SBVA unanimously asks commissioner to reconsider resigning

Members of the State Board of Veterans Affairs unanimously voted at Thursday’s meeting that the outgoing Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs commissioner Kent Davis strongly consider rescinding his resignation. 

Davis submitted his resignation on Sept. 9 with an effective date of Dec. 31. Ivey had called on Davis to resign at the beginning of September, alleging that Davis had mishandled an American Rescue Plan Act grant program and put the agency’s ability to serve veterans in jeopardy.

This vote came just one day after the Veterans Benefits and Services Committee on Wednesday voted to report to the full State Board of Veterans Affairs that they found no wrongdoing with the $7 million in ARPA funds ADVA received.

Davis filed an ethics complaint against Alabama Department of Mental Health commissioner Kim Boswell for allegedly blocking the ADVA from accessing $7 million in ARPA funds. The complaint was later dismissed.

The complaint alleged that Boswell terminated an inter-agency memorandum of agreement with ADVA to distribute these funds two months before the set date for distribution. Concerns were raised about the grant selection process, including the inclusion of lobbying expenses and unclear communications with awardees about funding amounts.

Since the agreement was terminated less than two months before the deadline to administer ARPA funds, ADVA eventually decided to use $7 million from another ADVA fund, the Veterans Assistance Fund, to pay out the awarded grants with board and legislative approval. 

Departments and officials remarked to the ADVA along the way that this was the right path to take to correct this issue. During the meeting on Wednesday, Davis remarked he had requested special audits from the State Board of Examiners to look over the issues, but that they denied based on past audits and no evidence of improper handling of ARPA fund.

“The State Board of Veterans Affairs today expressed full support for Commissioner Kent Davis as the head of the Alabama Department of Veterans Affairs, which mirrors what the Veterans community across the state has echoed for more than five years. Commissioner Davis remains focused in the department’s mission and day-to-day operations in its services to Alabama’s 400,000 Veterans,” said Brandon Miller, the ADVA’s public information manager.

Response to Davis’ resignation was initially split. Many veteran groups expressed support for Davis staying in his role as commissioner. Some members of Alabama’s legislature echoed Ivey’s call that the ADVA would benefit from a change in leadership.

“To open today’s State Board of Veterans Affairs meeting, I conveyed a direct message of teamwork and commitment to our state’s wonderful veteran community. After I left to chair the State Board of Education meeting, orchestrated theater ensued, showing a lack of leadership and quite the opposite of teamwork,” said Governor Kay Ivey. “I have accepted Admiral Davis’ resignation, and I expect he will stand by his word. We will move forward in exploring ways to best serve Alabama’s veterans.” 

Davis said that he stands by his previous public statement and that he and Ivey had come to a “good agreement.”