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HOWELL — U.S. Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins confirmed to Howell-area veterans Monday that he plans to cut the department by 80,000 employees, including some who are veterans, while pledging to improve health care and other services.

Collins asked veterans gathered at the American Legion Post 141 near Howell to hold him accountable if service improvements don't happen.

"We've got a lot of change coming up; it's putting the veteran first," said Collins, a former Georgia congressman who is also an attorney and military chaplain, and who was sworn in Feb. 5 as a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet.

"Motion causes friction," said Collins, who took friendly questions from the crowd of about 50 people and received a brief standing ovation at the end of his remarks. "There's going to be a lot of friction."

He said to remember that his department "is not an employment agency," but instead is about providing services. It can do that much better than it has been, but not if it keeps doing things the same way, he said.

Trump adviser Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which is not an actual federal government department, has prompted cuts of at least 2,400 VA employees and recommended firing about 80,000 more.

Collins, joined by freshman U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, is touring Veterans Affairs facilities in Michigan and meeting with veterans.

Barrett, who is chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, wrote to Collins in early March, expressing concern about the potential impact of the workforce cuts and seeking assurances that only those who have "truly underperformed and not met the expectations of their assignment" will lose their jobs.

Asked whether those are the criteria as the department attempts a 15% workforce reduction, Collins suggested the government is looking more at job function than individual performance.

He said the government is looking at areas of the workforce that are not supporting the department's primary mission of providing health care and veteran benefits. Collins said the previous administration added positions such as publicists and "yoga instructors" who don't support the core mission.

"Where do we need help and where do we not need?" Collins told reporters. "That's really the criteria for what we're doing right now."

Asked whether Collins had given him satisfactory assurances about the concerns he raised in his letter, Barrett said he and Collins share a mission of delivering benefits to veterans in the most efficient way possible.

"That's going to take collaborative effort," and discussions between him and Collins continue, he said.

Collins told the veterans that cutting 80,000 people from the department is a goal.

"If we get there, great," he said. "But we may not get there."

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.

Amid plans to cut 80,000 jobs from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins promised a room full of veterans, military spouses, and veterans services providers in Howell, Mich. that his focus remains on veterans.

“We got a lot of change coming up, and I’m being forthright and honest with you about that, but at the end of the day, it’s putting the veteran first and making sure you get the care that you’ve earned and the care and the benefits that you have,” Collins said, during a visit to American Legion Post 141 alongside U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) on Monday.

“As they always say, motion causes friction. There’s going to be a lot of friction. There’s a lot of invested parties in keeping the VA, just like it is, the only investment I have is in you to make it better,” Collins said.

During his visit, Collins told reporters that despite added funding and personnel, the department hadn’t improved in providing services to veterans.

As it looks to reduce its workforce, Collins said they were looking at areas that did not deal directly with veterans’ benefits or healthcare. The Department is currently assessing its agencies to determine whether its agents are performing well, where they need help and what they do not need, he said.

The Department has added more than 80,000 employees since the 2019 fiscal year, including tens of thousands of employees hired to address claims under the 2022 PACT ACT claims, which expanded benefits to veterans exposed to burn pits. However, Collins told the crowd nobody could tell him how many employees were hired in support of the law.

“We were hiring interior designers. We’re hiring laborers. We were hiring publicists,” Collins said.

“We have a lot of employees in the VA that are not seeing patients. They’re not doing disability claims. They’re not doing that. They’re moving paperwork. And so we’re gonna see if someone would like to be reintroduced to a clinic and actually help patients on their daily basis,” Collins said.

However, that reduction of 80,000 positions is a goal, Collins said. While they may not get there, Collins said he made “very much of a commitment.”

While the Department aims to cut tens of thousands of employees by August, Democrats, veterans and unions have raised concerns about how they will impact veterans, protesting nearby the Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Kettles Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Ann Arbor.

According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and state Rep. Joe Tate (D-Detroit) on Saturday pushed back on the Trump Administration’s cuts and the president’s move to invalidate bargaining agreements with the American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing VA employees.

“This commitment to cut 80,000 people out of the Veterans Administration means veterans’ health care can be cut, veterans’ access to services and benefits are going to be cut,” Gilchrist told the Free Press. “The fundamental promise of being a servicewoman or a serviceman, that’s being broken.”

Earlier this month, Barrett sent a letter to Collins calling on the VA to “review and reconsider their workforce reduction process to ensure only those who have truly underperformed are relieved of duty.”

When asked if his concerns had been addressed, Barrett deflected, telling reporters he was excited the secretary had come to visit his district and was committed to his mission of improving the VA.

