Holliston Joins Regional Veterans District

Holliston Selectmen voted to join a newly formed regional veterans services district, a sharing of resources that is seen as a possible model for regionalization of other services in the future. 

Holliston's board voted last Monday to join the regional district, which also includes the towns of Hopkinton, Ashland and Medway. 

Under the new district approach, which the state's Department of Veterans Services approved over the summer, each town would pay an assessment based on population to cover the $85,000 in salary and expenses for a shared Veterans Services director, said Town Administrator Paul LeBeau. 

Holliston was the last town to formally join the district, and will pay about 24 percent of the total budget, LeBeau said. Ashland will pay the lion's share, at 30 percent, or $27,000 a year. 

State law requires each community to have a veterans services director, but the state more recently has begun to embrace a regional approach, recognizing both the opportunity for savings and the reality that some agents work with relatively few veterans.  

The new position will travel among the four communities as needed. Veterans Services Agents help veterans apply for a host of federal benefits. 

Holliston's longtime veterans services director, Anthony Mastroianni, announced his intention to retire earlier this year.  

The new district has already begun to seek a new agent for the district, posting the job online. Qualifications include having earned an honorary discharge from the U.S. armed services.