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Veterans services requests funding to retain staff and expand claims work; cemetery operations remain state-funded
Summary
The Veterans Services director said the state-funded veterans cemetery received an additional $45,000 from the Veterans Land Board for salaries and asked the county to fund a previously ARPA-funded caseworker position and software and travel for accredited veterans service officers.
JJ De La Cerda, speaking for veterans services, told commissioners the veterans cemetery remains fully funded by the Texas Veterans Land Board and that the board approved an additional $45,000 this year to help the cemetery retain employees who currently earn low hourly wages. De La Cerda said retaining cemetery staff is critical for burial operations and for the county's duty to maintain the facility.
On the veterans services side, De La Cerda outlined several modest budget asks: a $1,000 contingency for possible unreimbursed food or utility voucher incidents under the Veterans Assistance grant; $1,000 in travel funds for state-required accreditation training for the four accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSOs); and approximately $1,980 to license VetPro software for VSOs to file claims electronically. The department asked that funding be set aside to continue a caseworker 2 position that was originally funded through ARPA and which the director said is central to burial casework and claims assistance.
De La Cerda described increased volume: hundreds of claims processed and outreach such as field events, wreath and ceremonies and a new 'VSO on the go' transit initiative planned in partnership with RTA to bring VSO services to rural areas.
The presentation included no formal votes; commissioners thanked the presenter and asked follow-up budget and operational questions.
