Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS MEETING MINUTES SPECIAL CALLED MEETING September 23, 2020 COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS MINUTES The Commission on Veteran Affairs convened in a Special Called Meeting on September 23, 2020 via WebEx Remote meeting. Chair Doris Williams called the Board Meeting to order at 1:02PM. Board Members in Attendance: Doris Williams - Chair Manuel Jimenez - Vice Chair Alfred Bingham Jose Carrasco Staff in Attendance: Tina Lee 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Elizabeth Rosenberg- Collura Josephine Hinds Adrenne Luna Pete Salazar  Chair Williams asked the Commission members to review the minutes from the special called meeting on July 6, 2020. Chair Williams suggested a few cosmetic and sentence structures to be amended. Commissioner Hinds made a motion to approve the meeting minutes after the corrections and Commissioner Collura-Rosenberg seconded the motion. Motion passed with no objection. 2. OLD BUSINESS a) The City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department updated the Commission on Veteran Affairs on the current status of Veterans Park. Progress has been made and trees are scheduled to be planted in the following week. Monuments on sight were damaged with graffiti and has been fixed. Project Veterans Pocket Park located on Veterans Drive will be in front of American Legion Post 76. The project started in mid-November 2019 with the anticipation of completion in late summer 2020 prior to COVID. The project is slated to be completed by the end of October and in time for Veterans Day. Currently there is no plan for a ribbon cutting ceremony but would like acknowledgement sent out regarding the completion of the park. b) A meeting for the guidance on the Veterans Court referral policy is scheduled for September with Pete Valdez, Judge Coffey from Community Court and Council member Renteria. Discussion and new updates will be provided after the meeting of this specific policy. COMMISSION ON VETERAN AFFAIRS MEETING MINUTES c) The Commission has decided to table the discussion of the proposed (TAP) Transition Assistance Program pilot program. d) The City of Austin Purchasing Department provided an update on the pilot program of the Veteran Business Enterprise initiative. This program started in 2017 as an interim program to provide 3% preference to SDVBE program (Service Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise) and Request for Proposal (RFP) projects over $50,000. The program has not grown and the department will look into alternative certifications such as opening it up to others such as sub-contractors instead of limiting the program to only the primary contractor. 3. NEW BUSINESS current legislative issues. a) The City of Austin Intergovernmental Relations Officer updated the commission on b) The presentation from Family Eldercare was not completed due to a work conflict in the speaker’s time and will request another time to update the commission if possible. c) Vice Chair Jimenez informed the commission about the Travis county Vietnam Memorial Association placing a memorial honoring WWII and Vietnam Veterans from East Austin. This memorial will involve all wars and will be placed in East Austin. The Vietnam Memorial Association will discuss the recommended name and space at their next meeting. 1. Vice Chair Jimenez made a motion that the City of Austin take an active role by getting Parks and Recreation to work with the memorial group to come up with the proposed location of the memorial. Commission Salazar seconded the motion and the motion passed with no objections. d) Chair Williams discussed the goals for the FY2020 annual report for the Commission on Veteran Affairs and encouraged commissioners to review 2021 goals and objectives for status and completion for the year end 2021 Annual Review Report. 1. Chair Williams will review the FY2020 report. 2. The following plans and actions have been submitted to Council for review i. Kiro Action ii. Veterans Plaza iii. Office of Veteran Affairs ADJOURN: Chair Williams adjourned the meeting at 2:01 PM without objection