HomeMy WebLinkAboutM102501Jefferson County
Service Officers Association
MEETING MINUTES
October 25, 2001
Service Officers present: Don Buchman, VFW 10706; Bob Farr, VFW 7014; Lee Morgan, VFW
3213; and Delmer Sayer, VFW 7498; Pat Bowen, VFW 7498; Peter Jewell, AL 26
Others present: Robert Flores, DAV Bremerton Chapter #5; Mrs. Flores; Bob Barber, DAV
Whidbey Island Chapter #7 and DAV State Transportation Director; Adam Gaikowski; Virgil
Porter; Ken Austin; Sandy Sandquist; Mary Lou Padbury
Chairman Bob Farr opened the meeting. He explained that this meeting is to review information
regarding the purchase of a new Jefferson County DAV van to transport Veterans to the
Veterans' Administration Hospital in Seattle.
Adam Gaikowski, Jefferson County van schedule coordinator and driver, reported that:
The Leader published an article asking for volunteers to drive the van to Seattle. Eight
people responded to the ad. So far he has trained 3 drivers and has plans to train the
others.
The van travels from Port Townsend to Seattle 4 days a week. They catch the 7:50 a.m.
ferry from Bainbridge Island and they try to be back to Port Townsend by 5:30 p.m.
They take from 2-4 people to the hospital a day.
A Veteran needs to call 72 hours in advance to reserve a seat if possible.
If there are open seats in the van, Veterans don't need an appointment.
The van picks up Veterans at the DAV #5 in Bremerton and in Poulsbo if they have open
seats available.
The current van has high mileage and will need major repair soon.
Chairman Farr asked if the new van would pick up Veterans in Brinnon and Quilcene? Adam
Gaikowski replied that it goes to Quilcene regularly, but in order to go to Brinnon they would
have to leave before 5 a.m. in the morning and wouldn't get back to Port Townsend until 6:30 or
7 p.m. at night. He said that if the Veterans in Brinnon were willing to drive to Quilcene, the
van would pick them up there.
There was a discussion about whether to purchase the 7 passenger van for $10,500 or the 15
passenger van for $13,500. Most of the Service Officers and Bob Barber, State Transportation
Manager, agreed that the 15 passenger van is a better buy. However, Adam Gaikowski, who has
been driving the van for several years and has kept the program going, said that the larger van is
more difficult to drive and take on the ferry and they really don't need that much space.
Chairman Farr deferred to Adam Gaikowski because he is the main driver and coordinator.
Service Officers Association Minutes: October 25, 2001 Page: 2
There was a discussion about the Veterans' Administration Clinic that recently opened in
Bremerton. The VA Hospital wants Veterans from the Olympic Peninsula to go to the Bremerton
Clinic first and, if their condition cannot be treated locally, then schedule an appointment at the
VA Hospital in Seattle.
Robert Flores, Commander of DAV Chapter #5, stated that their post agreed to give Jefferson
County $5,000 towards the van if they will pick up Veterans throughout Kitsap County,
including Port Orchard. He said that it was his understanding the new van would pick up
Veterans throughout Jefferson County and Kitsap County and take them to the clinic in
Bremerton. His post was under the impression that the van would not go to Seattle everyday, and
if Veterans from either county needed to go to the Veterans' Hospital in Seattle, they could make
an appointment to ride in the Clallam County van.
The Service Officers agreed that the intention of the Jefferson County van program is to take
Veterans to the VA Hospital in Seattle and not just to the new clinic in Bremerton. They are
able to stop at the clinic if there is a need. Due to time constraints, the van cannot pick up
Veterans in Port Orchard or other remote areas of Kitsap County. If there are open seats, they
will continue to pick up Veterans in Kitsap County at Poulsbo or at the DAV in Bremerton.
Lee Morgan moved that the Jefferson County Service Officers Association authorize the
purchase of a 7 passenger van for $10,500 from the Veterans' Assistance Fund for Jefferson
County Veterans, that an additional expenditure will be made for a fire extinguisher and first aid
kit, that Jefferson County Veterans shall have top priority for seats and if there is any extra room
in the van, they can pick up Veterans in Kitsap County at established pick up points. Peter Jewell
seconded the motion which carried by a unanimous vote.
MEETING ADJOURNED