REGULAR MEETING of the COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS Wednesday, Aug 20, 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 Jul 16, 2025 STAFF BRIEFINGS DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation and discussion by Johanna Wynne and Brian Cook from Leading to Win and Texas Veteran Chamber of Commerce. 3. Review and discussion on the current budget proposal and how it affects veterans. 4. Discussion on the 2025 Veterans Day Parade. 5. Discussion of upcoming “Get to know your commissions” events. 6. Continued discussion to address how to disseminate veteran’s information through social media now that the veterans commission is part of the Joint Inclusion Committee. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS 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, August 20, 2025 The COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS convened in a REGULAR Meeting on WEDNESDAY, August 20, 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 7:14pm CST. Commissioners in Attendance: Michael Mcinerney Armando Gonzales Jose Reyes Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Amber Schleuning Bryce Laake-Stanfield William Dahlstrom Commissioners Absent: Maria Brown-Spence 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 7/16/2025 were approved on Chair Michael Mcinerney motion, second by Bryce Laake-Stanfield on a 6-0 vote. Commissioner Maria Brown- Spence and Anita Carmichael Roberts were absent. STAFF BRIEFINGS DISCUSSION ITEMS 2. Presentation and discussion by Patricia Morgan on the 4 day Leading to Win Bridging the Gap event at Dell Diamond. Talked about who should attend and the whole goal of connecting the many resources in the community. Patricia was asked to come back in September to present on her Texas Veterans Network/Combined Arms Program. 3. Discussed the current budget proposal and how it affects veterans. Chair Mcinerney talked about the current unfunded status of the commission recommendation but a proposed tax rate increase would increase revenue by $100 million. Commissioner Bryce Laake-Stanfield talked about allocating $1.5 million to Homeless Strategy Office targeting homeless veterans with a goal of housing 75 veterans the first year which would be a 15% reductions in veteran homelessness. 4. Discussed the 2025 Veterans Day Parade including date, time, location, and route for the event, Commissioner Amber Schleuning asked what the commission can do to support the event by getting the word out and there was discussion on the Texas Book Festival going on at the same time. 5. Discussed upcoming “Get to know your commissions” events, Commissioner Bryce Laake- Stanfield discussed dates for the JIC Committee on 15 and 22 September and Chair Mcinerney would be forwarding out other dates that were previously emailed by Commissioner Bryce Laake-Stanfield. DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS 6. Presentation by Combined Arms/Texas Veterans Network and presentation by City of Austin Department of Equity and Inclusion. Commissioner Jose Reyes also recommended we bring in local colleges and universities in October to see how the city can …
