Q&A
Measuring VAB effectiveness and meeting attendance
0:49:13
ยท
3 min
Council Member Holden and Commissioner Hendon discuss methods for measuring the effectiveness of the Veterans Advisory Board (VAB) and tracking meeting attendance.
- Commissioner Hendon estimates that typically less than 20 non-VAB members attend meetings regularly.
- There was a spike in attendance during the 2022 threat to close VA hospitals in Brooklyn and Manhattan and the clinic in Staten Island.
- The discussion highlights the challenge of engaging more veterans in VAB meetings and activities.
- Council Member Holden expresses concern about low attendance and asks about strategies to improve participation.
Robert Holden
0:49:13
I'm saying.
0:49:14
I I just need everyone on the same page.
0:49:16
If we're serving veterans and you've dedicated your life, actually, because I see what you do.
0:49:20
You're amazing.
0:49:20
You're all over the the globe, actually, and you're always on the road somewhere trying to help veterans.
0:49:29
And, you you know, your resume is amazing.
0:49:33
So I would just ask you, to commit to let's let's get VAB funded.
0:49:39
I'm gonna make it an issue on, on my, budget request.
0:49:45
But I've also I'm gonna you know, and I know you may have a problem with it, but I I would bring up your own agency that you can't do what you you know, you you can't reach your potential, by not having, enough resources, and you don't.
0:50:00
You know that.
0:50:00
You've admitted that.
0:50:01
You know that you can't do outreach.
0:50:03
You know and we're we're trying to scrounge money.
0:50:07
We're talking we're not talk we're talking 1,000, we're not talking 1,000,000.
0:50:10
So I think let's both commit to asking the mayor, and I'll ask him.
0:50:15
You have more to lose than I do in asking and and and and demanding, but I think it's gotta get to that point.
0:50:21
If we're gonna make VAB, viable, make it their lives a little easier, give them a budget, give them where they could, you know, and you could administer the budget if you want.
0:50:32
I mean, if that's if you think that's a requirement, then fine.
0:50:36
But I think we need to step up, both of us.
0:50:47
Let let me let me get it.
0:50:49
How does the DVS measure the effectiveness of the v, the of the VAB in advising, the commissioner on key issues affecting veterans and service members.
0:51:01
So, you know, I know you said you don't you didn't wanna interfere, and they're autonomous.
0:51:09
You wanna keep them separate.
0:51:11
But, there are things that you, you know, as, the structure of it, the how many people are attending.
0:51:19
Are you aware of attendance at all at at these, I know you're on the the hearings or at least the VAB meetings, but are you aware how many people are are participating?
0:51:32
I mean, how many public how many pea veterans are on the call who are not board members?
0:51:37
What's the attendance?
0:51:38
Has it been dropping off?
0:51:40
Are you gauging any of this?
0:51:41
Do do you see the effect and I'll ask VAB this, but are you seeing a drop off?
0:51:46
You know?
0:51:47
And what can we do to improve that?
James Hendon
0:51:49
I I think that it's been a steady number of attendees.
0:51:52
If you exclude Veterans Advisory Board, members, you're talking about less than 20 or so who are attending regularly.
0:51:58
There was a spike when we had the 2022 situation where there was the the threat to close the the hospitals as far as the VA hospitals in Brooklyn and Manhattan and the clinic in Staten Island.
0:52:08
That's when we saw, you know, the numbers surge.
0:52:11
But typically, it's roughly when you exclude VAB members, I would say just to meet eyeballing as an attendee, I'd say you have, no more than 20, who are coming, from the community.