The two boards of the Tyrone Area YMCA are scheduled to meet Wednesday, January 7 beginning at 7 p.m., at the Tyrone Elementary School to discuss possible solutions to the conflict that started at the December 17 board of directors meeting.
According to executive director of the YMCA, Amy Hampton, those invited to attend the meeting on Wednesday include the six members elected by the Association on December 17, two representatives from the YMCA of the USA, and the sitting board with Linda Hershey as president. However, Hampton said she is not invited to attend the meeting.
The sitting board of directors with Linda Hershey as president released this statement to The Daily Herald on Friday evening, “The National YMCA has requested a meeting of the two groups, who in our opinion have the best interest of the YMCA at heart.
“When the two groups have come up with a consensus, we will fax you (The Daily Herald) the resolution.”
On Friday, January 2, Hampton called a meeting among the news media and the sitting board of directors of the YMCA to offer her opinion of a way to solve the issue of the two boards.
Those present included Hampton and program director David Shildt. Also present from the sitting board were Linda Hershey, Peter Dutrow, Luke Rhoades, Tammy Emigh and Jim Bigelow.
Before giving her statement, Hampton told the news media that she had been advised from the senior consultant of the National YMCA, Dave Long, that it was not in her best interest to talk to anyone at the meeting. However, she said it was too late to cancel it, so she was going to go ahead with the meeting.
Hampton said she talked to the six members elected on December 17 and that they are, “taking a back seat until asked to serve on the board.”
She was then going to go into her proposal when Jim Bigelow told her that she was not authorized in making a proposal to the board, and if she did so, she could be suspended.
“It’s my own personal opinion that I think there’s a reasonable way to go about this,” said Hampton.
Therefore, Hampton said she wasn’t making a proposal. Instead, she was making a personal opinion of a way to solve the issue at hand.
Her suggestion was that annual elections for the board of directors should be held for the YMCA. Annual nominations could be made, and members of the YMCA could come in to vote. An outside vote-counter would then tally the votes, and the top 15 vote-getters would fill the seats.
“Everyone that would put their name on would hopefully be willing to move forward,” said Hampton. “It’s a suggestion to come to some sort of resolution, so we don’t have to pursue it legally.”
Tammy Emigh said, “This isn’t the appropriate place to discuss the issue. It’s a board issue that needs to be discussed.”
In the statement released Friday evening by the sitting board, it states, “Based on the proposal being an opinion, no action will be taken towards the Executive Director.”
Early this morning, Hampton released an open letter to the Tyrone area in response to the Local Intelligence column that ran Friday, January 2 in The Daily Herald.
Hampton’s letter is reprinted in its entirety, “As the General Manager of The Daily Herald I would hope that you would be fair enough to indulge me the opportunity to establish a factual foundation on which members of this community may objectively form an opinion based on your editorial, Local Intelligence. The column that I am referring to ran on Friday, January 2, 2004. I feel that it is important to point out that all statements made within the following paragraphs are of factual content and can be verified.
“Mr. Lash is correct in the fact that the Tyrone Area YMCA is big news these days. Individuals who are close to the situation have made many public comments and numerous articles have been written including Mr. Lash’s column. The one glaring fact that stands out in his piece however, is the reality that he did little to no information gathering on the subject nor did he pursue facts before formulating his opinion. I can guarantee he did not interview or speak to me in relation to the situation before putting words to paper. This is evident in his account of the lawsuit filed for breach of contract. With Mr. Lash’s knowledge of how boards work I find it very difficult to believe that the question of responsibility eludes him. Mr. Lash was also unsuspecting that a letter, dated November 24, 2003 addressing this very issue, is in the possession of Linda Hershey, president of the “sitting” board of directors. With more than suitable time to respond and adequate representation by more than one attorney, the “sitting” board of directors chose not to acknowledge the letter and never attempted to resolve this problem outside of pursuing it legally. The lawsuit was never about the money. It is, however, about principle. The “sitting” board of directors had every opening and occasion to discuss this matter with me. They chose to ignore it. I am sure community members will find it quite interesting to know that any moneys that would be awarded to me will be used for the following: the first thing that will happen is the creation of a “Building Fund.” This aspect of the YMCA has been a missing piece for far too long. The second thing that will happen is that with the remaining money we will create equity among staff positions. The money will bring those positions, which are not already, into a range that is on average for YMCA’s our size. Next it will offer raises to those employees, who in years past have otherwise not received them. I am committed to the well being of the organization and its staff. I have always been and remain willing to negotiate this matter to an amicable resolution.
