Vet secretary thinking big

By Gary Fisher

Who wants to be a multimillionaire? If you had several million dollars, what would you do with it?

Proposed limits on state spending may squash a plan by the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs to have lawmakers appropriate $16 million from the King nursing home in Waupaca County and transfer that money to the Veterans Trust Fund.

June 2004 through December 2005, WDVA wrote off $1.2 million in defaulted loans: more than $73,000 in mortgage loans and $1.15 million in other veterans loans write-offs.

Although Senate Bill 613 to transfer money from King Home to the trust fund passed the Senate in March, the bill was tabled after Democrats added a body armor amendment geared to protect troops fighting for this country in foreign wars.

Recently, John Scocos, WDVA secretary, ala real estate developer Donald Trump, announced ambitious plans for a new building to house the Wisconsin Veterans Museum and agency offices. A teardown of 30 On the Square and a replacement
structure is estimated to cost between $18 million and $21 million.

The state leases the structure for $1.3 million a year.

WDVA retained Campbell & Company, a national firm that raises money for nonprofits, to determine whether or not the department (and the Overture Foundation in Madison) can lead a major fundraiser effort.

"If they attempt to move (Secretary of State) Douglas LaFollette, you can expect that he will argue long and loud for a return of his office to the Capitol," a
former building tenant said.

Scocos guesstimates that private donations would provide about half of the cost, and the rest would come from funds appropriated by state lawmakers.

The Board of Veterans Affairs met April 21 in Sturgeon Bay, and the same board members and senior WDVA management were on hand for the proceedings.

The meeting was the first anniversary of sorts for holdover board members Kathy Marschman and Don Heiliger, whose terms expired on May 1, 2005, blocking the way for new gubernatorial appointees to the board.

They have refused to resign and the GOP-controlled State Senate has refused to confirm their replacements, leaving Republican appointees in control of the board even though the governor, who appoints the members, is a Democrat who has been in office for three years.

Vietnam veteran Mack Hughes was elected to replace Ken Wendt as board chair. Hughes has served on the board since October 2001.

The agency also intends to memorialize vets by naming several WDVA facilities after them, including (Ray) Boland Hall, a nursing home facility in Union Grove.

Boland, who served as WDVA secretary for 12 years, is active in the Republican party and still casually advises Scocos on matters impacting vets.