The Albany Gazette - Supervisor Alan Wong Introduces Legislation to Restore Veterans’ Commission Name and Remove Sunset Date

San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong introduced legislation on Tuesday to restore the original name of the city’s advisory body for veterans and remove a provision that would dissolve the group in 2029. The ordinance, co-sponsored by Supervisors Myrna Melgar and Matt Dorsey, seeks to rename the Veterans’ Affairs Council back to the Veterans’ Affairs Commission and strike the sunset date that was established during a recent citywide overhaul of municipal boards.

Wong presented the legislation on the steps of City Hall ahead of Veterans Day, rallying veterans and fellow supervisors in support of the measure. The proposed changes aim to reverse effects of Proposition E, which voters approved in November 2024 to create the Commission Streamlining Task Force. In May, the Board of Supervisors approved the task force’s ordinance, which redefined the group as an advisory body, renamed it a council, and set it to expire on July 1, 2029, unless the board votes to extend its existence.

The new name took effect in June. The task force had recommended adding sunset dates of no more than three years to most advisory bodies to align with board rules for newly created entities. It also advised calling advisory bodies “councils” while reserving the names “commission” and “board” for decision-making bodies, though it noted that some groups could retain their historical names.

Wong, a captain in the California Army National Guard, argued that the advisory body provides veterans with a direct channel to convey concerns to the mayor and the board through hearings and recommendations. He emphasized that the work requires continuity to maintain institutional knowledge.

“That work requires continuity,” Wong said. “Members build relationships, follow issues over time and bring experience that city government needs to hear. Veterans’ needs will continue beyond July 2029. Their representation at City Hall should continue, too.”

The name change has faced resistance from members of the advisory group. Hanley Chan, the group’s vice president and a Navy veteran, opposed the renaming in a June op-ed in The Voice of San Francisco. Chan argued that the term “council” does not carry the same meaning, authority, or public recognition as “commission.”

In August, the council sent a letter drafted by Chan to Mayor Daniel Lurie and the Board of Supervisors requesting a corrective ordinance. The letter noted that many similar advisory bodies retained their names without comparable restrictions, while the veterans’ body was renamed, given a sunset date, and assigned additional requirements.

During Tuesday’s event, Chan explicitly distinguished the group’s former title from its current one. “I also want to take a special moment to recognize and thank my fellow veterans affairs commissioners,” Chan said. “Not council – commission.”

Supervisor Melgar, who represents District 7, shared personal reasons for supporting the legislation, citing her younger sister, an Air Force officer in the reserves who deployed to Kuwait and Iraq as a medic. Melgar stated that her sister was later diagnosed with breast cancer, a condition she said is common among those exposed to burn pits, and described the process of getting care reimbursed as very difficult.

“Veterans have the highest risk of PTSD, mental health issues, homelessness,” Melgar said. “We as the City can do so much more to support this community. It all starts with a Veterans Affairs Commission.”

Supervisor Dorsey, representing District 6, spoke about his father, an Air Force veteran who served during the Korean War. He noted that his father was always proud to be part of the veterans community.

William “Bill” Barnickel, president of the advisory group and a former Air Force servicemember, highlighted the importance of housing for veterans. He credited Wong, then an aide to former District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar, with helping pass a priority for veterans in the city’s below-market-rate housing programs.

Alongside the ordinance, Wong introduced a resolution recognizing November 2026 as National Veterans and Military Families Month. The resolution, co-sponsored by Supervisors Melgar, Dorsey, Rafael Mandelman, and Stephen Sherrill, honors veterans, service members, and their spouses, children, caregivers, and surviving loved ones.

Wong stated that military service shifts significant responsibilities onto families, requiring spouses to adjust work schedules and relatives to help care for children or become caregivers while managing households. He called on city departments and community partners to help these families access benefits and support.

“Those responsibilities deserve recognition,” Wong said. “They also deserve support.”

Gerardo Carr, the City’s County Veterans Service Officer, urged veterans, dependents, and survivors to learn about benefits available through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and community partners, noting that many people are unaware of what they qualify for.

Simone Lundquist, founder and executive director of Open Doors to Future Possibilities, discussed the impact on families of those killed in service. She started her group eight years ago after carrying survivor’s guilt for 30 years over friends killed in an IED explosion. Lundquist, who worked with the Red Cross and Red Crescent in war zones, said recognizing the month reminds organizations to consider how they can include families in their support.

“Families often become very good at getting through the day,” Lundquist said. “They make the arrangements, keep the household running and help everyone else adjust. Does that mean they never need the support themselves?”

The resolution was adopted without objection at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting. The ordinance will go to the board’s Rules Committee no sooner than early December before proceeding to the full board for votes to reach the mayor.

The legislation comes as the city continues to navigate the implementation of Proposition E, which aimed to streamline municipal governance but has sparked debate over the status and naming of specific advisory bodies. Veterans’ advocates argue that the changes undermine the group’s standing and continuity, while proponents of the streamlining effort maintain that uniform rules for all advisory bodies are necessary for accountability.

(A.Moore--TAG)