La Verne’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12034 will continue using space at Veterans Hall after the City Council unanimously chose a nominal $1 annual fee over a $500 monthly option. A required insurance policy remains an unresolved expense for the organization.

At its Oct. 5 meeting, the City Council approved a five-year license agreement covering Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2031, and waived a proposed $500 refundable security deposit.

Parks and Recreation Director Yvonne Duran recommended making sexual abuse and molestation liability insurance mandatory because Veterans Hall also houses the City’s preschool program. She told the City Council the recommendation reflected the building’s shared use and the regular presence of preschool-age children, rather than any concern or incident involving the VFW.

Duran subsequently confirmed in an email to La Verne Daily News that the post would be responsible for obtaining and paying for the coverage.

Post Commander Maria McKinney said she does not yet know how much the insurance will cost.

A longstanding relationship

Veterans Hall’s connection to local veterans stretches back decades.

According to the Aug. 21, 1968, edition of the La Verne Leader, the building was dedicated in November 1934 and given to the City by American Legion Post 330 in 1943.

In 2006-07, the City spent approximately $15,300 to convert part of a storage room into office space for the VFW post, according to the staff report. The agreement governing that use expired June 30, 2008, but the post continued occupying the space with City permission. Staff said they had not identified a subsequent written renewal.

The new agreement formalizes that relationship as a license to use designated space, with the City retaining ownership and control of the facility.

“This is not about removing the VFW from Veterans Hall,” Duran told the City Council. “It’s about documenting the relationship appropriatel and establishing clear expectations for authorized use, city oversight, maintenance and security, insurance, identification, fees and direct costs.”

Balancing costs and community service

During this year’s budget process, the City Council directed staff to formalize the arrangement as part of a broader effort to recover costs at City facilities.

Staff presented three fee options: $500 a month, $1 a year or no charge.

More than a dozen speakers addressed the City Council in support of the post, many describing its charitable work and reliance on donations rather than bar revenue.

McKinney said a $500 monthly fee would consume approximately 60% of the post’s annual donations.

Duran described the post’s veterans benefits assistance, referrals, outreach and fellowship as a public benefit. She also noted that its services extend beyond La Verne to surrounding communities and that the City did not have sufficient data to quantify how many people receiving those services were La Verne residents.

Council member Rick Crosby proposed that council members pay the $1 fee themselves rather than charging the post. City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow noted that the current City Council cannot bind future members to that commitment.

The City Council voted 5-0 to set the nominal $1 annual fee, waive the $500 deposit and require the post to carry the appropriate insurance. The council also authorized the city manager to sign the agreement and make any amendments needed to carry it out, subject to the city attorney’s approval.

The cost and terms of the required insurance remain to be determined.