ABOVE: Veterans Assistance Commission Thurs Jan 8th meeting in second floor conference room of Joseph G. Cannon Building. Mickensy Ellis-White (back to camera) was named Board Chair; State Rep Brandun Schweizer (on the right listening in) was named Interim Superintendent.
After months of complaints that available funding is not getting to Veterans, along with personnel shakeups, the Vermilion County Veterans Assistance Commission is gradually moving into a new era. During Thursday (Jan 8th) evening’s meeting in the County Board conference room on the second floor of the Cannon Administration Building, Mickensy Ellis-White was officially named Board Chair.
Shortly after that, State Rep Brandun Schweizer was named Interim Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission. The USMC Veteran did not want any compensation, and his offer to work pro bono was accepted. Schweizer told CIMG afterwards while the board works on eventually posting the permanent superintendent position; he plans on being there while the administrative side gets organized, as well as working hard on his part to make sure Veterans in need can approach the commission and receive help.
AUDIO: You know, I’m not going to put a timeline on how long they need me. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get all the policies and procedures and all the admin stuff squared away; and be able to get some good individuals in here, hired for the position to be able to take it on full time. (I’m going to be) getting the help that the Veterans need. I know there’s a few that have already been calling, that we’ve got lined up for next week; coming into the office and talking about certain situations.
Pending approval at an upcoming special meeting, Fischer Theatre Executive Director and Former Danville Community Relations Administrator Ashton Greer will be the one working to fine tune the administrative side. She has submitted a proposal for her Clarity Design Company, and told CIMG that bringing order to organizations is what motivates her. She plans on offering about 200 hours of service, over approximately six months.
AUDIO: And that’s going to really vary from meeting with the staff, meeting with the board president, helping the board as a whole; just to get organized and to get everything in order; so that we can serve the Veterans in our community to the best of our ability. This is a very important service.
(1st Picture) Mickensy Ellis-White after being named Veterans Assistance Commission Board Chair. (2nd Picture) Ashton Greer explains her company’s plans to work on administrative needs. (3rd Picture) State Rep Brandun Schweizer speaks of his goals as Interim Superintendent.
A major problem for the Veterans Assistance Commission has been Veterans not having a consistent place to go for help. But County Recorder Matt Long, who represents Danville’s VFW Post 3510 on the commission board, says that will change over the next two to three months; with a couple current storage rooms on the first floor of the Cannon Vermilion County Administration Building soon to be the commission’s home.
AUDIO: It’s going to be between the Recorder’s office and the Treasurer’s office. There will be signage; everybody will know where it’s at. It’s just kind of been a collective effort between everybody in the building. Because I think everybody realizes that we need to get this out there; so everybody knows where we are, how to get to us, and to make it easier to find us.
But in the meantime, Long says if you are a Veteran who needs help, or you know of one; the phone number 217-554-7950 is available. Board Chair Mickensy Ellis-White echoed that as well.
AUDIO: That is our goal, obviously. We want to get the word out that we’re available to help Veterans. We want to make it efficient for them. And we really want to just do the work; in order for them to receive the services that they have earned.
Until the move, the commission’s office location remains 123 N. Hazel. A special Veterans Assistance Commission meeting at 6 PM Thursday, January 15th; again in the Cannon Building second floor conference room; will deal with the issues of officially hiring Ashton Greer’s company, and establishing a stipend for Interim Superintendent Schweizer for items such as travel and incidental expenses.
