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26-0432
| 1 | 1. | Agenda Item | Commission to review and approve mileage reimbursement for Veterans Affairs Commissioners for the month of February 2026. | | |
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26-0433
| 1 | 2. | Agenda Item | Commission to review and approve Veterans Affairs Commission February 12, 2026 meeting minutes. | | |
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26-0434
| 1 | 3. | Agenda Item | Caleb Balbuena from GunsUp will provide an overview of the organization and their efforts to support veterans in the community.
Balbuena reported that GunsUp! has seen an increase in clients within the last six months. They had seven clients in the fall of 2025 and are now up to 19 as of March 2026, many of whom were referred by friends and family. The organization utilizes several different properties for their hunts and provides gear to clients who do not have their own equipment. Balbuena also addressed safety concerns raised by Commissioner Norton, explaining that they take the safety of both staff and clients very seriously. They keep groups entering the blind very small, with Balbuena or another guide positioned between the two clients. Lastly, Balbuena reported that they are currently working on acquiring funds to purchase a covered four-seat ATV to help disabled veterans access waterfowl hunting locations. | | |
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26-0435
| 1 | 4. | Agenda Item | Veterans Affairs Commission to review the duties and reporting requirements for the Transportation Committee.
Commissioner Thompson reviewed the Veterans Affairs Bylaws that comply with El Dorado County requirements and reported ongoing collaboration with MFSG, EDVR, and David Zelinsky on transportation issues. The main challenge is a shortage of volunteer drivers, largely due to DMV record requirements, associated fees, and privacy concerns. MFSG currently has only one active driver, and Thompson plans to work with Zelinsky and Whalen on recruitment. Commissioner Culver emphasized that the Transportation Committee should act as a liaison between organizations, drivers, and county compliance, and he requested a detailed report of obstacles at the April VAC meeting. Commissioner Norton asked why El Dorado Transit is not used more often. Zelinsky explained that Transit’s strict scheduling and slow ride confirmations limit its usefulness. Whalen reported that EDVR received 34 ride requests in 2025 and completed 20, with the remaining rides canceled or covered by others. He also noted t | | |
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26-0436
| 1 | 5. | Agenda Item | Veterans Affairs Commission to review the duties and reporting requirements for the Legislative Committee.
Commissioner Smith reported that Veterans Service Representative (VSO) Brown provides legislative updates during his Ex-Officio Reports and has access to legislative information concerning veterans. Smith feels that the Legislative Committee should continue to serve on the Committees for review purposes, but noted that most of the information is currently coming from VSO Brown. Brown confirmed that he receives his information from the California Association of County Veterans Service Officers (CACVSO) and CalVet. | | |
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26-0518
| 1 | | Agenda Item | Veteran Services Officer (VSO) Brown reported that he and Tisha Holy, Veterans Service Representative (VSR) II, attended the California Association of County Veteran Service Officers (CACVSO) Winter Training Conference from February 9th to 13th. Next, Brown reported that Senate Bill 694 had been passed in February 2026. Next, Brown reported that Senate Bill 1407 would remove the tax liability for military retirement and survivor benefits. Next, Brown reported that El Dorado County Facilities had begun construction on the office build-out at the Veteran Services Office. He expected the construction to last from Monday, March 9th, through Friday, March 20th. Next, Brown reported that for the month of February 2026, the Veteran Services Office received 300 incoming phone calls, 77 scheduled appointments, and 86 walk-ins. He also stated that the CalVet Semi-Annual Audit Report identified a few missing signatures on forms but no major corrections. Lastly, Brown reported that there were no changes to services in South Lake Tahoe. | | |
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