One Week Left: Make Sure Your COR is in the Room.
On Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. Eastern, the final vote on the proposed merger of Colonial Virginia Council with Heart of Virginia Council will take place at:
Hampton Roads Event Center
12373 Hornsby Ln Ste A
Newport News, VA 23602
This is the meeting that will decide whether Colonial Virginia Council is merged into Heart of Virginia Council, with the surviving entity renamed the Commonwealth of Virginia Council, Inc., Boy Scouts of America.
Members are encouraged to review the official meeting notice and merger materials themselves when considering this decision.
This is not a preliminary discussion. This is the final vote on the proposed merger.
This Vote Is In-Person Only
The official notice makes several things clear.
Only Active Members of Colonia Virginia Council as of the January 29, 2026 record date may vote. That includes:
- Chartered Organization Representatives
- Members-at-large
- Members of the Executive Board
Each Active Member gets one vote, and voting by proxy is not permitted.
That means for most units, if your COR does not physically attend, your unit will not have a vote at the meeting.
The Threshold Matters
The merger requires the affirmative vote of more than two-thirds of the Active Members present at the Special Meeting, assuming a quorum is present.
That means the outcome will depend not just on sentiment across the council, but on who actually attends the meeting.
Attendance matters. Every vote matters.
Because voting is limited to those present, COR attendance will directly affect the outcome.
The Executive Board Has Recommended a YES Vote — But That Does Not Mean the Entire Board Agrees
The official notice states that the Executive Board has adopted and approved the Merger Agreement and recommends that members vote FOR approval.
That is important, but members should understand what it does — and does not — mean.
It means that a majority of the Executive Board approved the merger and the recommendation.
It does not mean the Board was unanimous. There are Board members who oppose the merger, even though a majority supports it.
In other words, this is not a case where every Board member agrees that this is the right path. There are Board members who have serious concerns and who do not support the merger.
That makes this final week even more important.
If your unit believes this merger should be rejected, delayed, or reconsidered, now is the time to make sure your COR understands that and is prepared to vote accordingly.
What This Week’s Conversations Should Be About
If you are a parent, volunteer, unit leader, committee member, or chartered organization leader, your goal this week should be simple:
Make sure your COR:
- Knows the meeting is Thursday, March 19 at 6:00 PM
- Knows it is in person at Hampton Roads Event Center in Newport News
- Knows proxy voting is not allowed
- Knows how your unit and chartered organization feel
- Shows up prepared to vote NO, if that is where your unit stands
or - Votes in the way that best reflects the wishes and interests of the unit and chartered organization they represent
Why This Still Matters
As we have said before, this is one of the most consequential decisions in the history of Colonial Virginia Council.
A YES vote does not merely continue the process. It approves a merger in which:
- Colonial Virginia Council merges into Heart of Virginia Council
- CVC ceases to exist as a separate corporation
- The surviving council is renamed Commonwealth of Virginia Council
- Governance of the new council is structured with a larger share of Executive Board seats designated by HOVC, with CVC representation forming a minority of the board
- Over time, that structure could mean major strategic decisions affecting the Hampton Roads region are made by a board where the majority of members are not from the region
- Legacy CVC representation on the new Executive Board would be reduced, and that representation could be further diluted by any future consolidation activity involving the merged council
- Governance, budgeting priorities, staffing decisions, and long-term strategic direction would be determined by the leadership of the merged council
Once approved and implemented, the merger would be feasibly impossible to reverse, as CVC would no longer exist as a separate council entity.
A NO vote, by contrast, does not end independent Scouting in the region or prevent future collaboration. Instead, it means:
- Colonial Virginia Council continues to exist as an independent council
- The current merger agreement would not take effect
- Council leadership and members would have additional time to evaluate options, including potential partnerships, shared services, or alternative merger discussions
- Members and chartered organizations would retain the opportunity to consider other structural paths for the council’s future
In other words, a NO vote preserves the council’s current structure while allowing additional time for evaluation and discussion.
The only thing left now is the vote.
And that vote will be decided in one room, by the people who show up.
Final Push
If your unit has not yet spoken to its COR, do it now.
Do not assume they know the details.
Do not assume they are planning to attend.
Do not assume they know how your unit feels.
This is the final week.
Make sure your COR shows up.
Make sure your unit is represented.
Make sure your voice is in the room.
Respectfully,
Hampton Roads Scouting Alliance
A volunteer-led group focused on transparency, member voice, and the long-term strength of Scouting in Hampton Roads