VSO Community Meeting Recap

The Veterans Services Office held a Community Meeting on Wednesday, November 9, 2022 to inform the community of details regarding proposed department changes.  This item is to be voted on by the Board of Supervisors on December 6, 2022. Below is a brief summary of what was discussed. Please also see the attached presentation file. 

It is proposed to move the duties of preparing the department budget and controlling budgetary expenditures for the VSO under the County Administrative Office. This will alleviate the VSO staff of some of their admin duties, allowing them to focus their efforts on serving our veterans. The aim is that by moving these responsibilities to the CAO, our veterans will receive better care and attention. The VSO will stay open and continue offering all of its currently provided services. There will still be a Veterans Services Officer. VSO funding and hierarchy will remain the same. 

Apart from the mentioned shift of responsibilities, the County is exploring new location options for the VSO. This is a separate effort from the restructure. A new location has to be decided on. Qualities desired in a new facility include - More parking for veterans and families, ADA compliant restrooms, privacy in offices, larger lobby and facility as a whole, and a covered entryway. 

Thank you to all who attended the meeting. Taking care of our veterans is a high priority for Shasta County and we look forward to continually improving our veteran services and facilities.