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SERVICE OFFICER FIGHTS COUNTY, SAYS HE'LL SERVE

ALL VETERANS -- "When veterans come to me for help,

they will get it. If you want to reprimand me, for helping

people, you can. I won't stop helping them."

VSO Don Sandman

Be sure to watch the video of this story at the link below.

Story here... http://www.yorknewstimes
.com/stories/102407/localnews_vets.shtml

Story below:

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-------------------------

Veterans service officer says he won't comply with policy

By Melanie Wilkinson
Staff Writer

YORK -- The county commissioners are going to draft policy ending York County services to out-of-county veterans and limiting the hours of service officer, Don Sandman.

But Sandman says he will not comply, even if that means they call for his dismissal.

In a heated discussion yesterday morning, the commissioners said they are concerned with the amount of time and resources that Sandman is taking to help veterans who don't live in York County. He acknowledges that one-third of the claims he has processed during his tenure are for veterans who don't live here. But he also says that the time spent for those veterans are his own, that they are above and beyond the 40 hours for which he is paid by the county.

"We began this discussion several weeks ago," said Commissioner Ken Stuhr, "first, regarding the location of the service office. Now, I have concerns about the workload at that office, because of out-of-county veterans seeking services here."

Stuhr said the county has long been asking other counties to financially compensate York County for those services, but they refuse to do so.

"This is becoming a burden for our service officer, the workload may be becoming overwhelming," Stuhr said. "We may need a policy to no longer accept requests from out-of-county veterans, while allowing him to maintain the cases he already has. Some of our neighboring counties have part-time officers. Don (Sandman's) doing a wonderful job -- I know Don has said the load is quite heavy. Other counties need to take up the slack and take care of their own. We've asked others to help take care of our budget, but they're not interested."

Commissioner Bob Wolfe suggested that Sandman be required to present the board with a monthly report of what's taking place in the veterans' office. He also said he felt Sandman should be required to refer veterans to their own county offices when they visit with him.

"We know, Don, that the work you are doing is exceptional," Stuhr said to Sandman. "And I think the word is out that veterans need to come see you. What do you think about all this?"

"I find this all very interesting," Sandman said, "simply because you guys made an exception to the rule when you hired me from out of the county (referring to the fact he lives in Utica). I always tell all out-of-county veterans what is available and always refer them to their own county office. But they tell me that they come here because the service is not there for them, where they are from. Either the service officers don't know what they can do or they don't care. To deny helping someone -- that won't work. They, the veterans, deserve their entitlements. They shouldn't be penalized for what their officers can't or won't do. We are the arms of the regional office and we deal with federal issues. A veteran is a veteran, and I just happen to be in this location. If they need to come here, because others won't do their jobs -- that's not their fault. I won't allow that to happen. I put in extra time, the county pays me for 40 hours. I do more and I don't mind. They deserve it. How can anyone deny helping other people?

"Since I have been here, there have been 800 awards (of entitlements), 1,150 claims, 250 are pending, and 25 percent of those 250 are from out of county. And 10 percent of those were from out of state -- actually people who physically moved to York County to get help."

"I don't want to be perceived as a person who doesn't care," said Stuhr. "But I am also an elected official who has to be there for the taxpayers. For example, if someone in Polk County doesn't like the way their roads are being done, I can't send a maintainer there to take care of it. This is not a regional office. I do commend you, but I have a problem with taxpayers' money being spent. You're one of the only service officers in the area to have a secretary, and you now need more room. That is all more expense for York County. Maybe we need to draft a policy."

"I will violate that policy," Sandman said, staring at Stuhr. "When veterans come to me for help, they will get it. If you want to reprimand me, for helping people, you can. I won't stop helping them."

"This situation of working more than 40 hours bothers me, a legal situation could develop here with the department of labor," said Wolfe.

"If you limit me to 40 hours a week, that's your policy, and if I donate time that you don't know about it, or you do, you can reprimand me," Sandman continued. "I will help those people."

"It's sad that we both agree that the job you are doing is extraordinary," Stuhr said, "and that it's needed. It's sad I have to look at the tax dollars. But you say 'reprimand.' In my mind, the word will be 'dismissal.'"

"That could happen," Sandman said.

"I can see the situation where it's more than full time, but alot of other counties see it differently," said Commissioner Gus Brown.

"It's too bad the veterans in other counties don't get together and demand certain things from their service offices," Wolfe said.

"Why should the other counties do that, if you are going to do it for them?" asked Commissioner Steve Neujahr. "It's really time to say enough is enough. We don't want to lose you, but we are saying that we are not able to fiscally continue on with this. You are working 40 hours a week, and a third of that time is for people out of York County."

"That's not true," Sandman answered. "I get paid for 40 hours, I work 50 hours. And that extra time is when I work for other counties. I donate my time for them."

"It's when he starts donating that we could get ourselves in trouble with the department of labor," Wolfe said.

"We do realize that the out-of-county people are very happy with the job you do," Brown said.

"This is what I was hired for," Sandman said. "I am a veteran service officer in York County."

"No, for York County," Stuhr said.

"No, in York County," Sandman countered. "That's where we have a misunderstanding."

"So you will not comply with the rule?" asked Stuhr.

"No, I will not," Sandman said. "Can you turn away people who need help?"

"Yes, I can," Stuhr said.

"Those people need to step up to the plate and say their guy isn't doing his job," Neujahr said. "If you are doing it for them, what gives them the initiative to do it?"

"I think we are being used by other counties," Brown said.

"Yes, that may be so," Sandman said.

Stuhr thanked Sandman for attending the meeting.

"I guess it's a good thing to come in for doing above and beyond, rather than something that's wrong," Sandman said.

After Sandman left, the conversation continued.

"Are we going to draft a policy?" asked Stuhr of the other board members.

"He said he won't comply," Neujahr said. "And we've talked about his job."

Wolfe said he was still worried about conflicts with the department of labor.

"By his own testimony, he said he volunteers his extra time," Stuhr said. "And you heard what he said, he said he wouldn't follow the policy. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't have a policy. He's an appointed official and we appoint the officials. Do we need a policy?"

"We need a policy, so he knows how we feel about it," Wolfe said. "What he does beyond that . . ."

Stuhr said he would draw up a draft of the new policy, and present it to the board in two weeks, at their next regular meeting.

-------------------------

Larry Scott  --

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