Veterans Services Regionalization Gains Traction

Westborough should join the veterans services district being discussed by Grafton, Shrewsbury and Northborough, Westborough Town Manager Jim Malloy recommended to selectmen Tuesday.

Attorney General Martha Coakley wants communities to “fully comply” with the state law requiring “every community over 12,000 to have a full-time veterans agent,” Malloy said.

Communities in veterans services districts share a full-time veterans agent.

“Westborough, even though we have two part-time veterans agents, doesn’t really comply with the law,” Malloy said.

Selectmen Denny Drewry and Timothy Dodd said they’d like to discuss the idea further.

“I support the concept. But to rush to make a decision that doesn’t have to be made for several months, in my humble opinion, we should not do that,” Drewry said. The three towns’ veterans agent is leaving in June, he noted.

Meanwhile, Dodd said he supports “exploring regionalization.” Massachusetts has more than 21 veterans services districts, he said.

Dodd said that in his experience, there are “a few districts that have been formed where different groups of veterans have felt that the service quality has changed.”

Malloy said Shrewsbury, Northborough and Grafton officials reached out to Westborough, and several meetings were held.

Sharing a veterans agent would cost Westborough “slightly less” than the current department funding, he said.

Westborough would continue offering 80 office hours a month, but Westborough veterans could also visit the agent in Shrewsbury, Grafton and Northborough, any of which “might actually closer” to the resident’s home, Malloy said.