Legion Requesting Clay/Jackson Veterans Service Officer Pay Increase

Members of the Clay County American Legion Post have requested a pay increase for the area Veterans Service Officer position.

The officer serves Clay and Jackson Counties. The counties join Celina and Gainesboro in contributing to the position’s $16,000 salary. Post member Jed Donaldson approached the Gainesboro Board of Aldermen Thursday and requested a $600 yearly increase.

“And I am asking the city of Celina to do the same thing,” Donaldson said. “Then, I got to go to both Clay County and Jackson County Commissioners to up their ante too. I am trying to get this guy to to 23-24,000 dollars a year.”

Donaldson said the service officer position is currently vacant as Bob Cole has resigned. Donaldson said the Clay County Mayor’s office has begun the application process, and the increase would help fill the role.

“The training in the state happens in July,” Donaldson said. “So, we’re going to try to get somebody hired if we can before that to make the training for this year.”

Mayor Lloyd Williams said the request would be considered at the July Board meeting. Donaldson said the raise is worth the price considering the previous officer increased the amount of veteran services used by over $2 million in Jackson County.

“Before we had a Veterans Service Officer in Jackson County through the VA, now this covers compensations, pensions, vocational rehabilitation, employment and medical care for veterans in this county, before there was $4,852,000 in total of all those coming into Jackson County,” Donaldson said. “After at the end of 2019, Jackson County was from $4,852,000 to $7,201,000.”

In the past, the hiring board for the position has been made of two members of the Jackson and Clay County Posts with a state veteran affairs representative. Donaldson said that will likely be the same hiring process taken this time, as well.