Fall River is looking to hire a new veterans agent, and may have to increase the salary
FALL RIVER — The city is on the hunt again for a new veterans’ agent, as Michelle Hamilton, after a year on the job, is moving on to another community.
City Administrator Seth Aitken said the city has advertised for the position. The city is looking to hire its fourth director for the Veterans' Services department since 2021.
Hamilton was hired in March 2023. Aitken praised Hamilton for her work and the initiatives she brought to the department.
“As a veterans' agent, she had a heart for veterans. She had a dedication to, not just the work, but forming relationships in the veterans' community that was outstanding. She made connections with veterans and increased the level of service to veterans,” said Aitken.
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Hamilton had taken over the RIDE program, formerly run by the Council on Aging.
“That moved over to the veterans' agency, and they purchased a new van from ARPA [American Rescue Plan Act] funding, spearheaded by city councilors Michelle Dionne and Andrew Raposo,” said Aitken.
This doubled the number of transportation services for veterans and the elderly for doctor visits and other appointments, said Aitken.
“We are looking how to expand the capacity of the program,” said Aitken, a military veteran himself. “They have done a tremendous job. She’s a team builder, and she approached the job just like we would have in the military.”
An Army veteran, Hamilton was the president of Rolling Thunder Massachusetts Chapter 2, the national and local organization open to both military and civilian individuals with a mission to advocate for POW/MIA issues and to assist veterans, before taking the job as Fall River’s veteran agent.
She was the second woman to hold the position after taking over from Micaila Britto, who left Fall River for a position in Somerset.
Before Britto, former City Councilor Ray Hague had the job for over a decade.
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Administration looking to change terms of employment
Hamilton is taking the job of veterans agent in Foxboro for significantly more money.
In Fall River, the position's salary is set by ordinance.
A job posting for the veterans agent says the salary is "not to exceed $72,236.54."
“So, the first part of the plan to hire a new veteran's agent is to ask the City Council to make the position a contract position. Right now, it's capped by ordinance at a certain salary. It will have the same job description but a different way it's categorized,” said Aitken. “We need to attract and retain great people. We need to do that, especially for the veterans because we have so many veterans and it's such an important part of Fall River.”
Aitken said the search is a “two-fold search,” with the job already being posted.
“At the same time, I’ve been reaching out, especially recently retired veterans,” said Aitken. “The biggest part of the job is identifying the needs of veterans and figuring out how to really meet the need, especially when there aren’t unlimited resources to work with.”
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Fall River veterans agent leaves for Foxboro; city looking to hire
