Maintaining Quality of Life Yountville Veterans Home

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April 10, 2025, Veterans Home of California, Yountville, CA-Grant Hall

ITEMS

CVB Minutes

The CVB board was set to approve the minutes from the following meetings: 09/20/2024, 12/10/2024, and 02/12/2025. However, the CVB members did not approve the minutes as they received them just five minutes before today’s meeting. They requested an extra day for review. 

Follow up:  Allied Council President Jamie Neely will request copies from the prior meetings and ask for them to be posted on CVB website as they did with previous minutes. There are concerns regarding previous minutes that could affect the Yountville Home and their members.

Public Comments 

(Comments limited to 5 minutes) NOTE: The Board may not discuss or take action on any matter raised during this public comment section that is not included on this agenda, except to decide whether to place the matter on the agenda of a future meeting (Government Code section 11125, 11125.7(a))

ROOF PROJECT- QUALITY OF LIFE-DEFERRED MAINTENANCE

Paul Sullivan, John Colembero, and Jamie Neely, President of Allied Council, are resident veterans from the Yountville Veterans Home and all expressed of the (5) roofs that were deemed critical for repair. Paul raised concerns regarding the five roofs identified as critical for repair in the 2022 Master Plan: the three roofs over residents' living spaces, the National Landmark Armistice Chapel, and the Lincoln Theater. Funding was approved in 2023, but he noted that the Armed Forces Budget Committee believed that $15 million seemed excessive given the low census at the Home. John held up a copy of the January 2025 Budget Change Proposal from the California Department of Finance, showing the funds have been spent and appears to be completed in the recent CalVet Budget Change Proposal (BCP) along with other projects.  He requested a copy of the roof contract and the project manager's details. Jamie shared photographs of the buildings, emphasizing how their condition impacts their quality of life and expressing frustration with the lengthy process. The board requested that Jamie’s photos be formally submitted. Audience clapped.

The Whys...

Click here, to view highlights of the beautiful Armistice Chapel

Click here, to view the iconic Lincoln Theater with the Home's WW2 Vets 

Roof Project Support Documents

Click here, to view the 2022 Yountville Master Plan (Pages 31-32)

Click here, to view the 2023 Veterans Budget Committee Video (time stamp 9:44)

Click here, to view 2024 VSOs report on CalVet Budget Highlights

Click here, to view January 2025 Budget Change Proposal 

Click here, to view photos submitted to CVB Board by Allied Council Chairman,  Jamie Neely

Follow-Up: Secretary Sin of CDVA reassured residents that funds for roof repairs are still available and she will prioritize meeting with DGS to affirm this as a key issue. She also reassured everyone that they will never be closing this place due to high costs.  While the roofs are not yet fully addressed, Plant Operations has begun replacing stained tiles due to leaks in the residents' domiciliary buildings. Following the CVB board meeting, Allied Council President Jamie Neely met with Holly Holtzer, the Home Administrator, and informed her that a project manager has been assigned to oversee the roof project. To confirm, Jamie requested that this information be sent via email to the Allied Council.  Additionally, Allied Presidents, led by Jamie Neely, will ask for a list of completed projects referenced by John in the BCP January 2025 document, including items highlighted in the 2022 Master Plan.

YOUNTVILLE VETERANS HOME CEMETERY-DEFERRED MAINTENANCE

Bob Heiss, a World War II veteran, along with Don Moore, both residents of the Yountville Veterans Home, shared their feelings of sorrow, sadness, and disappointment regarding the upkeep of the Veterans Home Cemetery. This site, where over 6,000 veterans are laid to rest, including four Medal of Honor recipients and more than 2,000 Civil War veterans, has fallen short in maintenance. They expressed sheer disappointment over misaligned headstones and poorly kept lawns. We must do a better job of honoring the veterans we lay to rest. Audience clapped. 

Follow-Up: Secretary Sin expressed her concerns regarding the cemetery and mentioned that efforts are underway to address the issues. She also noted that funds have been allocated for certain repairs.

The Whys...

Click here, view the Pearl of the Valley (History of the Home) 

RECYCLE 

Jo Moore, veteran spouse and resident of the Yountville veterans Home, expressed to see more of an effort in recycling at the Home.   Audience clapped. 

