Veterans Affairs: Siskiyou County Veteran’s
Services Officer Tim Grenvik and Sheriff Jon Lopey recently briefed the Board on the
status of veteran’s affairs. Grenvik’s job is to advocate for our 5,000 local
veterans in claiming benefits that they are due. In 2010, local veterans received $1,685,582 more in benefits than 2009. In 2011,
$2,209,532 in new benefits were generated compared to 2009. Siskiyou County veterans
receive an average of $1,100 per month in their pockets from benefits. Currently, 130
claims are pending a decision by the Veterans Administration and 120 files are awaiting
additional information before claims can be made.
Because of new laws that tie “agent orange” (a herbicide
and defoliant used in the Viet Namwar) to many diseases, many files on the agent orange
registry are being reviewed for increased benefit eligibility. This has caused a backlog
of more than 33,000 claims at the regional VA office.
Siskiyou County has initiated a jail and veterans’ court
program. This allows the court to identify a veteran for possible PTSD (Post traumatic
stress disorder,) mental health or substance abuse issue so that they can be diverted,
when appropriate to VA treatment programs.
Grenvik’s Veteran’s Services office is currently staffed by
one and three quarters employees. (This includes a donation that has been made for one
quarter of an employee.) They handle 40-50 phone calls a day and 12-15 office visits a
day. Their budget (part of the General Fund) is very limited.
Our local veterans program has provided shuttle services to 2,900
veterans to medical appointments in the region. This has involved 3,700 volunteer hours
driving 132,000 miles a year. Outreach efforts have been made to veterans in Mt. Shasta,
Happy Camp and Dorris. An annual Veterans Appreciation Day event at the fairgrounds has
been held around Armed Forces Day. Signs welcoming veterans to Siskiyou County have been
placed at each end of the county along Interstate 5. County Road A-12 has been designated
the “Veterans’ Memorial Highway.”
According to Grenvik, less than two percent of veterans date from
WWII. Veterans from Viet Nam are now beginning to need benefits. About 123,000 veterans
are due to be released from active duty.
Budget Update: The Board
of Supervisors got a brief status report on the current year’s budget from County
Administrative Officer Brian McDermott. “Provisions” – a last resort buffer
used for unexpected expenses and cost over-runs has been spent down to the $100,000 level.
Revenues to the General Fund are coming in at only 2/3 the level that we expected. This
has resulted in a $350,000 shortfall, (including repayment of a $250,000 error in a
unitary tax calculation from 2008.) This means that the General Fund is expected to have a
negative balance at the end of the year.
Non-general fund departments are also feeling the pinch. The
Agricultural Department has costs over-runs on fuel. The Sheriff ‘s department is
grappling with overtime cost overruns and has delayed the hiring of new personnel to make
up for it. Human Services is also suffering revenue shortages.
Projections are that next year’s budget will be a status quo, no
growth budget. Reductions in revenue will include the loss of $350,000 lease money for the
Klamath National Forest Building. In addition, a $350,000 federal AARA grant for the
Sheriff’s department will sunset. (Although it appears that we can apply for a second
grant.) It is uncertain whether the Secure Rural Schools bill will be authorized –
although it looks likely it will be approved for one year. That is good news for the road
department, but it is yet unknown whether the General Fund allocation will continue –
(around $370,000 which helps to fund fire dispatch, the Amador station at Hornbrook and
search and rescue.)
Property taxes are coming in from one-two percent less than before. A
court audit of fees and fines found the County owning an additional $400,000. (It is hoped
that this can be offset in part by money owned by the state for unfunded mandates.) There
is also a slight increase in the cost of employee health benefits. In addition, there are
the unknown large expenses for the several murder and burglary trials.
In negotiations, County employees took less compensation (some up to
four percent,) and agreed to assume a greater proportion of retirement and health benefit
costs over two years. This will result in a savings of $500,000 in expenditures.
The Board will conduct preliminary budget hearings on June 12, 2012.
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