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Record of Proceedings

Small Business Committee Joint with Public Safety & Veterans Meeting - May 6, 2026

Board of Legislators & Committees — Wednesday, May 6, 2026
BodyWestchester County, New York
SessionBoard of Legislators & Committees
DateWednesday, May 6, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 45:27

Original source
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0:15

This meeting is being recorded and summarized.

0:19

All right.

0:20

Thank you everybody for joining.

0:21

Today is what's it?

0:23

It is Tuesday, May 5th, 2026.

0:27

Happy Cinq Domato.

0:29

It is 3.06 p.m.

0:31

I would like to begin today's meeting.

0:34

We are joined also with uh veterans and public safety.

0:41

Sure.

0:41

Opening up the committee, 3 or 6 p.m.

0:45

Appreciate being a join and looking forward to our wonderful conversation with our wonderful veterans and employees who work so hard.

0:51

Let's do attendance.

0:53

So I am present.

0:55

Vice Chair Clements, you're online.

0:58

Yes.

1:01

We saw you.

1:04

Mark uses yes.

1:05

Okay, thank you.

1:06

Let's say Cunzio.

1:08

Here.

1:09

Thank you.

1:10

Legislator Smith.

1:11

Here.

1:12

Okay, and we have a quorum.

1:13

Thank you.

1:14

We're opened up.

1:15

It's public safety and governments.

1:16

Thank you, everyone.

1:17

Thank you.

1:17

And uh like to open up.

1:19

I am here.

1:20

Uh let's hit an ambulance here.

1:23

And uh legislator Smith.

1:26

Here.

1:26

Right?

1:28

Thank you.

1:29

So today's meeting is to discuss uh reenacting or resurrecting the county favors program.

1:37

Uh a little about a little bit about this program.

1:40

It's a program to offered uh discounts to veterans in Westchester County.

1:45

Uh it's a program that is uh very good initiative to have veterans uh be you know discounted on different goods and items in West Chester County is something that they will opt into and along with businesses.

1:59

Uh so I'd like to invite to the table our director of veterans, uh Josh Gotchio.

2:10

And director and Travis, may you please when you sit, please give your full title and introduce yourself as well.

2:17

Thanks, Travis.

2:19

Thank you.

2:19

So Travis is passing out a few issue documents here.

2:22

Yes.

2:23

I do love the trees, so I'm sorry I had to make so many paper copies.

2:27

No worries.

2:29

I just want to say thank you to both Josh and Travis for serving us proudly in the United States of Forces.

2:35

Thank you, gentlemen.

2:43

All right.

2:43

Well, thank you.

2:44

Uh can you please introduce yourself for the record.

2:47

I'm Travis Melby.

2:48

I'm the program administrator for the Western Service Veterans Service Office.

2:52

And Josh Cassion, director of the Veteran Service Agency.

2:56

So thank you for the opportunity to have us.

2:58

And since you're giving me the floor here, I want to spend a minute or two just bragging about uh the work that we're doing and and the good things our staff is doing.

3:08

Travis is really uh I come here.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Veterans Affairs█████████████████████████████████████████████72%
Public Engagement█████8%
Community Engagement████6%
Personnel Matters███4%
Technology and Innovation███4%
Public Safety██3%
Workforce Development██3%
Summary of Proceedings

Small Business Committee Joint with Public Safety & Veterans Committee Meeting - May 6, 2026

This joint committee meeting focused on the revival of the Westchester County FAVOR (discount) program for veterans, led by Veterans Service Agency Director Joshua Gaccione and Program Administrator Travis Melby. Discussion covered program design, outreach, staffing, and related services.

Consent Calendar

  • The committee approved the meeting minutes from February 11, March 4, March 18, and April 1, 2026, on a motion by Legislator Nambiar, seconded by Legislator Nolan. The motion carried with Legislators Nolan, Nambiar, and Smith voting aye; Legislators Holstein and Woodson-Samuels absent.

