Group hears about veterans millage, Red Alert

Jeanne Thick, director of the Genesee County Department of Veterans (GCDV), was the featured speaker at the Eastside Business Association meeting Oct. 20. Thick explained the proposed millage for veterans and their dependents on the Nov. 2 ballot.

The group also heard about Red Alert, a crime prevention communication system, and heard about thegeneral election information on the League of Women Voters web site.

"The county is proposing to levy an additional millage of .15 mills which comes to about $3.75 for a home valued at $50,000," Thick said. "The millage will fill an unmet need for services to veterans, their spouses, widows and widowers and dependent children. There are more than 32,000 vets in Genesee County," Thick said.

According to Thick, the GCDV assists veterans by filing claims for Veterans Administration  benefits.

"The value of benefits paid to Genesee County vets has increased from over $25 million in 2001 to more than $79 million in 2009 — a 214 percent increase," Thick said.

Other uses for the millage funds, according to Thick, include reimbursing veterans service organizations like the American Legion, VFW and Marine Corps League for the cost of providing accredited service officers to the GCDV four days per week.

The department also plans on hiring two full-time service officers to decrease long waits for vets when filing claims, hire a driver and purchase a handicap accessible van for transporting veterans to and from VA hospitals, provide additional funds for burial costs and provide wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans.

Contact Thick at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information about the millage proposal.

David Caswell asked Thick why the proposed millage has been so low key.

"We haven't seen any publicity on it," Caswell said.

"We have no money," Thick replied. "We can't afford to pay for brochures, mailings or signs. We depend on groups like yours to get the word out," she said.

Former co-chairman of the Eastside Business Association and local businessman Michael Herriman talked about the new crime prevention system used by members of the College Cultural Neighborhood Association Crime Watch.

"The Red Alert system has proven itself in two recent incidents," Herriman said. "A member was walking his dog when a pit bull attacked. The first call he made was to police and then 'Code Red.' Fifty people got the message that a dangerous pit bull was on the loose in the neighborhood. These people were notified which direction the dog was headed by email, voicemail or text message. Thankfully, no further attacks were reported," he said.

Herriman also reported that the system was used when a neighbor watching from his living room window noticed three men walking down the street trying the door handles of parked cars. Code Red was initiated and the police apprehended the men and the stolen items were returned to owners.

"We don't advocate stopping or confronting suspects. Call the police, use Code Red and if you can, take a picture with your cell phone," Herriman said.

Rhine Griffel, representing the League of Women Voters, informed the group about a review of candidates in the November election that is available at www.lwvflintarea.org.

"There is also an electronic voter's guide and a link to the constitutional convention debate," she said.

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