VA commissioners talk money allocation, spring school

The Jasper County Veterans Affairs Commission discussed the allocation of its remaining 2018 funds during a brief meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Commissioners reviewed the amount of money remaining after the Korean Veteran Dinner held one a month ago. The VA spent little more than $1,000 for the event, paying vendors such as Subway and Hy-Vee.

As of Wednesday, the remaining amount of discretionary money was $8,981.62. The VA board approved travel expenses required for commission director Kurt Jackson to attend IACCVSO Spring School in mid-April in Des Moines and NACVSO (National Association of County Veteran Services Officers) Spring School in early June in Cleveland, Ohio.

Jackson said the school in Cleveland will give him a chance to learn and bring new ideas to the VA commission in Newton.

“That’s where the national committee gets together and put together these presentations from all of these vendors that deal with veteran’s affairs,” Jackson said. “There’s a lot of different programs that they’ve got working.”

Regarding IACCVSO Spring School, Jackson said Iowa recently changed the claim process which means Jackson will need to get up-to-date on new administrative forms.

“This is one that Iowa sets up so I can maintain my accreditation,” Jackson said. “It’s another training session on how to process claims.”

To attend NACVSO, expenses include a flight, hotel, admission and per diem, totaling $2,910 per person. IACCVSO has similar expenses that total $1,823, bringing the total cost for both spring schools to $4,733.

The state of Iowa gives the VA commission $10,000 in allocation money every fiscal year. That money is generally used to make sure training for veterans officers is up to date or for advertising.

Any money leftover by the end of June has to be returned to state coffers.

“Whatever I don’t get spent, I have to turn back in to the Iowa Association of County Veteran Services Officers,” Jackson said. “They use that money for statewide training.”

Contact Orrin Shawl at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or oshawl@newtondailynews.com