Discussion Items

  • FAVOR Program Revival: Director Gaccione and Administrator Melby introduced plans to relaunch a county-wide discount card for veterans (the FAVOR card), modeled after the existing parks card. The card will be barcoded for secure registration and will be rolled out in time for Veterans Appreciation Day at Playland on August 9, 2026. A companion online directory of veteran-owned businesses and participating merchants is also being developed. Registration will require secure verification via the county IT system (social security numbers needed).
  • Outreach: The agency reported 925 client interactions (veterans and family members) in the final quarter of 2025, an increase attributed to stepped-up social media outreach and visits to new locations. Legislators suggested partnering with local chambers of commerce, American Legion posts, and using events at Kensico Dam to distribute the card and identify veterans. Director Gaccione and Administrator Melby expressed openness to collaborating with legislators to disseminate information via newsletters and district events.
  • Staffing and Budget: The Veterans Service Agency has a staff of about nine, with only three Veteran Service Officers (VSOs) currently—one salary position (grade 12) is vacant. Gaccione noted that staff is at or near capacity, hampering outreach and program development. He stated that adding at least one more level 10 VSO would significantly increase capacity to serve the estimated 40,000–60,000 veterans in Westchester County.
  • Digitization of Records: The agency is digitizing paper records from 1980 to present through an intern program funded by the VA Work Study program. Records are being organized and transferred to archives, while active claims are uploaded to the VETPRO online system. A new intern, Desmond, recently joined via a 120-day early military separation internship, allowing him to develop civilian skills while completing his service.
  • Veterans Advisory Committee: The committee discussed the need to reconstitute the Veterans Advisory Committee. Several previously identified members have not been sworn in; Legislator Nolan committed to working with the county executive’s office and the appointments committee to finalize new members and resume regular meetings.
  • Employment Partnerships: Legislators inquired about partnerships with Department of Defense-affiliated employers and veteran organizations (e.g., Reserve Organization Association). Director Gaccione welcomed such partners to the upcoming town hall and job fair on September 26, 2026.

Key Outcomes

  • The consent calendar minutes were approved unanimously.
  • The FAVOR card program will launch at Playland on August 9, 2026, with online registration and merchant sign-up forms being developed with IT.
  • The agency will continue to seek new members for the Veterans Advisory Committee; Legislators will assist with nominations.
  • No formal votes were taken on program proposals, but the committee expressed support for moving forward with the FAVOR revival and outreach efforts.
  • The meeting adjourned at 3:51 PM following a motion by Legislator Nambiar, seconded by Legislator Nolan, with the same voting tally.

Meeting Transcript

This meeting is being recorded and summarized. All right. Thank you everybody for joining. Today is what's it? It is Tuesday, May 5th, 2026. Happy Cinq Domato. It is 3.06 p.m. I would like to begin today's meeting. We are joined also with uh veterans and public safety. Sure. Opening up the committee, 3 or 6 p.m. Appreciate being a join and looking forward to our wonderful conversation with our wonderful veterans and employees who work so hard. Let's do attendance. So I am present. Vice Chair Clements, you're online. Yes. We saw you. Mark uses yes. Okay, thank you. Let's say Cunzio. Here. Thank you. Legislator Smith. Here. Okay, and we have a quorum. Thank you. We're opened up. It's public safety and governments. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. And uh like to open up. I am here. Uh let's hit an ambulance here. And uh legislator Smith. Here. Right? Thank you. So today's meeting is to discuss uh reenacting or resurrecting the county favors program. Uh a little about a little bit about this program. It's a program to offered uh discounts to veterans in Westchester County. Uh it's a program that is uh very good initiative to have veterans uh be you know discounted on different goods and items in West Chester County is something that they will opt into and along with businesses. Uh so I'd like to invite to the table our director of veterans, uh Josh Gotchio. And director and Travis, may you please when you sit, please give your full title and introduce yourself as well. Thanks, Travis. Thank you. So Travis is passing out a few issue documents here. Yes. I do love the trees, so I'm sorry I had to make so many paper copies. No worries. I just want to say thank you to both Josh and Travis for serving us proudly in the United States of Forces.

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