“If the fish stinks you should go to the head first.” — Ken Klahn “This is about supporting our veterans.” — Sue Swiantek

tance for their children and even property tax relief.

“It is a huge benefit,” Shaw said. According to Shaw, through the work of herself and Sherman, veterans in the county have been able to see an increase of about $2 million over what local veterans have received in the past. All veterans benefits paid to county residents total about $10 million per year.

Shaw said that if they were allowed to do more, they could bring even more federal funds into the county. She noted a piece of legislation is moving toward approval which would open the door to an increase in claims by making more conditions presumptive of exposure during time in the military. She said this could result in a large increase in the office caseload.

Voss noted the work that Shaw had done on his behalf in helping to get him the benefits he qualified for. He noted that being more proactive in seeking out these potential additional benefits would help attract more veterans to live and work in the county.

“This is about supporting our veterans,” Swiantek said in support of the proposal to increase the hours.

Lewis was more hesitant about increasing the hours for the office staff suggesting that as the staff gain experience in their positions they would be more efficient. Both staff members in the office started with the county in April 2021. He reported feedback from the Rusk County VSO who helped during Shaw’s leave who said the office staff was doing well for the experience they have. Lewis noted that while in a year, you may learn a position, it takes time to learn efficiencies.

Voss noted that he has heard complaints of the Rusk County VSO screwing up veterans claims while helping in Taylor County, so discounted the observation.

Peterson noted his own experience in the office about being able to get treatment through help of previous VSOs to go from being 100% disabled to 50% disabled. “After you initially go through the process, you can do it yourself,” he said, noting that it was very frustrating.

“We try to lighten the burden on the veterans,” Shaw said, agreeing that while veterans are able to seek benefi ts on their own the Wisconsin model of having county VSOs helps greatly.

Shaw made the case for the increase to 40 hours based on the already large caseload in the department and with the expected expansion in caseload due to federal law changes which she said would have a huge broadening of presumptive conditions. She said they have already seen an increase in caseloads as they work to get applications ready to be submitted for when the regulations change.

“The workload is hard and it is going to get worse,” Shaw said.

As part of her request to the committee, Shaw also asked that she be reclassified to being an exempt (salaried) position. She said this would allow her to do the work needed to research veterans claims without having to worry about accruing compensatory time.

Hager noted that under the recent change in the county rules, even as an exempt employee Shaw would still be eligible for compensatory time up to the 20 hour cap.

Shaw also asked for three additional personal days for Sherman to compensate her for the additional work done while Shaw was on leave.

Lewis explained that the increase in hours has to go to the personnel and finance committee. He said as the department head, it is Shaw’s job to take that to that committee.

Lewis said where things become difficult is with the question of how much would the increase in hours cost. He asked if Shaw had looked into finances to see how it could be covered.

Shaw said she has looked at possible grants. “I feel I am flying blind,” she said. She estimated the requests would cost an additional $24,194.04.

Lewis explained that as county board members were aware, the county is in a levy freeze. “We have no way to really increase our revenues in the county,” he said.

He urged everyone present to get involved at the legislative level and talk to legislators about getting additional funding for counties and specifically for the CVSO.

“If enough people show up, the legislators start listening,” he said.

However, Lewis said with no source for the additional funds needed to cover the increase in hours, he would be voting against the request.

Thums weighed in against the request giving Sherman additional paid time off questioning the need for it.

“What she had to go through was extremely emotionally exhausting,” Shaw said. She said that it was important for Sherman to take care of her mental health or she will not be good to anyone who comes into the office.

Thums, who serves as chairman of the human services committee, expressed concerns that this action would open Pandora’s box with a line of crisis workers in human services asking for the same benefit. Lemke said she could support the increase in hours if Shaw could show where the money could come from. “You have to come up with the money first,” she said.

Voss disagreed noting there is more than 35 hours a week of work there. Swiantek noted that there are still questions of the exact amount Shaw has to work with from last year’s carryover funds. “The money may be there,” she said.

There was a discussion about the number of veterans in the county now compared to in the past. Lewis noted that while there were larger populations in the past those groups didn’t typically make claims. He said the veterans are all entitled to these services. “This is not a gift it is part of what they earned,” he said noting that for whatever reason veterans in the past did not make as many claims.

“We get more claims on the office than we did 20 years ago,” Lewis said.

Thums said they needed to be able to justify to taxpayers why they would be increasing costs. “We have to be responsible to those people to keep those taxes in check,” Thums said.

Floyd said she feels everyone in the county should be working 40 hours a week. And questioned how much comp time Shaw was currently accruing. Shaw said she is accruing about five hours per week of comp time.

In the end, committee members voted against the request on a 3-4 vote with Voss, Swiantek and Floyd in favor and Lemke, Thums, Peterson and Lewis opposed. Lewis said this is not the end, and suggested Shaw could take her proposal directly to the finance and personnel committee.

Lemke, Lewis and Thums also serve on the county finance and personnel committee.

In other business, committee members:

_ Received a report from Shaw that due to the increase in caseloads and the number of disturbances and distractions in the office they do not have the time to get the Veterans Outreach Day planned for this year.

“Last year was awesome, I hope we can do it again next year,” Voss said.

_ Gave their blessing to moving the VSO staff from one side of the courthouse hallway to the other.

The county’s buildings and grounds committee will have final say on scheduling the move. Earlier this year, that committee approved using the vacant office space as a waiting room so that veterans did not have to wait in the hallway. It was noted that office space is actually larger and more sound-proof than the current VSO space with lower ceilings so there was less echo. Shaw said these would make it a better option for veterans to both feel secure and be able to hear better.

The current office space would then be used as a waiting area as well as for outreach programming. Committee members were supportive of the change and unanimously approved the request sending it to the buildings and grounds committee.

_ Discussed the possibility of having regularly scheduled monthly meetings. It was noted there were requests from veterans working in the community to have the meetings in the evenings to allow them to attend. However, there were concerns about increased expense for staff attending the meetings and the availability of committee members to be able to meet given other commitments. Shaw will poll committee members about a regular meeting date each month.

_ Approved allowing Shaw and Sherman to attend their state convention for training this fall and to have the office closed during those days. A suggestion was made to see if another county could cover to have services available, however, it was noted that is this the primary training for all CVSO staff and most other offi ces in the state would also be closed those days.

After meeting discussion

Following the close of the regular meeting, veterans in the audience took the opportunity to express concerns about members of the committee. Resident Ken Klahn suggested that it was time for Lewis to step aside and let someone else take over the committee. He said he knows that Lewis’ intentions are right, but questioned the results and noted that Lewis serves on many county committees.

Lewis replied that he was given the job and that he would continue to do the job in the best way he can.

Other committee members defended Lewis. Floyd noted that issues with the office started before Lewis was appointed committee chairman last winter.

“If the fish stinks you should go to the head first,” Klahn said.

Floyd urged those at the meeting and others to keep an open mind.