The source for the article was an unnamed Y board member, who illuminated two major issues: (1) decisions are being made without consulting the full board and (2) endowment money is being used to fund the Camp Mahackeno plans. In the article, Rosemary Halstead, president of the Y board, admitted that she is advancing operating funds to pay for the traffic study, architect, etc., that will be "paid back" by capital campaign contributions.

What this also points to is that their capital campaign is lagging. One would suspect a lack of support for the move to Mahackeno.

The Sunday Hour
October 2, 2005

YMCA Board Seeks Unity
The Ys prospective move is apparently generating ill will between board members.

By Jeanne Hoff
Hour Staff Writer

WESTPORT – It is no secret that the Young Men’s Christian Association of Westport/Weston would like to relocate out of the historic Bedford Building, which sits on 1.36 acres, at 0 Church Lane, to the 32-acre Mahackeno property it owns.

However, organizing the move in a congenial way among the board of directors is proving difficult, said a board member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Though the planning is in the drawing-board phase – considering the YMCA has not yet submitted all proposals to the necessary offices – the board member indicated that a select group on the board has denied many eligible voting members of the organization the ability to actively participate in the decision-making process.

Rosemary E. Halstead, president of the Y board, contested that statement, saying she had no idea why an individual would make such allegations, and that the board is inclusive.

“We have a very well-defined process. We have a building committee, a strategy committee, and we meet monthly and everyone is updated on last month’s business,” Halstead said. “I would say that the board of directors is very much acting in concert with one another.”

But the source alleged six of the 24 board members are using the YMCA’s endowment money to have architectural design work done for the proposed facility at Mahackeno without consulting members or other necessary officials.

“They’ve committed $4 million within the past 18 months to various design firms, engineers, consultants and traffic studies,” the source said. “The board of directors for a nonprofit is supposed to advise paid staff and consent to their action, not dictate to staff their agenda.”

Though there are funds being spent on traffic studies, consultants, designs and the like, Halstead negated those accusations and said the YMCA has not used any of its endowment money to conduct the necessary research.

“We certainly have not committed $4 million, and we have not used any of the endowment” Halstead said. “But we do expect by 2006 to spend approximately $2 million.”

Troy Ellen Dixon, senior director of development and communications for the YMCA, indicated that the use of endowment funds for the project was absurd.

“The notion,” Dixon said, “of spending money other than that raised for the project (through capital campaign fund-raising) is unusual.”

To date, Halstead said a portion of the research was being funded “from operating cash flow,” but as campaign dollars continue to be raised, the amount spent would be replaced.

Halstead did agree with the source, who said there are plans to build the new facility by 2009. But she agreed with reservations.

“Best-case scenario: We hope to get through all approvals and open the doors by 2009,” she said. “But we just don’t know how long it will take.”

The new facility will have close to a 400-vehicle capacity parking lot at Mahackeno, and an entrance point at Sunny Lane, the source said.

But since the YMCA has made its plan to move public, many residents have strongly protested.

The argument is that if the YMCA has to move from its current facility, it should move to the 22-acre Baron’s South estate.

Director of Planning and Zoning Laurence Bradley said that until the plans for the YMCA were set, he could not determine which location would be best suited to meet the demands of the new facility.

The Baron’s South property, he said, has a sewer that runs down South Compo Road, while the Mahackeno property does not have a septic system in place.

Bradley added that if the YMCA were to move to the Baron’s South property, it would have to submit an 8-24 report and have it approved by the office of planning and zoning.

The 8-24 report would assess whether the facility makes efficient/good use of town-owned property, since the YMCA would have to lease or purchase Baron’s South.

If the YMCA were to move to the Mahackeno property it owns, it would only have to submit an 8-24 if any municipal changes were made. Otherwise, it would have to receive approval from various boards as with any development.

There is also the issue of traffic. Residents have said that if the YMCA moves to Mahackeno, it would only increase area traffic. Others say the YMCA would reduce congestion in the downtown area if it moved to the Mahackeno property.

Halstead and the anonymous source both said that the YMCA does not consider Baron’s South an option, that because the organization submitted a proposal shortly after the town purchased the lot in 1999 and was informed that Baron’s South would not be used for “private entities.”