Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Veterans Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Blandford Select Board asks veterans agent to outline use of unused $10,000 veterans fund
Summary
At its Feb. 10 meeting the Blandford Select Board asked Veterans Agent Joseph Henning to detail the services he provides and recommend how to use a recurring $10,000 veterans fund that has not been spent; Henning said he is available 24/7 for Chapter 115 assistance, keeps a ledger he will share, and will forward information on the Valor Act and tax-exemption Clause 22A for board follow-up.
The Blandford Select Board on Feb. 10 met with Veterans Agent Joseph Henning to review local veterans services and ask how the town’s recurring $10,000 veterans account should be used. Board members said the annual appropriation has not been spent and want specific recommendations for outreach and spending.
Select Board member Jackie Coury pressed Henning to explain which services he provides, how he coordinates with other agencies, and how the town can encourage veterans to seek help. Coury asked for budget recommendations and steps to make sure veterans in Blandford know what benefits are available and how to contact the agent.
Henning told the board he is available “24/7” to help veterans with Chapter 115 eligibility and to serve as a liaison for state and federal benefits. He said his position is part time, which limits how much paperwork he can complete; for some cases he forwards documentation to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Henning also said he arranges transportation for veterans when necessary and that he has worked with Council on Aging Director Margit Mikuski.
Board members asked whether the town maintains a list of veterans and how the town can reach veterans who need services. Henning said he does not keep a public list but maintains a ledger he is willing to share and that he cannot initiate contact by calling veterans unless they first solicit him. The board asked Henning to improve correspondence and website information so veterans know how to get assistance.
Henning raised questions about whether Blandford has adopted any Valor Act parking provisions and whether the town has enacted expanded tax exemptions under a so-called Clause 22A. The Select Board asked him to forward information on the Valor Act and Clause 22A and to return with recommendations for using the veterans fund to increase participation in available programs.
No votes or formal motions were recorded at the meeting. The agenda listed a departmental review and executive session, but the minutes show no public comments and that no executive session occurred. The meeting adjourned at 6:36 p.m.; minutes were submitted by Executive Assistant Joann Martin.
