CINCINNATI — For years the Hamilton County Veterans Commission and subsequent office existed with little fanfare, or activity for that matter, specifically compared to other similar offices throughout the state of Ohio. The veterans who were aware of the office, some of whom were return customers, visited and applied for financial assistance or asked for benefit claim guidance, just to name a couple services provided.
The office administrator admitted in past Homefront reports they lacked advertising, awareness, and any serious ability to actively keep veterans in Hamilton County informed about their services. They had a website that wasn’t updated with information tied to commission meetings, they lacked agenda information tied to those meetings and you could only get past commission meetings by filing a public records request.
In addition, neither the commissioners nor the executive director, who was there for decades, did anything to expand services compared to Veteran Service Commissions in many of the other 87 counties in Ohio, outside of Hamilton County.
Following WCPO’s Homefront reports that exposed an issue of tens of millions of dollars not being spent on veterans' needs, an executive director who had no interest in speaking to the media about what the office did and a set of commissioners who didn’t understand the Ohio Open Meetings Act and how to properly conduct a meeting according to the law, now comes a new era.
Since the executive director stepped down and new commissioners have been appointed by the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court there has been progress.
A public observer sitting in on the commission meetings now can notice a vast difference in protocol. While there’s still the occasional failure to follow or understand Ohio Sunshine Laws, the assistant prosecuting attorney from the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office sitting in on the meeting often wrangles the commissioners back to where they need to be to move forward.
The commission meetings have gone from once a month to twice a month and have included passing resolutions tied to improving services for veterans living in Hamilton County.
The website has been revamped and includes commission meeting information, some more recent past meeting minutes, with the promise of future live-streaming of the commission meetings to add an extra layer of transparency.
They’re now actively interviewing for a new executive director and have approved a job posting for a new Veteran Service Officer. They’re reimbursing parking for veterans who have to pay to come to their downtown office and have sat their fifth and final empty commission seat with Richard Headen, who represents the D.A.V. and is a Vietnam-era veteran.
Commissioner Steven Staniford is one of the newer commissioners brought on through the change. He also acts as the commission’s public relations contact. This week he went in front of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners to provide an update on some of the progress that has been made within VSC operations and the new budget request they’re planning to file for 2025.
“This proposed budget will allow Hamilton County to finally provide the services our veterans deserve,” Staniford told me.
BeforeStaniford became a commissioner the VSC spent just 18% of it’s allocated budget on veterans and veteran services. The VSC’s executive director’s own reports showed over a five-year period they left $31 million unclaimed, money that stayed in the Hamilton County General Fund to be used by the county on other projects.
At the time of our Homefront investigation, Hamilton County had spent $538 on bus passes as part of their transportation support for veterans. Commissioner Staniford says their new budget aims to change that with a new transportation budget.
“Two drivers for veteran transportation with accompanying handicap accessible vehicles. This is a huge step forward for this commission albeit one that should have happened long ago,” Staniford said. “I and my fellow commissioners are moving to correct this.”
For months Hamilton County commissioners have been looking more closely at what other VSC’s in other counties are doing and implementing within their officers, while continuing to follow the guidance of Ohio State Law that dictates operations, while leaving some things open to local interpretation and implementation.
One thing Hamilton County appears to be focused on is the health and well-being of veterans who come to their office.
“(The new budget) includes a robust mental health and wellness program, a veteran and spouse eyeglass program and continuation of the new dental program,” Staniford said.
These services of course will be available to veterans who qualify.
Pam Minser is the office administrator and often is overloaded with the level of work she must undertake within the office. Staniford says there is a plan in the budget to double the number of personnel they have on staff.
The budget the VSC is submitting for 2025 to fulfill their new plan is $2,948,378.
This amount is more than three times what the commission spent in 2022. While it still leaves millions on the table unspent, Staniford says it’s a step in righting the ship.
“With this budget we'd be able to do more for the Veterans of Hamilton County,” Staniford said.
If you have a veteran story to tell in your community, email homefront@wcpo.com. You also can join the Homefront Facebook group, follow Craig McKee on Facebook and find more Homefront stories here.
