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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-04-17 VAC MINUTES VETERANS ADVISORY COMMISSION CITY OF CHULA VISTA MINUTES April 17, 2001 Chula Vista Veterans Home TUESDAY, 6:00 P.M. 700 East Naples Street 1. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 2. MEETING CALLED TO ORDER—6:10 p.m. 3. ROLL CALL—Stephen Arends P Carmen Fedje E , Agustive Hermes, Jr. P William Poindexter P , Robert White P , A.Y. Casillas * E Stephen Millikin P Other Attendees: Trevor Angood—Eastlake High School John Smith—Director of Public Relations, Veterans Home(our host) 4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES - The minutes of March 2011'were approved as submitted. 5. ACTION ITEMS • Unfinished Business a. Street Names Chair Arends advised the Commissioners and Captain Dyke of his concerns on several issues. Captain Dyke will address the issues with the appropriate parties. The Cultural Arts Committee (Matt Flock) and Vice Chair Fedje are working with a committee to get a memorial built. They have met with the Mayor and the Parks and Recreation Department, to have the memorial placed in the 10-acre park being built east of Sharp Hospital. Chair Arends is trying to help Trevor Angood locate the missing essays for the research project that were misplaced at the Star News Office. Awaiting response from new editor, Manny Cruz. Using visual aids, Trevor gave us an overview of the website he created regarding information on the veterans project. He plans to have the website'developed so that it will be ready for Mayor Horton's State of the City address in late May. It was agreed among the Veterans Advisory Commission that Trevor had done an outstanding job on this veterans project. All the students who worked on this project will be invited to the Mayor's address. Chair Arends reported that at the April meeting of County Veterans Council, expansion of the veterans research project was discussed with the hope that the program would spread from Chula Vista throughout San Diego County b Veterans Memorial in Rolling Hills Ranch Chair Arends reported nothing new . 1 s c. Chula Vista Veterans Home Support Foundation Update Donations are coming in to the Foundation in memory of Bill Ayers. A significant donation in Bill's memory was made on behalf of the North Island Credit Union, and also from Sharp Hospital. Chair Arends still working to get public funds from the cities throughout the County.. The next meeting of the Foundation is scheduled for May 17th at noon at the Veterans Home. This meeting will appoint a new president to replace Bill Ayers John Smith advised the Commissioners that the State of California ended its senate business one day this month in honor of Bill Ayers. There was a moment of silence in the entire State rotunda. He also mentioned that for many years Bill was involved in the project to bring the U.S.S Midway to San Diego. Late in the afternoon of March 14, 2001, the California Coastal Commission acquiesced to the overwhelming demand from the veteran community of San Diego that the U.S.S. Midway be allowed to be permanently anchored at the Navy Pier on Harbor Drive: d. Veterans Home Update Mr. Smith provided an update for the Veterans Home. There are now 175 residents, average age—79.5, Air Force=22 residents Merchant Marines=3 residents Marine Corp= 19 residents Coast Guard =2 residents Army = 78.residents Navy= 51 residents • The dormitory capacity is 168 and there are currently 133 and the RCFE there are 42. The Dept. of Health Services will be coming in July to review the Home for a survey for licensure. Certification of the skilled nursing facility herein Chula Vista is dependent upon the recertification at the Veterans Home in Barstow. There are standards in place to see that it happends. Chair Arends reported on a meeting with Sunbow developers and Ayers Land Company regarding the.land in back of the Veterans Home. This meeting,called by Sid Morris,was unsuccessful partly due to the absence of the City employees. The result of this meeting was that the developers stated that they would continue with theirwork,building high rise apartments and condos along the back edge of the Veterans Home. Chair Arends asked Captain Dyke to assist and advise what the Commission can do to try to get these parties together. The Veterans Home staff is concerned about many issues involving this latest development involving this city donated land. According to Mr. Smith, the new Veterans Resource Guide will be ready for distribution within a few weeks. Commissioner Hermes inquired about naming the last building in honor of Bill Ayers. A brief discussion followed,and Mr.Smith stated that the question was being supported by the County Supervisor and others in the political and veteran community. e. Veteran of the Year Award Jeri Gulbransen will place an announcement in the next issue of the SPOTLIGHT. Applications will be located at the front counter of the police department. f. Goals and Objectives Chair Arends continues to look into building a memorial at the Veterans Home. 2 I g. Legislative Reports Chair Arends reported on HR441 —building the new Veterans Cemetary in Miramar. It is on track. Another one is to have Glen Abbey and Emerald Hills donate 40 acres of land to the Veterans Memorial Center. This land will add another 90,000 burial sites. HR435 has been changed to Title 38 regarding changing the VA's health care system. h. Oral History Mr. Poindexter probably will begin the Oral History Program himself, researching veterans that he knows. 6. COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR'S COMMENTS - Chair Arends advised that Commissioner Hermes is very involved in the Memorial Day event, and that paperwork is being completed by Commissioner Hermes to have a"flyover"during the event at Glen Abbey. April is National Volunteers Month and the Chair thanked the Commissioners for the time they volunteer on behalf of the Veterans and the City. A motion was made and seconded to purchase stationery and envelopes for the Veterans Advisory Commission. They have since been ordered and delivered to Trudi. She will bring them to the next meeting. • Name badges for the Commissioners will be ordered prior to the next meeting. Motion was made and seconded to purchase four POW/MIA flags from the American Legion. Chair Arends advised that he has been appointed by the County Supervisors to replace Bill Ayers on the County Veterans Advisory Council. COMMISSIONERS COMMENTS—Mr. Hermes announced that he has been elected as President of the Fleet Reserve for the next year.. His wife has been re-elected as Unit President for another year. STAFF COMMENTS—Captain Dyke thanked John Smith for allowing the Commission to meet at the Veterans Home. It was determined that there would be a quarterly meeting at that location,and the residents would always be invited to attend this public forum. PUBLIC COMMENTS—John Smith welcomed Commissioner Arends.to the County V.A.C. Reminder to Commissioners: Second Saturday of each month is when the County VAC meets and the United Veterans Council meets the 4"'Saturday of each month and you are welcome to attend those meeting. 7. ADJOURNMENT—7:42 p.m. To the next regularly scheduled meeting at 6:00 p.m.,on Tuesday, May 17, 2001 at the Human Resources Conference Room at City Hall,276 Fourth Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910 Trudi Ford Clerical Support 3 I