Section 45.82. Grants to counties and tribes for improvement of services.

 

(1)  Each county may annually apply to the department for a grant for the improvement of service to former military personnel of the county through the county veterans service office. A county may not allocate any portion of a grant for use by another county department nor may the county reduce funding to a county veterans service office based upon receipt of a grant. The county veterans service officer of any county applying for the grant shall enter into an agreement with the department. The agreement shall state the goals and objectives to be attained by the county veterans service office during the remainder of the year covered by the grant application. The department shall prepare the basic form of this agreement in consultation with the county veterans service officers association and provide a copy and an explanation of that agreement to each county veterans service officer. The department shall develop reasonable budget and operating standards to assure improved services, but full operating control of the county office shall be left to each county.

(2)  The department of veterans affairs shall award a grant annually, on a reimbursable basis as specified in this subsection, to a county that meets the standards developed under this section if the county executive, administrator, or administrative coordinator certifies to the department that it employs a county veterans service officer who, if chosen after April 15, 2015, is chosen from a list of candidates who have taken a civil service examination for the position of county veterans service officer developed and administered by the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration, or is appointed under a civil service competitive examination procedure under s. 59.52 (8) or ch. 63 . The department of veterans affairs shall twice yearly reimburse grant recipients for documented expenses under sub. (5) , subject to the following annual reimbursement limits: $8,500 for a county with a population of less than 20,000, $10,000 for a county with a population of 20,000 to 45,499, $11,500 for a county with a population of 45,500 to 74,999, and $13,000 for a county with a population of 75,000 or more. The department of veterans affairs shall use the most recent Wisconsin official population estimates prepared by the demographic services center when making grants under this subsection.

(3)  Notwithstanding sub. (2) , an eligible county with a part-time county veterans service officer shall be eligible for an annual grant not exceeding $500.

(4)  The department shall provide grants on a reimbursable basis as specified in this subsection to the governing bodies of federally recognized American Indian tribes and bands from the appropriation under s. 20.485 (2) (km) or (vw) if that governing body enters into an agreement with the department regarding the creation, goals, and objectives of a tribal veterans service officer, appoints a veteran to act as a tribal veterans service officer, and gives that veteran duties similar to the duties described in s. 45.80 (5) , except that the veteran shall report to the governing body of the tribe or band. The department shall twice yearly reimburse grant recipients for documented expenses under sub. (5) , not to exceed $15,000 per grant under this subsection and shall promulgate rules to implement this subsection.

(5)  Only the following expenses are eligible for reimbursement under subs. (2) and (4) :

(a) Information technology.

(b) Transportation for veterans and service to veterans with barriers.

(c) Special outreach to veterans.

(d) Training and services provided by the department and the federal department of veterans affairs.

(e) Salary and fringe benefit expenses incurred in 2015; salary and fringe benefit expenses incurred in 2016, except that total reimbursement for such expenses shall not exceed 50 percent of the applicable maximum grant under sub. (2) or (4) ; and salary and fringe benefit expenses incurred in 2017, except that total reimbursement for such expenses shall not exceed 25 percent of the applicable maximum grant under sub. (2) or (4) .

(6)  The department shall promulgate rules establishing criteria and procedures for reimbursement under subs. (2) and (4) .

2005 a. 22 , 25 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 55 . Cross-reference: See also chs. VA 8 and 15 , Wis. adm. code.