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County's veterans services program officially resumes

Mineral Wells Index - 2/27/2019

Feb. 26-- Feb. 26--PALO PINTO -- After a brief suspension, the county has officially resumed providing veterans services assistance through its contracted specialist, Veterans Services Officer Clay Roundtree.

The county temporarily halted services -- though Roundtree vowed he would not stop serving and helping veterans -- while working to resolve some questions concerning Roundtree's hours and use of county-supplied equipment.

Roundtree, a disabled Navy veteran who is also commander of AmVets Post 133, was appointed in December by commissioners as the county's new veterans services officer. The agreement called for Roundtree to be paid $19.50 per hour for up to 400 hours annually -- or about eight hours a week on average.

However, Roundtree was working hours and days in excess of the agreement, raising some concerns among county officials.

Pct. 4 County Commissioner Jeff Fryer on Monday said Roundtree has signed an agreement that he will not seek compensation for time worked outside his fixed, contracted amount.

"He signed an agreement saying he wouldn't come back and file for overtime," Fryer said.

Roundtree will now receive county-issued laptop, portable printers and an aircard for mobile internet access and is cleared to visit homebound and other mobility challenged veterans across the county as needed. His office is at VFW Post 2399 in Mineral Wells, located at 1400 Veterans of Foreign Wars St.

"(I am) very happy with the set up," Roundtree told the Index. "I work 20 to 24 hours a week and now able to do home visits."

County officials met with longtime Erath County VSO Tamara Barker for information and insight on how she and that county handles its arrangement and contract.

"There is no way to split that time when you are on 24 hours," said Pct. 3 Commissioner Mike Pierce. "We just wanted to make sure. It was nothing personal."

In December, Roundtree was appointed to replace the county's previous VSOs, Mack and Debbie Huddleston, following their retirements. He works closely at VFW Post 2399 with his veterans benefits program mentor Lee Downs, who has recovered more than $8 million in veterans benefits and payments for individuals and families, including widows.

Palo Pinto County has nearly 2,000 military veterans.

Moving the county's veterans services office from a building across the street for the county courthouse to VFW Post 2399 frees up that building for the county for other uses, including some storage and housing wellness and exercise equipment for county employees, so that the county can move ahead with demolishing the old café on the courthouse's west side for use as additional courthouse parking.

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(c)2019 the Mineral Wells Index (Mineral Wells, Texas)

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