VSO urges commissioners to back VA grant work and reuse of Ernie Pyle School for veterans services

The county’s Veterans Services Officer (VSO) told the board she wants the county to pursue two VA grants now and to prepare for applying for a larger veteran‑court grant next year (potentially up to $960,000). She said local need is immediate: "I now have 3 homeless veterans," and asked the board to help identify suitable space for outreach and support services.

The VSO described plans to form a Vermillion County Veterans Council and to use parts of the Ernie Pyle School building for veteran outreach programming, including PTSD support, suicide prevention and homeless‑veteran services. She said redevelopment has plans for part of the facility and asked commissioners to coordinate on which wings might be available. Commissioners raised safety and logistics concerns — including whether veteran services (for people in crisis) should share space with preschool programs — and asked the VSO to get cost estimates and to coordinate with redevelopment and economic development staff.

The board signaled conditional support: commissioners said they were in favor of pursuing grant applications if the VSO can produce cost estimates and the county can identify an appropriate location (including a suggested interim option at the county economic‑development office at 703 West Park Street). Several commissioners offered to help contact redevelopment and to gather numbers before the grant deadline.

Next steps: the VSO will gather cost information and confirm potential locations; county staff and commissioners will follow up with redevelopment to identify usable space and to confirm whether grant application work can proceed on the proposed timetable.