Ramsey County seeks full-time VSO after presentation shows VA expenditures of $10.3M

Brian Waters, a representative of the North Dakota Department of Veteran Affairs, told the Ramsey County Commission that the VA spent $10,310,931 in 2024 on veterans with Ramsey County addresses and that the county’s Veterans Service Officer (VSO) work produced substantial returns to the local economy.

"For every dollar that you spent in 2024 on Bryce's budget, you've got a return to the county," Waters said, adding that compensation and pension payments alone totaled about $4,979,000 for Ramsey County veterans in 2024. Waters said Ramsey’s VSO engagement was higher than national averages and recommended a part‑time assistant to reduce burnout after the recent resignation of the prior VSO, Bryce.

Waters said he would email the commission a written report and a VSO job description and offered that a state service officer could provide temporary on‑site help weekly while the county hires a replacement.

Commissioners discussed whether to advertise the position as a shared role among Ramsey, Benson and Nelson counties or as a Ramsey County full‑time position with cost‑sharing language. The board voted to classify the VSO as a full‑time position and directed human resources to post a job description and a salary range that reflects Ramsey County’s contribution; commissioners asked staff to continue outreach to neighboring counties about potential cost sharing.

The commission scheduled follow-up at the next meeting so the board can review the job description and the budget implications before final commitments.

The commission did not adopt a final inter‑county funding arrangement at the meeting; commissioners instructed staff to report back with the written VSO job description Waters promised and to have HR post the listing as soon as details are settled.