“I think you heard from his remarks today the commitment that he has, and I’m excited to be working with him in that effort to make sure that we continue, as he said. The purpose of this is to deliver the benefits that our veterans have earned, and to do that respectfully. And that’s the mission that I’m committed to as well. And look forward to working with him in that effort,” Barrett said.

Collins similarly deflected when asked how many employees had been fired and rehired as after two federal judges ordered the White House to reinstate more than 24,000 probationary employees let go across 18 government agencies. “We’re following the courts’ orders,” he said.

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HOWELL — For visitors and residents alike, there's plenty to love in Howell, Michigan, with festivals, parades and parks to enjoy year-round.

Here's our top six:

Michigan Challenge Balloonfest

The Michigan Challenge Balloonfest at Howell High School, organized by the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce each June, is over three decades old. The festival is, at its core, a celebration of hot air balloons — but it also features fireworks, family activities and a full-scale carnival. Enjoy the nightly balloon launch, weather permitting, and the hugely popular balloon glow, where over a dozen balloons of various patterns light up against the night sky.

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More: Howell dining destination named one of best in U.S.

Melon Fest

Michigan is big into celebrating local produce, and that's just what Melon Fest does. The downtown event is organized by Howell Recreation and the Howell Melon Festival Committee each August. Popular activities include the Melon Ball and the Howell Melon Run. Visitors can enjoy food, arts, crafts and other products from local vendors —in particular, of course, melons (we recommend the melon ice cream).

Fantasy of Lights

Thanksgiving isn't complete without the Fantasy of Lights in Howell. The event, organized by the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce, takes place annually the Friday after Thanksgiving, kicking off the holiday season. Pre-parade activities include Santa and his reindeer, hot cocoa, live entertainment and a 5K. Dozens of floats, local marching bands, and cars — all strung in twinkle lights — make their way down Grand River during the main event.

Historic Downtown

Plenty of main streets in Michigan are historic, but not many of them are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Howell Downtown Historic District is a mostly commercial district spanning five blocks of Grand River in the center of town. In addition to good eats at Uptown Coffee, Gus's Carryout and M Street Baking Company, you'll find unique boutiques and retailers for an afternoon of shopping.

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More: Not much of a green thumb? With spring coming, The Dertian Ranch in Howell is a must-visit

Waldenwoods

Most locals know Waldenwoods as a Hartland destination, but to visitors, Waldenwoods has a Howell address. The expansive campground and event center is popular for weddings, getaways, golfing and fun on Lake Walden. Amenities include a convenience store, playground, walking trails and family activities.

Gus's Breadsticks

While admittedly Gus's Carryout has locations throughout Livingston County, one of the family's first full-service restaurants, Tomato Brothers, is located at 3030 W. Grand River Ave. in Howell. Gus's is known for many things — homemade ranch, pizza, cheese dip, lasagna — but the business is best known for its breadsticks (a bag of which this reporter is sure to grab whenever she passes through her hometown).

— Contact editor Cassandra Lybrink at clybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @CassLybrink.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Top six things to do in Howell includes Balloonfest and Melon Fest

HOWELL, Mich. - The man who was pulled from Lake Chemung in Howell by the U.S. Coast Guard and rescue workers in Livingston County has passed away.

Emergency responders rushed to Lake Chemung near Howell around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon after someone went through the ice.

Video from SkyFOX shows multiple rescue workers in bright yellow gear crawling along the ice to get to the victim. They're also pulling a small boat to move the person as well.

The U.S. Coast Guard was called to assist with the rescue and a helicopter arrived around 3:40, and a rescue worker was lowered to the ice to help.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

(FOX 2)

Just as the coast guard arrived on the scene, the victim was in the process of being pulled out of the frigid water. The coast guard worker rushed to get the person strapped into a lift system. At 3:55 p.m., the victim was airlifted into the Coast Guard helicopter.

As the helicopter took off, a large amount of rescue workers seen on the banks of Lake Chemung.

The coast guard helicopter landed nearby before the victim was taken to an ambulance for hospitalization.

The Brighton fire chief said the man was on a hang glider when he crashed onto the lake. Rescue crews had to bear-crawl on the breaking ice roughly 300 yards to get to where the man was and were ultimately assisted by the Coast Guard to pull the man from the water.

THIN ICE: LAKES BEAR IMPACTS FROM WARM WINTER

Shortly after setting down and getting the victim to an ambulance, the Livingston County rescue workers were stuck on the ice – unable to get their skiff to go through the water.

The Coast Guard helicopter returned to help rescue them as well.

A total of eight firefighters are being treated for cold exposure but are expected to be okay.

Ice is melting throughout the area as temperatures in the past week have been close to 60 degrees.

(National Weather Service / FOX Weather)