Walsh County to refill veteran service officer slot after incumbent’s departure; commissioners authorize full-time hire

The Walsh County Commission authorized staff May 20 to refill the county Veterans Service Officer (VSO) position as a full-time, county-based role after the incumbent announced his resignation effective at the end of the month.

A county staff member who led the update said she had discussed the vacancy with the state CVSO office and that the county serves roughly "977" active cases in its system, a figure the presenter said included some cases that start before a claimant’s death. She said she evaluated sharing a VSO with another county but concluded Walsh County needs a dedicated full-time VSO because of current caseload and proximity to the local VA clinic.

The presenter recommended immediate advertisement and hiring; commissioners moved and seconded a motion to authorize recruitment. Commissioners discussed training and transitional support: the state offers a one-week intensive training for new VSOs in Fargo and nearby veteran service officers had offered mentoring while the county searches for a replacement.

Commissioners noted the VSO budget is supported by a separate mill levy; one presenter referenced a figure in the county levy fund of roughly $91,000 for the program. Commissioners voted to authorize advertising and filling the position.

Officials said there will likely be a gap between the incumbent’s departure and a replacement’s start date and that the county will coordinate with neighboring counties and the state for interim support. Commissioners asked that future reports include case-load metrics pulled from the state’s software system to better document workload and service outcomes.

The motion carried on roll call.