Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Veterans Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Veterans office boosts staff pay, trades van and reports sharp rise in federal VA dollars spent in county
Summary
Shelley Kneece told commissioners the Veterans Services office raised staff wages to retain employees, traded in a smaller van for a new vehicle, and presented data showing county revenues spent on veterans increased by $258,446.77 from 2023 to 2024 while federal VA dollars spent in-county rose by more than $13 million since 2014.
During the Nov. 19 budget review, Veterans Services representative Shelley Kneece said the office increased pay for in-office staff from $15.00 to $18.50 and planned a $0.50 raise for a new travel coordinator after six months to improve retention. The office traded in a smaller van and purchased a new vehicle from Steve Austins for transportation needs.
A Veterans Board member, Mr. Strayer, supplied a spreadsheet of expenditures showing county revenues spent in 2023 compared with 2024 increased by $258,446.77. He also reported total federal VA dollars spent within the county increased by $13,115,872.16 since 2014. The minutes record the county veteran population has decreased by 889 over the same period.
Why it matters: The salary increases and vehicle replacement are intended to stabilize service delivery for veterans; the large increase in federal VA dollars spent reflects substantial federal benefits flowing to local veterans, even as the local veteran population has declined.
Next steps: The minutes record the budget hearing discussion; no specific funding action beyond reported salary adjustments and procurement is recorded.
