THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, June 28, 1995 TAG: 9506280436
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MATTHEW BOWERS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
The Hunton is remaining independent. Now it must scramble to simply remain.
The governing board of the William A. Hunton Young Men's Christian Association, one of the oldest independent black Y's in the country, voted Saturday not to merge with the more-prosperous, primarily white South Hampton Roads YMCA chain.
Only one of the Hunton's 25 board members dissented in the decision, which came after nine months of financial analysis and community debate that attracted national attention.
When a management contract with the South Hampton Roads Y expires Friday, the Hunton, on East Charlotte Street, will resume controlling its own finances and personnel. And it will seek ``significant contributions from the community'' to pull it out of its cash-poor circumstances and fund an ambitious five-year spending plan.
``The whole key here was to make a decision that was best for the community,'' said A. Bruce Williams, chairman-elect of the Hunton's volunteer board.
Williams said ``the easy way'' would've been to merge his 120-year-old inner-city institution with the eight-member regional chain. Such a move would have provided financial stability. But local residents and neighborhood leaders balked at possibly losing the Hunton's identity and purpose.
``The community spoke loudly,'' Williams said.
Hunton and South Hampton Roads Y leaders couldn't agree on a contract that would preserve the Hunton's autonomy. Hunton officials wanted to retain more control over the Y's assets than just to have two votes on a 21-member regional board, Williams said. They also wanted the opportunity to return to independent status some day.
The two organizations remain affiliated as national YMCA members.
``We serve a mostly inner-city population that has a great deal of pride in Hunton's heritage and mission,'' board Chairman Robert G. Murray said in a written statement. ``We need to maintain a level of control over programming that the regional organization just could not grant.''
In addition to traditional recreation programs, the Hunton provides services ranging from reading and computer-literacy classes to anti-drug and self-esteem projects. It also houses the homeless, distributes food stamps and tutors people to obtain their high school-equivalency certificates.
Now it hopes to tap into local businesses to help more than double its budget to $957,000 by next year. The money would be used for higher pay for employees, a scholarship fund and improvements to the Hunton's building, Williams said.
``If we didn't feel we'd be a growing Y still able to provide services, we wouldn't have done it,'' he said of the decision to stay independent. ``It's not about maintaining what is now - it's about taking it to the next level.''
The board's decision didn't rule out a future merger. Said Williams, ``I think the feeling of the community and the board was, if we're going to merge, merge as a strong player.'' by CNB