Veterans Committee Meeting Minutes – October 27, 2017
In attendance: Steve Connor, Veterans Services, Sue Moorman, HUD-VASH, Katherine Persons, Veterans, Inc., Pamela Schwartz, Network, Kate Sweester-Owens, HUD-VASH, Allie Wilson-Pierce, HUD-VASH
Our discussion this meeting focused on the debrief from the Network’s Leadership Council meeting on 10/25 in which it was decided that due to the funding situation (the Network has not yet been funded this year and it is unlikely it will be), the LC will use this opportunity to review Network functions and determine (with the help of a facilitator) how best to sustain the important value of the Network.
The group discussion reached consensus on the following:
- the Network veteran meetings are very valuable for ensuring communication up and down the 91 corridor and for providing opportunities for innovative collaboration (e.g., the implementation of new systems to identify veterans in Hampden County Corrections flowed from these meetings). Everyone in attendance felt very committed to continuing to meet (and attributed this meeting’s low attendance to known conflicts, noting high level of attendance in preceding meetings)
- Meeting every 2 months, alternating between Springfield and Northampton would be sufficient to accomplish their goals
- Rotating the coordination of scheduling and reminder notice/agenda creation could be accomplished by committee members
- At our next meeting we will discuss assigning “volunteer” facilitation roles and schedule meetings for 2018
- Pamela will relay this discussion to the Network’s interim steering Committee which is meeting on Nov. 20 to discuss next steps for Network planning.
- Confirmed next meeting date (previously scheduled) for Friday, Dec. 1, 9:15 am, MHA
