Veteran raises concerns about county use of veterans funds, warns officials of potential liability
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Summary
A longtime veteran told the Thurston County Board he believes the county is improperly using veterans’ funds and contracting out services WDVA should support, alleging possible unlawful expenditures and personal liability for officials; county staff offered no substantive response during the meeting.
Terry Ballard, a 35‑year veteran and longtime veterans service officer, told the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners during public comment that the county is contracting out veteran services he said the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is supposed to fund and that the county is improperly using the veterans emergency fund (RCW 73.08) to pay rent and administrative fees.
"Why are you contracting out of the WDVA when they're supposed to be providing you a grant for that person?" Ballard asked, saying the WDVA statute requires grants to counties to develop or expand veteran service officer programs. He warned commissioners that officials could be personally liable and that their bonds could be at risk if expenditures exceed lawful authority.
Ballard also cited figures he said were in county accounts, alleging multiyear rent payments and carryovers. "We're not supposed to be paying building rent, $3,030,000 dollars a year for 3 years out of this fund," he said, and later referenced carryovers "in the neighborhood of $1,300,000."
The board did not provide an immediate substantive response during the meeting. After Ballard finished, the Chair acknowledged the comment and moved on to other business. The county manager reported no items in the manager's update later in the meeting.
Why it matters: Ballard's comments raise questions about whether county expenditures are consistent with state statutory constraints on veterans funds and whether grant opportunities from WDVA are being used before contracting outside the department. The board did not address the allegations publicly at the meeting, leaving them unresolved.
What the transcript shows: Ballard referenced specific state statutes and a Senate bill text in arguing WDVA grant authority exists; he repeatedly warned of potential personal liability for officials and cited dollar amounts and carryover balances. The transcript record does not include a staff or commissioner refutation or confirmation of those claims.
Next steps: The board recessed to four scheduled public hearings; the transcript does not record follow-up staff action or a formal referral on Ballard's allegations during this meeting.
