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Q&A
Discussion on DVS budget and effectiveness
1:53:04
ยท
93 sec
Council Member Holden and Joe Bello discuss the Department of Veterans Services' budget constraints and effectiveness. They explore the need for honest conversations about DVS's capabilities given its limited resources.
- Bello suggests a 'DVS 2.0' approach to reassess the agency's role and capabilities
- Holden notes that a few million dollars could significantly improve DVS's communication and services
- Both agree that the current funding is insufficient for the agency's mandates
Robert Holden
1:53:04
I I I saw you, Joe, I saw you shaking your head during the Joseph p Dwyer program.
1:53:12
Could you elaborate on that a little bit?
1:53:15
Like, why you're skeptical?
1:53:19
And how much should we give a pass to DBS because their budget is inadequate?
1:53:26
So, I mean, it's kind of like they're maybe stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Joe Bello
1:53:32
But I I think if they're stuck between a rock and a hard place, then we as a community and the council, even the administration needs to have an honest conversation about what actually DBS can do and can't do.
1:53:45
Over the past five years, the current commissioner has added on programs after programs after programs.
1:53:52
And what we wind up seeing is people wind up being stressed out and leaving.
1:53:56
And it's not like he's telling us, we hear it in the community.
1:54:00
So, I think we would have to talk about a DVS two point o, and what that would look like, and what in reality, if that funding is not going to change, what what can DVS take on?
1:54:12
And I go back to Lori Sutton's days when she used to say, DVS was supposed to be the spoke in a wheel to referral to services.
1:54:20
So, I I think we have to have that conversation.
1:54:22
And I think that's probably
Robert Holden
1:54:23
gonna come in an extra But, but, the mayor, the mayor can put a few more million into the into their budget so they can communicate a little bit to be to do the things that you said that they should be doing.
Joe Bello
1:54:35
I I agree.
1:54:36
And I mean, I wrote up I wrote up Is
Robert Holden
1:54:38
there is there a coincidence that the veteran the DVS is the smallest budget of any city agency in this administration?