Arkansas Veterans Affairs outlines plan for new Northwest home and flags cemetery funding shortfalls
June 21, 2022 | CHILDREN AND YOUTH COMMITTEE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
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Colonel Nathaniel Todd, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, briefed the committee on a planned replacement for the state veteran home in Northwest Arkansas and on continuing problems at the North Little Rock Veterans Cemetery.
Todd said the department solicited proposals and that Benton County submitted a bid for 60 acres near Rogers donated by the Walton Family Foundation. He said the legislature approved a $45,000,000 appropriation and $15,000,000 in state matching funds for a replacement home; federal funds will be sought to cover the remaining portion of the project. "We could begin construction as early as 2024, with a completion expected no later than fall of 2026," Todd told the committee.
The secretary said a working group with broad representation recommended replacement rather than renovation and that the department will perform a cost‑benefit analysis to determine whether the new facility should be state‑run, contracted, or a hybrid model.
Todd also updated members on cemetery concerns. He said the North Little Rock Veterans Cemetery has had issues related to soil and interment depth and that the department has developed a corrective action plan and obtained federal VA grants supporting cemetery improvements. Todd told the committee the federal National Cemetery in Little Rock is effectively full for veteran interments and that the state cemetery is the only option within a 75‑mile radius in many cases. He said the department will work with the federal legislative delegation on the issue and provide documentation to the committee to support outreach.
Todd described incentives the legislature approved to improve county veteran service officer (CVSO) capacity and access to the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS): certified CVSOs receive $500 per quarter and counties receive $500 to obtain VBMS access, steps Todd said have shifted many counties from no access to operational VBMS connections though challenges remain in some eastern and central counties.
Committee members asked whether federal funding or outreach could address cemetery workload and whether staffing and salaries could be adjusted to improve cemetery maintenance; Todd said the department will pursue federal grants but that state responsibility for cemetery operations and workforce constraints mean legislators may need to consider supplemental options if challenges persist.
The committee took no formal action on the briefing; members thanked Secretary Todd for the update and requested documentation for federal outreach.
Todd said the department solicited proposals and that Benton County submitted a bid for 60 acres near Rogers donated by the Walton Family Foundation. He said the legislature approved a $45,000,000 appropriation and $15,000,000 in state matching funds for a replacement home; federal funds will be sought to cover the remaining portion of the project. "We could begin construction as early as 2024, with a completion expected no later than fall of 2026," Todd told the committee.
The secretary said a working group with broad representation recommended replacement rather than renovation and that the department will perform a cost‑benefit analysis to determine whether the new facility should be state‑run, contracted, or a hybrid model.
Todd also updated members on cemetery concerns. He said the North Little Rock Veterans Cemetery has had issues related to soil and interment depth and that the department has developed a corrective action plan and obtained federal VA grants supporting cemetery improvements. Todd told the committee the federal National Cemetery in Little Rock is effectively full for veteran interments and that the state cemetery is the only option within a 75‑mile radius in many cases. He said the department will work with the federal legislative delegation on the issue and provide documentation to the committee to support outreach.
Todd described incentives the legislature approved to improve county veteran service officer (CVSO) capacity and access to the Veterans Benefits Management System (VBMS): certified CVSOs receive $500 per quarter and counties receive $500 to obtain VBMS access, steps Todd said have shifted many counties from no access to operational VBMS connections though challenges remain in some eastern and central counties.
Committee members asked whether federal funding or outreach could address cemetery workload and whether staffing and salaries could be adjusted to improve cemetery maintenance; Todd said the department will pursue federal grants but that state responsibility for cemetery operations and workforce constraints mean legislators may need to consider supplemental options if challenges persist.
The committee took no formal action on the briefing; members thanked Secretary Todd for the update and requested documentation for federal outreach.
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