Over 3100 veterans living in Brown County received benefits of over $10.2 in Federal benefits which adds dollars directly to the local economy.
Billy Murphey of the Veterans Services Office gave the Annual Report during the Brown County Commissioners’ Court Monday, July 18th. This outlined that not only that these Veterans received benefits and services, but they also created substantial revenue for the area economy.
These 3177 Veterans receiving Federal benefits include:
• WWII-421
• Korea-102
• Vietnam-959
• Gulf Wars-818
• Cold War and other periods of service-1257
$10,218,000 in Federal Benefits were recovered though direct Compensation & Pension payments to service/non-service connected Veterans or their widows. This is a $589,000 increase over 2010, according to Murphey.
This results in an overall 1,396,623.00 economic impact in direct sales tax recovery to the area.
The Veteran Service Office assists Disabled Veterans and their Dependents with education applications resulting in $259,000.00 to higher education institutions in Brown County.
The Veterans’ Administration Clinic has brought needed services to resident and non-resident Veterans as well as additional funds to the county.
• $1,333,000.00 in total payroll with all health care positions filled.
• This results in an overall $140,000.00 economic impact in direct sales tax recovery.
• Provides $9,225,000 in medical services inclusive of direct patient care, nursing home care, and home health care contracted
• The Veterans outside the County travel to Brownwood at least twice a year spending an average of $35.00 in Brownwood resulting in $32,228.00 economic impact in direct sales tax recovery, based on survey results.
• Provides Service to 2944 Veterans, 1766 of which live outside Brown County Zip-Codes.
• The Veterans outside the County travel to Brownwood at least twice a year spending an average of $35.00 in Brownwood resulting in $32,228.00 economic impact in direct sales tax recovery, based on survey results.
• On average Veterans have 4 clinic visits per year, based on survey results.
Veterans Service Office
• The Service Office provided services to 2261 (1623/FY10) Brown County Veterans with 239 in office work days.
• Both Brown County Service Officers are Accredited with the Texas Veterans Commission, VFW, & the MCL and are tested annually with bi-annual required training to maintain this accreditation.
Current Operations
• The Service Officers are qualified for offering a new automation services which allows the local office advanced electronic claims monitoring.
• The Service Office now conducts 2 Veteran Services Outreach Seminars Annually. The next one is on 23 July at VFW Post 3278.
Other matters on the commissioners’ court agenda were:
*County Auditor Nina Cox received approval for budget amendments. The largest of these was indigent care, which saw an increase in $210,000 this past year.
“Indigent healthcare is just at times unpredictable,” explained Cox.
*Elections Administrator Suzy Young received approval to purchase two scanners which will be used for imaging voter registration cards. The cost of these higher resolution scanners will be $1598 which will be paid out of the Elections Office’s office supply fund. The new scanners were reported to have twice as much clarity than the current scanners used in the office.
*Tax resale deeds granted included:
Denise Hallford: Lot 214, Oak Point Subdivision. Hallford bid $551 on this lot, which was approved.
Jimmy Nix: Tract 1, Lot 326 Tamarack Mountain Subdivision; Tract 2, lot 83, Oak Point Subdivision and Tract 3, Lot 688 Harbor Point Subdivision. Nix bid $1320 on all three lots which was approved.
*County Tax Assessor/Collector Cheryl Nelson reported that $112,981 will be returned to Brown County through direct sales tax receipts.
