Codington County VSO Reports Nearly $589K in Retro Payments for Local Veterans, Plans August Move in Watertown

Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Codington County Veteran Service Office (VSO) continues to process a high volume of claims and secure significant financial benefits for local veterans, according to a report delivered at the August 4, 2026, County Commission meeting.

Veteran Service Officer Jay Roberts presented the monthly update to the board, detailing the office’s recent metrics, a pending office relocation, and the success of their regional partnerships.

Claims and Financial Impact

Roberts opened his report by outlining the substantial financial impact the VSO has had on the local veteran community.

“Over the last month, we’ve increased veterans’ income by $11,081 for the month of July. And year to date, we’ve increased [it by] $109,420,” Roberts informed the commissioners. “And on the year for retro payments, we have $588,988.”

Roberts also provided a breakdown of the current claim workload across their service areas:

·         Codington County: 127 open claims, 48 pending at the VA, and 178 completed year-to-date.

·         Hamlin County: 20 open claims, 10 pending at the VA, and 22 completed.

·         Out-of-County: Working with seven veterans from outside the standard service area, with 11 claims completed.

Regarding transportation, Roberts noted that two veterans utilized the DAV vehicle for healthcare appointments in Sioux Falls during July, but zero are scheduled for August. He attributed this decline to the office actively encouraging veterans to use the VA’s own transportation service.

Office Relocation and Security Costs

The VSO is preparing to move to a new location on August 24. Roberts shared a brief update regarding a newly discovered operational cost tied to the move.

“I found out that at my new location that I’m moving in on the 24th of August, that I have to pay for my internet,” Roberts explained. “The county requires a dedicated line because of the VPN to our servers. They don’t want anybody else piggybacking on top of our line to get in and find out information off our servers.”

The dedicated line will cost $140 per month, an $82 increase over their current internet expenses. However, Roberts assured the board that the current budget can easily absorb the cost without requiring modifications. Chairman Troy VanDusen and Commissioner Lee Gabel both expressed their approval, noting that following budget rules and maintaining data security are top priorities.

Regional Partnerships and Upcoming Closures

Commissioner Tyler McElhany asked Roberts about the ongoing partnership with neighboring Hamlin County. Roberts reported that the arrangement is proving highly beneficial.

“It is working very well. In fact, we have a couple of veterans out there preaching to the choir,” Roberts said. “We’ve gotten a couple of people some fairly big adjustments to their compensation, and so they’re spreading the word throughout the veteran community down there.”

When asked if other neighboring counties were considering joining the partnership, Roberts noted that Kingsbury County had briefly considered it but ultimately opted to hire internally to keep services local.

Looking ahead to the fall schedule, Roberts announced that the VSO will be closed for four days in September. Both he and Eric will be traveling to Sioux Falls for recertification training.

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