All four United Way agencies — covering the greater Dayton area, greater Cincinnati, Warren and Butler counties — will remain involved in talks on whether to merge into one regional agency.

"Everybody is still at the table," Marc Levy, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, said Tuesday, April 29, after representatives for the United Ways met in West Chester.

The Southwest Ohio Regional United Way Planning Task Force, is slated to meet again on May 22.

The group is dealing with the issues, ranging from how a regional agency would be governed to day-to-day operations.

With combined annual fundraising campaigns of about $78 million, joining forces would make the regional United Way one of the largest in the country.

Facilitator Michael Sage, a Butler County Common Pleas Court judge, was appointed spokesman for the group.

While proponents see value in having one voice regionally, those opposed to a merger — including some directors of non-profits that receive United Way dollars — fear it could mean a loss of identity.

Mergers are becoming a more frequent practice among the more than 1,300 locally governed United Way organizations. There have been 84 since 2004.

Contact the reporter at (937) 225-2094 or mkissell@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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