
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 16, 1992                   TAG: 9203160167
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: C. WARNER CRUMB
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HOLD UNITED WAY BOARD ACCOUNTABLE

THE EDITORIAL "Don't blame local United Ways" (Feb. 28) provided much-needed and helpful information on the critical subject of the relationship between our United Way of Roanoke Valley and the national office of United Way of America in Alexandria, Va.

The fact that United Way of Roanoke Valley is "not a United Way chapter or branch under the national president's thumb" is timely information of reassuring significance.

We know United Way of Roanoke Valley to be fortunate in its local leadership. Now, through the editorial, the general public knows our local United Way is also fortunate to be an "autonomous organization, independently directed by local community leaders."

The editorial also reminds local contributors that they can "designate their gifts," that the ideological inclinations and special interests of donors are respected in the allocation of funds.

All of these facts suggest that the United Way of Roanoke Valley is worthy of the good faith and generous support of its local citizens. This writer applauds the editor for the timely, factual and circumspect editorial.

And, we can all applaud our local United Way of Roanoke for leading the protest by delaying payment of its annual dues to the national United Way of America. Local chapters in other states followed, and now, like Roanoke, await attorney Berl Bernhard's investigative report on the national office, due April 2.

Meanwhile, President William Aramony has resigned. But in the solicitation, management and distribution of charitable funds, the chief executive officer is not the only one to be held accountable. The boards of directors or trustees and all staff persons are morally if not legally obligated to ensure that the maximum amount possible of all monies given reach their intended purposes. In charitable funding, prodigality is as offensive as pilferage.

President Aramony's management and lifestyle were long obvious to his board of directors. They must have approved of his admitted "lack of attention to details" in management matters, which included spending money. Certainly they were the ones responsible for voting him the "whopping salary and extravagant perks" (editorial). And in doing so, members of the board of the national office were either inattentive to or ignorant of the proprieties incumbent upon those entrusted with charitable funds.

Within the meetings of boards of directors and trustees of charitable organizations and institutions, silence is not a virtue; non-disclosure or continuing ignorance of vital details, especially in finance, is inexcusable; and consent to extravagant spending is the moral equivalent to theft. Bill Day's cartoon (March 4) showing Aramony being thumped from the hand of the United Way of America is not the only exit we may expect.

by CNB