In a letter dated Monday, Feb. 1, Geoffrey Hearsum, president and CEO of ADVICS Manufacturing Ohio, sent a letter to the voting members expressing his support for the merger and encouraging members to cast a yes vote.
“I believe this proposed merger with Butler County United Way is an opportunity for us to make our community stronger,” Hearsum wrote.
Since the founding of ADVICS in 1988, Hearsum said his company and employees have contributed more than $1 million to the Warren County United Way.
Warren County United Way members will vote Thursday on the proposed merger. Butler County has already agreed to the merger.
In a letter released Tuesday, Warren County Commission said “a merger between the Butler County and Warren County United Way is not in the best interest of the citizens or the various partner agencies at this time.”
“If the United Way Board feels that a merger is truly best in the long term for their partner agencies and the citizens, we encourage them to provide more details and invite their 200-plus voting member to become openly involved in the planning process,” the letter reads.
“... We respectfully ask that you vote against the merger question that has been scheduled for this Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010 at 6 p.m.,” the letter said.
Commissioner Pat South said they see the merits of discussing a regional merger.
“But it’s hard to get 200 people totally informed on an important issue in two meetings,” she said. “This is a skeleton with no meat on it.”
On Jan. 6, the nonpartisan Area Progress Council of Warren County voted to oppose the proposed merger.
During last week’s information meeting, two other corporate partners expressed support for the merger.
“I believe the merger is the best way for us to move forward to create an energized, efficient and relevant United Way organization,” wrote Don Lane, CEO of Makino.
Also expressing support was David Faulk, Macys senior vice president, who said, “Macys strongly endorses a merge between Warren County United Way and Butler County United Way.”
According to Tom Clark, a Makino vice president and a United Way board member, these three corporations are among the top five corporate donors to the Warren County United Way, representing about $250,000 in donations.
The proposed merger would not affect Middletown, which is a part of the Greater Cincinnati United Way, or the Oxford area, which operates its own United Way agency.
About the Author
