2007 Minnesota Statutes

197.60 VETERANS SERVICE OFFICERS; APPOINTMENT; COMPENSATION.
    Subdivision 1. Appointment; administrative support. The county board of any county
except Clay County, or the county boards of any two or more counties acting pursuant to the
provisions of section 197.602, shall appoint a veterans service officer and shall provide necessary
clerical help, office space, equipment, and supplies for the officer, together with reimbursement
for mileage and other traveling expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of duties; and
may appoint one or more assistant veterans service officers who shall have the qualifications
prescribed in section 197.601. The county board of Clay County may appoint a veterans service
officer and assistant veterans service officers as provided in this subdivision. Subject to the
direction and control of the veterans service officer, the assistant veterans service officer may
exercise all the powers, and shall perform the duties, of the veterans service officer, and shall be
subject to all the provisions of sections 197.60 to 197.606 relating to a veterans service officer.
Every county officer and agency shall cooperate with the veterans service officer and shall provide
the officer with information necessary in connection with the performance of duties.
    Subd. 2. Term. Except as otherwise prescribed in sections 197.60 to 197.606, the term of
appointment of a veterans service officer appointed pursuant to this section shall be for four years
with the first 12 months of the initial appointment being a probationary period, unless removed
for cause upon written charges and after a hearing thereon. If the board of county commissioners
does not intend to reappoint a county veterans service officer who has been certified by the
Department of Veteran Affairs, the board shall present written notice to the county veterans
service officer, not later than 90 days before the termination of the county veterans service
officer's term, that it does not intend to reappoint the county veterans service officer. If written
notice is not timely made, the county veterans service officer must automatically be reappointed
by the board of county commissioners.
    Subd. 3. Compensation. Except as otherwise prescribed in sections 197.60 to 197.606, the
county board shall fix the compensation of the veterans service officer and assistant veterans
service officers which shall be paid in the same manner and at the same time as the county
officers. The county board may fix the compensation of the veterans service officer at a level
commensurate with other county officials with the same level of responsibility.
    Subd. 4. Tax levy. In each county employing a veterans service officer, the county board may
levy a tax annually sufficient to defray the estimated cost of all salaries and expenses necessarily
incident to the performance by the veterans service officer of duties during the succeeding year,
and to make up any deficiency in the fund raised for that purpose during the preceding year. The
tax so levied may be levied in excess of and over and above all taxing limitations, including, but
not restricted to, limitations based upon population or local tax rates.
    Subd. 5. Oath. Every county veterans service officer, before entering upon duties, shall take
and subscribe the oath required of public officials.
History: 1945 c 96 s 1; 1947 c 408 s 1; 1949 c 583 s 1; 1973 c 350 s 1-3; 1978 c 625 s 1;
1986 c 444; 1988 c 699 s 4; 1988 c 719 art 5 s 84; 1Sp1989 c 1 art 2 s 11; 1991 c 123 s 3,4