REGULAR MEETING of the COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS Wednesday, May 15, 2024 7:00 PM – Adjournment City of Austin Permitting & Development Center 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr., Room 1401/1402 Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the Commission on Veteran Affairs may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once, either in-person or remotely, and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register, email the board liaison at Jesus.Simental@austintexas.gov CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Michael Mcinerney, Chair Amber Schleuning, Vice Chair Christopher Wilson Kevin Lenau William Dahlstrom Maria Brown-Spence Armando Gonzales Patrick Bissett Mark Balch Philip Reichert Curtis Wyman APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2024. DISCUSSION ITEMS AGENDA 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Veteran Affairs Regular Meeting of April 17, 2. Presentation and discussion by Kris Vandenberg on veteran needs and how the commission can support veterans in Austin. 3. Discussion on results and findings from Commissioner Maria Brown-Spence on a list of nonprofits from I Live Here I Give Here Amplify Austin nonprofits. 4. Discussion and updates regarding the status of Commission on Veteran’s Affairs Recommendation 20240320-004 and 20240320-006. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Jesus Simental at (512) 974-7742 or jesus.simental@austintexas.gov for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711.
Kris Vandenberg kris@vettedkitchens.com (309) 846-8237 Affiliations ● The Mission Continues ○ https://www.missioncontinues.org/ ● Farmer Veteran Coalition of Texas ○ https://fvctexas.org/ ● VFW Post #4433 ○ https://www.vfw4443.org/ ● Bunker Labs ATX ○ https://bunkerlabs.org/Austin/ Agenda ● Knowing how to find the right points of contact in the Austin City Government ● How to effectively engage with the Council and City Leadership ● Connecting multiple Veteran Service Organizations & activities in Austin ● Veterans Chamber of Commerce The Mission Continues Position: Platoon Leader - Austin https://www.missioncontinues.org/service-platoon/Austin/ We want to empower local veterans, their families, and our community to work alongside each other, inspire, and exact positive change in the process. Our goal is to foster hope and enrich each person’s life who comes in contact with a TMC Blue Shirt. In Q1 of 2023, we will begin an operation focusing on the Pleasant Hill neighborhood in South Austin, TX. We will be working with community partners within this neighborhood that have a long-standing track record of engaging with community members. So far, we have three solidified partners: St. Elmo Elementary, Central Texas Food Bank, and Keep Austin Beautiful. We serve with St. Elmo Elementary in the Pleasant Hill neighborhood (St. Elmo’s adjoining neighborhood). The school has 305 students, ranging from pre-K through 5th grade. Our Platoon Leader, Kris Vandenberg, has served the school with his food truck and continues to work out in their parking lot and playgrounds with outdoor bootcamps. St. Elmo qualifies for the AISD Community Eligibility Program free or reduced breakfast and lunch program which many students take part in. Their vertical pathway leads to Travis and Crockett Early College High School. There are 8 staff members dedicated to the ‘Green Team’ and 8 families who regularly show up for certain improvements and projects designated by the school. Farmer Veteran Coalition of Texas Position: Treasurer https://www.fvctexas.org Veterans Transforming Agriculture - Where Service Meets Soil: Cultivating a New Generation of Texas Farmers From Battlefields to Farmlands: The journey from military service to farming is more than a career change; it's a life transformation. Our initiative is built on the foundation of utilizing the unparalleled skills, discipline, and determination honed in the military to revitalize and innovate the agricultural sector of Texas. We provide the training, resources, and support necessary for our veterans to transition smoothly into their new roles as stewards of the land, ensuring they are equipped to meet the …
COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024 The COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS convened in a REGULAR Meeting on WEDNESDAY, May 15, 2024, at the City of Austin Permitting & Development Center at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752. Chair MICHAEL MCINERNEY called the COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS MEETING to order at 7:10pm CST. Commissioners in Attendance: Michael Mcinerney (Chair) Curtis Wyman Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Patrick Bissett William Dahlstrom Amber Schleuning Christopher Wilson Armando Gonzales Commissioners Absent: Kevin Lenau Maria Brown-Spence Philip Reichert Mark Balch Staff in Attendance: Jesus Simental – Veterans Administrator, Office of Civil Rights PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – GENERAL APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. The minutes from the meeting of 4/17/2024 were approved on Chair Michael Mcinerney’s motion, second by Patrick Bissett on a 6-0 vote. Commissioners Kevin Lenau, Maria Brown-Spence, Philip Reichert, and Mark Balch were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS DISCUSSION ITEMS veterans in Austin. 2. Presentation by Kris Vandenberg on veteran needs and how the commission can support 3. Commissioner Maria Brown-Spence was absent for the meeting, Chair Michael Mcinerney requested agenda item be removed, motion made by Chair Michael Mcinerney to be removed and second by Christopher Wilson on a 7-0 vote. 4. There was discussion on status of Recommendation 20240320-004 and 20240320-006. Chair Mcinerney and Vice Amber Schleuning both spoken to their respective council members and one stated that the recommendation has not been brought up yet and the other stated that they were unaware of the recommendation. There was discussion on how to best get the recommendations on the on the city council’s agenda. Possibility of getting a council member to champion the cause as well as joining the Joint Inclusion Committee would help to get support from other Commissions. ADJOURNMENT END: 7:51 PM 5. Chair M. Mcinerney made the motion to adjourn, P. Bissett second the motion. Pass unanimously 7-0. Commissioners Kevin Lenau, Maria Brown-Spence, Philip Reichert, and Mark Balch were absent. The minutes were approved at the 21 August 2024 meeting on Chair Michael Mcinerney’s motion, Armando Gonzales second on a 6-0 vote. Maria Brown-Spence, Kevin Lenau, Amber Schleuning, William Dahlstrom, and Philip Reichert were absent.
