REGULAR MEETING of the COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025 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 William Dahlstrom Maria Brown-Spence Armando Gonzales Bryce Laake-Stanfield Anita Carmichael Roberts Jose Reyes VACANT – D6 VACANT – D4 CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION APPROVAL OF MINUTES AGENDA 1. Approve the minutes of the Commission on Veteran Affairs Regular Meeting of Jun 18, 2025 STAFF BRIEFINGS DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Recap and discussion on feedback between commissioners and their council members to include budget recommendations and proposals. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Continued discussion and possible vote to address how to disseminate veteran’s information through social media now that the veterans commission is part of the Joint Inclusion Committee. 4. Discussion and possible vote to review the language of the proposed letter of support for HR 1282 Major Richard Star Act. 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.
COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS REGULAR MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2025 The COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS convened in a REGULAR Meeting on WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2025, 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 7:17pm CST. Commissioners in Attendance: Armando Gonzales Bryce Laake-Stanfield Jose Reyes Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Michael Mcinerney Christopher Wilson Amber Schleuning Commissioners Absent: Maria Brown-Spence William Dahlstrom Anita Carmichael Roberts Staff in Attendance: Jesus Simental – Veterans Administrator, Office of Equity and Inclusion PUBLIC COMMUNICATION – GENERAL APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. The minutes from the meeting of 6/18/2025 were approved on Commissioner Bryce Laake-Stanfield motion, second by Christopher Wilson on a 6-0 vote. Commissioner Maria Brown-Spence, William Dahlstrom and Anita Carmichael Roberts were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Commissioner Joe Reyes reached out to Chief of Staff Jason Lopez for District 2 but unfortunately were not able to meet due to illness. Chair Mcinerney discussed the memo put out by the Mayor’s office on the upcoming budget meetings, encouraged commissioners to reach out to their respective council members to lobby for our veteran’s recommendation that was submitted. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 3. Chair Mcinerney recommended we push discussion and possible vote to address how to disseminate veteran’s information through social media now that the veterans commission is part of the Joint Inclusion Committee to the following month because not much headway has been made on this. 4. Letter was drafted and read aloud by Commissioner Bryce Laake-Standfield in support HR 1282 Major Richard Star Act, Chair Mcinerney made motion to approved letter as read and was second by Commissioner Wilson and voted on a 6-0 vote. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 5. Discussion on 2025 Veterans Day Parade and request to have the Austin Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce do a presentation and review on current budget proposal and how it affects veterans. ADJOURNMENT END: 7:40 PM 6. Chair Michael Mcinerney made the motion to adjourn, Bryce Laake-Stanfield second on a 6-0 vote. Commissioner Maria Brown-Spence, William Dahlstrom and Anita Carmichael Roberts were absent. The minutes were approved at the 20 August 2025 meeting on Chair Michael Mcinerney’s motion, Bryce Laake-Standfield second on a 6-0 vote, Maria Brown-Spence, Anita Roberts, and Christopher Wilson were absent.
