Local United Way Joins Boycott of National Group

County United Way officials joined in a dues boycott Wednesday while emphasizing that the county group is an independent, locally governed organization, autonomous from United Way of America, whose president is under investigation for allegedly abusing funds.

“We’re trying to communicate to Ventura County that we’re little old United Way in Camarillo in the middle of strawberry fields,” said Colleen M. Hunter, executive director of United Way of Ventura County. “The money that’s raised here stays here.”

“We have a responsibility to donors here in Ventura County,” said Mario J. de los Cobos, president of the local organization. “We have to look at how United Way is using that money.”

A Washington law firm has been hired by the national board to check into published reports that have questioned salary and benefits to national President William Aramony, who was reportedly paid $463,000 plus generous benefits.

Aramony has also allegedly hired friends and relatives for highly paid positions.

Last year, Ventura County sent $58,000 in voluntary dues to the national United Way in return for support services such as market research, advertising, software development, consultations and volunteer/staff training.

“They provide us with pretty valuable attention, all the things that help to make a campaign successful,” de los Cobos said.

The local organization also sent a letter Monday to John F. Akers, chairman of the board of United Way of America, requesting more information on the management inquiry, Hunter said.

She said she is uncertain how the investigation will affect local donations, but stressed that Ventura County, like all United Way affiliates, is an independent, locally governed organization and is autonomous from United Way of America.

Last year, the local organization raised $5.8 million, 85% of which supported 64 health and human-care agencies in Ventura County. About 15% went to salary and administrative costs, Hunter said. About 20 full- and part-time employees earn salaries totaling about $500,000 a year, said Hunter, who makes $66,000 a year.

Ventura County also contributed nearly 1% of last year’s campaign to the national United Way. The dues that affiliates are supposed to send to the Alexandria, Va.-based organization are typically about 1% of local donations.

Hunter said the allegations facing Aramony, which include flying on a Concorde and using chauffeur services in New York, would not occur in United Way of Ventura County.

“Our board wouldn’t accept limos,” Hunter said. “We couldn’t even consider wasting funds that way.”

If Ventura County continues to withhold its annual dues for 1992-93, de los Cobos said, the money will be donated to this year’s $6.6-million campaign. More than $5 million has already been raised toward the March goal.

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