County trying to reach veterans
By Steve Herring
Published in News on November 8, 2013 1:46 PM
The Wayne County Veterans Services Advisory Board is continuing its efforts to get a clearer picture of how many veterans call Wayne County home.
The true number may never be known since most of the necessary records are confidential. However, there are other ways that the board can assist veterans, Wayne County Commissioner Bill Pate said.
Pate, who represents the commission on the advisory board, said he had been pleased with the recent joint meeting with the county's Veterans and Patriots Coalition.
Pate said he had suggested the meeting to coalition Chairman Bill Graham. Pate said the idea was for the various veterans group to meet together on a regular basis.
"I don't want to take away anything from what they are doing," he said. "In most cases it is the same people. That would bring more people to the table and more ideas."
The joint meeting attracted a room full of people and was very successful, he said. Obviously, the groups would continue to hold their individual meetings as they need, he said.
"I want to see it to continue to grow," Paste said. "This is their (veterans) board. I want to see them run it as they see fit to help veterans with the county there to support that.
"One of the things that we promised them that we are going to do from our meeting out at Lane Tree, to start off we with we were going to develop a brochure for veterans for frequently called and needed numbers."
Pate said he has met with County Manager Lee Smith, county public information officer Barbara Arntsen and Shaunne Moore, veterans services officer, about the project.
It will be somewhat similar to a county publication of frequently needed information, he said.
"But it will be smaller because it will be focused on the needs of veterans," he said. "We will start out with a small one and if we see that we need to expand it, then we will."
Pate said he will present the draft document to the advisory board when it meets on Dec. 5. Board members will be asked for their suggestions on the brochure before it is finalized and printed.
"I am trying to reach out not only to this group, but other veterans groups as well," he said.
The meeting is open to the public and will be held at noon in the conference room at the Wayne County Veterans Services office, 2001 E. Ash St.