The final decision should come in early August, but it appears all but certain that the United Way of Davis County (UWDC) will merge with its sister chapter in Salt Lake City. The union should bolster local operations, officials have told the Clipper. "What it really boils down to, with the requirements for accountability and infrastructure, it's really difficult for a small operation like Davis County to maintain a strong operation," said Deborah Bayle Nielsen, president and CEO of United Way of Salt Lake. In an interview with the Clipper, she added that "by absorbing a lot of back-room operations," it will allow current UWDC CEO Tim Shultz to spend more time networking, promoting United Way.
"So much of Tim's time is spent (currently) in marketing, accounting," and other "back-room functions" that can then be taken over by staff already in place in Salt Lake, she said.
"I had lots of conversations with people about the mission of this organization," said Shultz. He used the example of one prominent Davis County human services provider executive who was "initially very opposed to the merger. She offered any help she could give" after further discussion.
"There's no better advocate for Davis County than (County Commissioner) Carol Page, and she's on board," he added.
It's anticipated the merger will actually take place after an expected vote of the Davis board Aug. 9 and the Salt Lake board of directors the following day.
Davis County will have four representatives on the Salt Lake board and one member on the executive committee, Nielsen said.
Several Davis County residents already sit on the Salt Lake board, including Dean Hughes, Paul Child and Lane Beattie.
In addition, "at least one (Davis) member" will sit on the resource development cabinet. A Davis County advisory committee will take the place of a board of directors.
However, similar advisory boards are already in place in Tooele and Summit counties, which Salt Lake United Way also serves.
A Davis County allocations committee will continue to function, reviewing applications and continually scrutinizing operations of those agencies accepted for United Way funding.
As previously noted, a Davis County office will be maintained, probably in Kaysville or Farmington to be more central, vs. the current Layton office, Shultz said. However, the current Layton facility will be used until the lease runs out there in November, he said.
Several large and important donor groups are excited about the proposed merger, Nielsen said. "Chevron sits right on the border, 55 percent of its employees in Salt Lake County and 45 percent in Davis County. Clark Moss (manager) felt more money would be raised as a result of erasing that artificial barrier, that there would be more revenues (generated).
"One other group who is very excited is the LDS Church," she continued. "The Church Office Building runs one of our most effective workplace campaigns, and many of their employees live in Davis County."
Similar optimism has been expressed by officials from Zions Bank and Questar, which have statewide operations, including Davis County.
"A commitment made in our letter of intent is that the current level of funding will be maintained, and hopefully increased," Nielsen said. Just over $1 million was pledged in the Davis campaign in 2005.
By comparison, $14 million was raised in the Salt Lake campaign for that year. Staff there totals about 30 compared to about half a dozen at UWDC.
Confusion about where donor funds will be allocated also should be reduced, while duplication in dealing with many of the same agencies served will be eliminated, Nielsen said.
Shultz will continue his key role leading Davis County's United Way efforts.
tbusselberg@davisclipper.com
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