MENDOCINO Co., 7/1/24 — In January Mendocino County staff moved the office of Veterans Services into the county’s Public Health building in Ukiah. There was unused space in the Public Health building, and the move was seen as a cost-saving measure. But veterans were very unhappy with being ousted from 405 Observatory Avenue, a former house turned office that offered a cozy and comfortable setting for veterans to receive services. A big institutional building was simply not the same as a small house dedicated to their needs, with privacy and a warm atmosphere. Veterans complained at a January Board of Supervisors meeting that they were not consulted about the move, which landed the Mendocino County unit of the state’s Air Quality Management District Office in the house on Observatory.
A late February vote by the Board of Supervisors reversed the staff decision. Now the veterans are moving back into their house, and Air Quality is moving out. Stephen White, the county’s deputy director of adult and aging services, said in an interview that his veteran clients “preferred a stand-alone facility they were used to going to. It offered privacy for the unique challenges affecting veterans. And that building gave them a sense of pride.”
White did not criticize the staff decision of moving Veterans Services to the Public Health building. “That area of the Public Health building wasn’t being used. It made sense financially to consolidate.” He pointed out that other departments besides Veterans Services were moved to the Public Health building at the same time. White explained that if a department operates mostly by phone calls or emails it doesn’t matter as much where it’s located. “But we have clients that physically show up and need services,” he said.
The move is happening this week. “Everything’s packed up, and we’re moving the bulky furniture back,” White said. “We’re hoping to have everything done by Wednesday before the holidays, and then we’ll open back up on Monday the 8th.”
Meanwhile, interim Air Pollution Control Officer Douglas Gearhart announced that the Air Quality Management office is moving to 1100 Hastings Road in Ukiah. Timing is similar, and the air district anticipates being open for in-person service July 8.
Said White: “The veterans will be happy with this decision.”
Information about Mendocino County’s Veterans Services is available at https://www.mendocinocounty.gov/departments/social-services/veterans-services.