Veterans services were back on the table last night as the Kalamazoo County Commission considered next year’s budget.
The board has recently heard from commissioners and some in the community who say the county veterans’ services office is understaffed. The office, which is supposed to have two full-time employees, has only one right now. Commissioner Mike Seals would like to add a third person. The board voted down that proposal, 6 to 5, at last night’s meeting.
Commissioner John Gisler says he needs to know more about the pay scale before the board adds employees. Gisler called the veterans’ office a “revolving door” that keeps losing staff.
“I am suspicious, don’t know for a fact but I suspect that it’s because we aren’t paying enough money for people in that veterans’ office to become certified officers,” he said.
But Commissioner Stephanie Moore was ready to hire a third person.
“The reality is right in our face every day in the heart of our community that people are suffering, they need help, they need access to resources,” she said.
County Administrator John Faul said Kalamazoo will look into the pay levels at the veterans’ services office but he also said he’s not convinced that’s why employees have left.
The overall 2017 budget as passed by the county runs about $88 million. It includes a 1.5 percent salary raise for nonunion employees. Judges will also get a raise as a result of recent legislation.