STAFFING UNDERSERVING CALIFORNIA VETERANS

Jennifer Brusstar from the Tug McGraw Foundation raised concerns about the inability to serve more veterans at the Home, particularly in light of the ongoing staffing shortages. With an unmet demand for Long Term Care and Memory Care services, and over 100 beds available while a waiting list exists for service-connected veterans, she questions why we aren't considering options like workforce housing and differential pay. While discussions about the future of veterans continue, it’s essential to remember that the 9/11 veterans are currently among us. “They are here at our door step.”  She suggests transforming this facility into a center of excellence, possibly by establishing a training school for CNAs and partnering with a prominent institution to study aging veterans. Brusstar highlighted that the annual budget for 2025 stands at $151 million, yet it serves a census of fewer than 560 veterans. Staffing challenges have persisted since the early 2000s. She emphasized that the Home should be filling its female resident vacancies. Reports are showing a surge of retired female veterans in the upcoming years. Audience clapped. 

Follow Up: Secretary Sin, staffing issues have given us a moment to pause and look further into solutions in how best to improve and that workforce housing is not off the table. Brandon CVB Board member also shared there has been a spike in hiring in West LA in some these lower paying positions now that they have received a pay increase. 

MARKETING OF THE HOME 

James Musson, veteran resident at the Yountville Veterans Home, has voiced his concerns regarding the insufficient marketing of the facility. Whenever he's out in town or visiting other locations, James makes it a point to distribute the Home’s brochures to various veteran agencies. Many of these organizations were unaware of the Home's existence and the diverse levels of care it offers, including domiciliary (independent care). Audience clapped.

QUALITY OF LIFE AT THE VETERANS HOME

Tom Budny, veteran, and resident at the Yountville Veterans Home, shared his deep appreciation for the facility, its administration, and its staff, highlighting the positive impact it has had on his quality of life. He noted the abundance of activities available and praised the beauty of the grounds. Audience clapped. 

Lincoln Theater

Michael Evje, a veteran and the head of KVET, voiced his worries regarding the closure of the Lincoln Theater. He recounted its rich history, highlighting how it was transformed into a state-of-the-art venue with millions of dollars invested by the community for its renovation, yet it remains shut. The theater holds a special place in the hearts of the Home members, who have been advocating for its reopening. Engaging the community with veterans is essential for enhancing their quality of life. Audience clapped. 

Background: The administration claims that the operation costs are too high. This assessment was made based on December 2023, when three events took place, including the Secretary’s Meet and Greet. The Allied Council is requesting a reevaluation of these expenses, as plant operations were required to operate various machinery for tasks like painting, including heating to cure materials during that month. Meanwhile, home members would prefer to use the space for movie screenings.

FUTURE USE MEMORIAL DISTRICT 

Ed Warren, a veteran and dedicated long-time advocate for the residents of the Yountville Veterans Home, along with Bob Heiss and others, has an exciting project to discuss that aims to create a strategic plan for the future use of the Yountville Veterans Home Campus. He proposed the idea of establishing a Memorial District. This development could focus on transforming the area into a vibrant, mixed-use community hub by redevelopinghttps://websites.godaddy.com/issues-1 existing spaces. Potential plans may include the adaptive reuse of older buildings, new construction, and enhanced pedestrian and community connections. CVB Board Member Veronica expressed her enthusiasm for collaborating with Ed and others on this initiative. CVB Board Member Umberg and also extended gratitude to Ed for his extensive legislative contributions over the years. Audience clapped. 

Follow up:  Veronica CVB board member to connect with Ed to further discuss how to best further this concept. Ed and other stake holders are drafting concept to share with Veronica. 

In the 2022 Calvet Masterplan, five roofs on the Yountville campus were identified as requiring immediate repair. These include the Armistice Chapel (a National Landmark), the Lincoln Theater, and three residential roofs (where residents live) that have been leaking for almost 20 years. 

Status: Despite the $15 million budget allocated for these repairs, nearly three years have passed-no repairs.  Click here, to view full gallery of photos. 

Recognizing that our Allied Council Manual requires an update, the Policies and Procedures Committee will evaluate and suggest revisions and additions in 2025 to ensure compliance with our bylaws.

Status: Ongoing