Veteran's Commission

VETERANS COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA 4/10/19 Date: 4/10/2019 Time: 6:00 PM Location: City Hall Council Chambers 1. Meeting Opening: a. Call to Order- Chairman b. Pledge of Allegiance-Chairman c. Moment of Silence-Chairman d. Roll Call – Clerk 2. Approval of Janauary 9th, 2019 Minutes & Prior Minutes – Clerk/Previous Clerk 3. Old Business a. Veteran Suicide prevention – Andeth Vann b, Veteran Suicide New Executive Order https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon- congress/2019/03/05/the-new-plan-to-prevent-veteran-suicides-new-grants-better-research-more- community-focus/ c. VA document forwarded by Chairman on 1/23. Contains offer to provide speaker d.. Veteran Related Monument e. Veterans Commission Notification- passed with unanimous vote. Need to start the “what do we do now” conversation, for example, addressing situation where we receive notice of a Veterans Issue vote scheduled before we have a regular meeting-Bill Flanagan, Jay Gaffney, Adam Mitchell f. Veteran of the Month Ceremony - M. Peaslee, Andeth Vann, Eric Lamarche 4. New Business a. Guest Speaker: Sheena Bice b Speakers – Jay Gaffney c. Facebook Follow up. Correspondence sent and copied to Commission d. Veteran of the Momth Nomination Bill Flanagan by Mike Peaselee e. Veteran of the Month Outreach. Additional contacts to East End club and Mt. Pleasant Club- See Discussion Paper at Exhibit A -not for immediate action but background for possible future decisions- Jay Gaffney e Meeting Schedule f. Mmebership 5. VSO Update a. Homelesness b. Other 5. Communications/Information/Scheduled Events Civil War History: 4th Independent Battery Mass Light Artillery formed in Lowell November 17th 1861. Saw action and Garrison duty throughout Gulf States and Tennesse. Lost 1 man KIA but 50 to disease. Many of its intial complement likely from Lowell/surrounding towns Events: 2nd Annual Women Veterans Health Fair on June 22nd.For more information, call 781-687- 4482 or email Geri Cherry, Geralyn.cherry@va.gov VOM Ceremony April 30th, 6:00 Confirmed? 6. Adjourn Exhibit A-Veteran of the Month Discussion Paper Background: The City of Lowell Veterans Commission has established the Walter F. Bayliss Veteran of the Month award for outstanding Veterans deserving to be recognized for their service to our country and contribution to the Lowell community. The award was originally designated for Veterans who were Lowell resident but eligibility was later broadened to include Veterans living outside Lowell who made a contribution to the City. The program has honored a substantial number of Veterans with the Veteran of the Month recognition and a ceremony at City Hall conducted in coordination with the Mayor’s office. Issue/Problem: Despite efforts to promote the award (See Outreach Contact List Below) there has been insufficient response to outreach efforts to date and increasing difficulty attracting enough nominees for to meet the monthly target. OPTIONS 1 Continue as is and try to ramp up promotion – 2. Change to Distinguished or Outstanding or some other title Veteran and Schedule Ceremony whenever several deserving vets nominated 3. Other: Outreach Contact List “X” Indicates organization which have been contacted. Civic/Umbrella Lowell Heritage Partnership X Greater Lowell chamber of Commerce –notice was passed on to some member orgs X Lowell Senior Center/Council for the Aging X Lowell Veteran Council Master List X Publications/Media Lowell Cable Tv Jason Marshall mnelson@ltc.org Lowell Community foundation newsletterX Social/Political/Professional Greater Lowell Bar Association X East End club East End club eastendclub1@comcast.net Mark BriereX Lowell ElksX Longmeadow Golf clubX Mt Pleasant Golf club MPGC@comcast.net Chris Green PresidentX Rotary Greater Lowell Republican City Committee X Greater Lowell Democratic City Committee X Lowell ElksX