By John Hopkins
George O’Neil, who has served as the executive director of the United Way of the Tonawandas for 22 years, was terminated from his post Wednesday by group’s executive committee.
Bob Sondel, the group’s president, said the vote was 7-6 in favor of removal. He said they first gave O’Neil an opportunity to retire, which was declined.
O’Neil said he declined the retirement option because he wanted to remain with the organization and help the Tonawandas. Prior to his executive director post, he served as a United Way volunteer for 15 years.
“I said as long as I have my health, I want to remain here,” he explained.
O’Neil said he believes the action is revenge for last month’s vote by the Tonawanda group’s membership to opt out of a merger with the Niagara and Lockport United Ways to create a Greater Niagara United Way.
The merger was originally approved in February by Tonawanda’s membership, but O’Neil filed a complaint over the voting procedure with the state attorney general’s office, which ruled that a second vote must occur.
The Oct. 29 vote of 392 opposed to 116 in favor was a stark reversal of the February vote in which membership approved the plan by a 154-30 margin.
Sondel said there wasn’t one particular thing that led to the board’s recommendation to remove O’Neil. Instead, it was several factors that led the board to decide a new direction was needed. He said that several board members felt the United Way was becoming “stagnant.” He also noted that the organization’s annual campaign is down.
