Veterans Services, county at odds over 2013 budget
By BRANDY CHANDLER
and RORY RYAN
The Highland County Press
Days prior to submitting his letter of resignation, the former president of the Highland County Veterans Service Commission requested to the Highland County Board of Commissioners and the Highland County prosecutor that a special legal counsel be appointed, and a hearing be scheduled regarding an alleged "budget dispute."
Richard Kisamore had served on the Veterans Service Commission for 20 years. As first reported by The Highland County Press, on Tuesday he submitted his letter of resignation.
In a May 24 letter to the board of commissioners and Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins, saying the he had received communications from county officials regarding the budget the commission had submitted to the county, Mr. Kisamore wrote:
"The budget in question was a lawful, appropriated budget. The Ohio Department of Veterans Service, as well as Gov. (John) Kasich have publicly commented that county Veterans Service Commissions need to utilize all available resources to improve the delivery of benefits and services to veterans as mandated by R.C. Chapter 5901.
"The (Highland) county commissioners have taken a position which places that office squarely adverse to the position, as well as the philosophy, of the Veterans Service Commission – which is that there is not enough being done to assist Highland County veterans.
"I do not believe there is any way in which the interests of these two offices can be harmonized or reconciled for purposes of representation," Kisamore wrote.
"Because the Highland County Veterans Service Commission has an adverse interest with the Highland County Commissioners' Office, which requires separate counsel for the purposes of providing representation in the matter of this budget dispute, I hereby request on behalf of the Highland County Veterans Commission that you initiate the statutory procedure with the court of common pleas to apply for an appointment of an outside attorney as special counsel."
Kisamore suggest that attorney Michael Moses of Columbus be appointed as special counsel to represent the commission, stating he (Moses) has experience in matters regarding veterans service commissions.
Kisamore requested that a hearing be scheduled on the proposed budget and that he "further requests that we be afforded the opportunity to present testimony and other information in support of our proposal."
The county prosecutor is the legal representative for all county agencies, which includes the board of commissioners and the Veterans Service Commission.
Collins told The Highland County Press on Wednesday that she received Kisamore's letter last week, and prior to that, she had not been contacted by anyone with the Veterans Service Commission regarding a budget dispute.
"I was not aware there was an issue until I received the letter," Collins said. "I hope we can all sit down and talk about it, before we go to the extreme of getting a second counsel. I believe that is what everyone's intention is."
Collins said that per Kisamore's request, she has been in contact with attorney Michael Moses.
Highland County Commission President Shane Wilkin said he was surprised by Mr. Kisamore's letter, particularly so because the county commissioners have not begun the 2013 budget process in earnest.
"For the first step in next year's budget process to be this letter was (surprising)," Wilkin said. "In 2011, the office spent $180,000; and in 2013, they want $305,000. With that big of a discrepancy, there seems to be something wrong."
According to Wilkin, the Highland County Veterans Service Office had requested a 30-percent increase from 2012 to 2013, with 80 percent of that 30 percent designated for salaries and benefits.
[[In-content Ad]]
"It also included a $5,000 reduction in relief allowance for veterans," Wilkin said.
When asked why the former VSC board president's letter was not listed under correspondence on the commissioners' meeting agenda – as is county commission office procedure, Wilkin said the office was "simply behind schedule."
Wilkin also addressed the Veterans Service's annual appropriated funds vs. office expenditures, saying "almost every year" Veterans Service's funds are returned to the county's general fund – while many other county offices are seeking additional funds.
"The Ohio Revised Code (http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5901) allows that the county Veterans Service Commissions are entitled to one-half mill of inside millage to the county general fund," Wilkin said.
If the VSC has unspent funds, Wilkin said, they revert back to the general fund.
Wilkin said the county commissioners typically send out the preliminary departmental budget packets for the following year around June 1.
"I believe someone got the cart before the horse (regarding next year's budget)," Wilkin said.
Veterans Services Director Robin Brown addresses the issue in the accompanying sidebar.