“Mr. Lash, has chosen to ignore the issue at hand has everything to do with the fact that Dr. Shildt challenged the “sitting” board of directors, based not only on membership to the YMCA, but more importantly on the fact that they abandoned their duty to act in accordance with their by-laws. Dr. Shildt, upon recommendation from Linda Hershey, read the by-laws after her questioned her with regard to nominations to the board. In accordance with the by-laws he then pursued the matter in a fashion which brought about the election of directors voted upon by members of the association. Dr. Shildt at no time questioned the board’s willingness to serve the YMCA. He questioned them to whether or not they were willing to serve, while complying with the rules and regulations that they had revised and adopted in February of 2003. Why would they not? As stated in Mr. Lash’s opinion, “these people truly care about the YMCA.” Mrs. Hershey is not so naive as to not understand the by-laws. On August 15, 2002 Linda Hershey along with fellow board members Luke Rhoades and Tammy Emigh upon review of the by-laws dismissed the Executive Committee whose members included John Harlow and Mike Blaska by a 4-1 vote. The vote was based upon a public request that the entire board of directors be replaced. This did not happen. If my memory serves me correctly, I believe that Dr. Ramsay made the request based on the issue of tax evasion and not as Mr. Lash stated, a mutiny led by me. The minutes from the August 15, 2002 meeting will confirm that I was not in attendance. As Linda Hershey has stated many times, I am not a voting member of the board of directors, therefore I have no “power” to rid the board of any member.
“As for the statements involving volunteer hours Mr. Lash, is again off the mark. Two members of the Personnel Committee directed me to limit my involvement with people and organizations outside of the YMCA during a meeting held on October 15, 2003.
“It was stated that the board would need to determine how much time they would allow to be spent for other organizations and fund-raisers in the community. To comply with the directive I have limited my involvement outside of the YMCA, however, Mr. Lash, is obviously ignorant to the fact that I have continued to support the community service organizations of Tyrone.
“I find it amusing that a man who has never once, to my knowledge, attended a YMCA function, who has never worked on a project at the same time I have been involved, or a man who rarely steps foot inside the doors of the YMCA would be a good judge of my ability to be a team player.
“Mr. Lash, is certainly not aware of the fact that I had, in the beginning of my employment on numerous occasions, held my paycheck in order to make sure that the rest of the staff were able to cash theirs. In addition, the fact that I chose not to accept the raise offered to me in February of 2003. I am so concerned with myself that upon renewal of my contract in February 2003 I didn’t hesitate to eliminate the bonus scale.
“The smoke screen referred to must be the fact that under my direction, the Tyrone Area YMCA in a relatively short period of time accomplished the following: secure a loan, grant money, and contributions to pay off back taxes, make up $2,500-$3,000 per month to keep current on taxes, cut our payables from $30,000+ to $8,000 ($7,500 of which is a past heating bill prior to my arrival), reconcile all accounts, develop a balanced budget, make sure that all moneys are appropriated correctly, restructuring of personnel, implementation of cost cutting strategies, relocation and licensing of our day care center, upgrades to the facility, implementation of new programming, increased volunteer involvement, development of solid community relationships, and have met all requirements set forth by the YMCA of the USA to be removed from our probationary status. This might be the answer to Mr. Lash’s question as to why the community, or for that matter, the board of directors would allow me to continue.
“So what happens now you ask. Since no formal election of the board of directors has happened since 1999, as prescribed by the by-laws, an election should take place. Nominations should be accepted by members of the YMCA or by any community member who is willing to purchase a membership. This includes any member of the “sitting” board of directors or any member who was elected in December by the association.
“I am not interested in keeping anyone who is truly concerned with the welfare of the YMCA from serving. The members of the association should then be given the opportunity to vote in 15 directors of their choosing. For a problem that should not exist, it is an easy, rational, and fair solution. As for my resignation, it won’t be forth coming any time in the near future.”
