a virtual SAVE session at 9 a.m. on a later date was advertised.

Procedural notes: Staff said Paul Alpert and Luther Jones were not present because they were traveling; staff also noted that council had approved the department budget and that staff would develop two strategic plans (a city veterans strategic plan and a City of El Paso–Fort Bliss partnership strategy) with consultant support and bring drafts to the committee for review.

Votes at a glance: - Approve minutes (May 15): approved (motion and second; roll‑call counts not specified in transcript). - Appoint James Green to employment subcommittee: approved. - Excuse Brian Kinnoff: motion passed; one recorded nay. - Excuse Donovan Brown: approved. - Excuse Donald Morris: approved. - Adjourn: approved.

Ending: Committee members proposed future agenda items, including a presentation by the veterans treatment court and a more detailed public agenda that lists district assignments and subcommittee memberships. Staff will circulate proposed agenda items and follow up on strategic‑plan timelines.