Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Veteran Services Office is recommending the Board receive and file a presentation and provide direction to staff on the proposed recommended revisions to the El Dorado County Veterans Monument Criteria for Military Honoraria and Civilian Recognition (Monument Criteria), last adopted by the Board on September 11, 2007, with the options as follows:
1) Approve the Veterans Affairs Commission’s (VAC) recommended revision, thereby adopting the Revised Monument Criteria version as presented in Attachment A titled “Draft VAC Recommended Revised Veterans Monument Criteria” which is also HHSA’s recommendation, for the effective date of July 15, 2025; or
2) Direct staff to follow the current El Dorado County Veterans Monument Criteria for Military Honoraria and Civilian Recognition (Attachment D), adopted by the Board on September 11, 2007, thereby making no revisions; or
3) Adopt an alternative revision from the options presented for five sections discussed for revisions: Residency Language, Military Honoraria Language, Definition of Hero Language, Eligibility for Recognition through Military Honoraria (Alternative Language), and Appeal Language; or
4) Provide alternative direction for next steps staff should take on said Monument Criteria.
FUNDING: N/A
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
On January 14, 2025, a revised version of the Monument Criteria that added a process to ensure that all federally chartered veteran’s organizations in El Dorado County are given the opportunity to review applications for honoraria for placement at the Veterans Monument, with an opportunity for objection and appeal if needed prior to placement was presented to the Board for acceptance (Legistar file 24-1662). As a result of this presentation/agenda item, the Board directed HHSA to further engage all stakeholders and collaborate with the VAC to finalize language and compose potential revisions to return to the Board to present a final Monument Criteria to the Board, along with alternative language for consideration and to include the VAC’s recommended version of revisions.
Subsequently, on January 30, 2025, HHSA performed outreach to engage stakeholders in the form of a public meeting. The meeting took place in the Board Chambers with options for attendance in person or virtually. HHSA posted a community survey virtually, with paper versions made available at the public meeting and the Veterans Service Office, to gather feedback on the Monument Criteria proposed revisions. Results of that survey are attached hereto (Attachment E) titled “Veterans Monument Survey Results.” On March 13, 2025, March 26, 2025, and April 10, 2025, HHSA staff collaborated with the VAC at their Commission meetings to develop a VAC approved recommendation for changes to the Monument Criteria. The VAC’s approved recommendations are included in this agenda item (see Attachment B marked “Draft Veterans Monument Criteria Clean Version with Options), which clearly shows the VAC's recommendations in red boxes.
Attached to this agenda item are the revised Monument Criteria with options presented for the Board for consider. Attachment C marked “Draft Veterans Monument Criteria Redline Version” shows the updates made to the current El Dorado County Veterans Monument Criteria for Military Honoraria and Civilian Recognition.
HHSA is recommending that the Board accept the VAC’s recommended revisions as presented in this agenda item, thereby adopting the revised Monument Criteria version presented hereto as Attachment A.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve HHSA and the VAC’s recommendation to adopt the revised Monument Criteria (Attachment E) or provide alternate direction, there would be no updates to the processes detailed in the El Dorado County Veterans Monument Criteria for Military Honoraria and Civilian Recognition approved by the Board of Supervisors on September 11, 2007.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 09/11/07, 07-394, CAO - Veteran's Memorial Monument
2) 07/27/21, 21-1168, HHSA Veterans Monument Appeal - Captain Jacobs
3) 01/14/25, 24-1662, HHSA Veterans Monument Criteria Update
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Veteran Affairs Commission
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with this agenda item.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency