Illinois Merger Coming?
Posted in Scouting News by John E. Pannell on November 1st, 2008 at 3:00 pm I have been tipped off by Bill Mulrenin that the Trails West and Okaw Valley councils met last week to discuss a possible consolidation.
Bill Barlow, president of the Trails West executive board, said nothing has been decided just yet. Okaw Valley representatives approached Trails West about the possible merger, he said.
Boy Scouts Area Director Frank Wallace said that within the last two months, the Okaw Valley Scout executive job became vacant, driving renewed talk of consolidation.
Should this consolidation come to pass this will result in the merger of Kishkakon 32 and Taleka 81. Both lodges are products of mergers themselves. Kishkakon lodge was chartered in 1991 after the merger of Blackhawk 94 and Cahokia 126. Taleka lodge was formed in 1966 from the merger of Manneseh 81 and Cascasquia 115.
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Boy Scout councils in Southwestern Illinois talking about consolidation
By Terry Hillig
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
10/31/2008
Informational meetings are planned in coming weeks on a proposed consolidation of the Okaw Valley and Trails West Boy Scout councils in southwestern Illinois.
The executive boards of the two councils approved a resolution to consolidate the existing councils in meetings on Wednesday. A final vote of all council members of the two councils is scheduled Jan. 6.
The Okaw Valley Council is based in Belleville and serves nine counties. The Trails West Council is based in Wood River and serves a six-county area. They have a joint membership of more than 20,000.
A written statement released by the councils reads in part: “In forming the new council, greater opportunities for growth and youth development will exist. Both executive boards are very excited about the prospects of reaching more youth in the future
[...] previously reported here that Trails West and Okaw Valley councils were planning to vote on a council merger.  The votes have since been taken and the councils have agreed to move forward on a merger [...]