11-2025 Ocean Pines Progress

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In a brief two-sentence press release issued Tuesday, Oct. 28, OPA announced the departure and added only, “We wish him the best in his future endeavors.” No further explanation was provided. ~ Page 8

Board Approves Cell Tower Motion A new cell tower is coming to Ocean Pines. The Board of Directors unanimously approved the motion to authorize the signing of the site lease agreement for the new tower with Milestone Towers at the Oct. 25 OPA Board meeting. The tower will include required ground equipment in a fenced area at the base of the facility. ~ Page 11

LIFESTYLES Veteran Recalls Surviving Capture in Korean War Walter Webster is 93 now, living in Salisbury, a proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, but he still vividly remembers being a teenager in the U.S. Army, captured in Hadong, South Korea, and held as a prisoner of war until the end of September 1950. ~ Page 32

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November 2025 www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress

A JOURNAL OF NEWS & LIFESTYLES FOR NORTHERN WORCESTER COUNTY

Board Approves Change to Architectural Review Committee Guidelines Following Special Meeting

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single change to the community’s Architectural Review Committee Guidelines was approved by the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors during a special meeting on Oct. 29. The motion modifies the order in which homeowners must obtain permits for property improvement projects within the community.

Two Board members were absent from the special meeting. Director Jeff Heavner read the motion, noting that it had been submitted by Director Elaine Brady, who was not in attendance. The Board first discussed the change a few days earlier at it’s regular monthly meeting on Oct. 25, “The topic is the changes to our architectural review committee guidelines,” Heavner said as he presented the motion. “The motion is to approve the changes to the ARC guidelines. Its purpose and effect

is to change the order of permits requirements recommended by the ARC committee.”

Under the current rules, homeowners are required to first obtain letters from any secondary homeowner association to Ocean Pines, then obtain permits from Worcester County, and finally receive approval from the Ocean Pines Association.

The newly approved change reverses the latter two steps.

“For this change, the recommendation is a new order,” Heavner said.

“Number one is still the letter from any secondary homeowner association to Ocean Pines. And this is where the change comes in. Number two is permits from Ocean Pines come next and permits from the county.”

Heavner added, “But please understand that to include the updated requirements in the ARC permit process, all permits issued by

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the county must be given to Ocean Pines in order to proceed with your project. This change will help ensure permitted work will be within the required guidelines for Ocean Pines.”

Director Monica Rakowski made the motion to approve the change, and Director Steve Jacobs seconded it.

“Just quickly, if I may,” Jacobs said, “this is the second reading.

We had the first reading at the last Board meeting on last Saturday.”

He clarified that the vote would not alter plans for a separate community discussion on the broader set of proposed ARC revisions. “This does not in any way change the plans that Elaine had previously announced for the town hall meeting about the ARC guidelines and also the expectation that we will be dealing with the permit issue as discussed at the last special Board meeting. Just keep everything clear.

That’s what we’re moving forward.

It’s just we’re doing it step by step.”

Association President John Latham confirmed Jacobs’ explanaTo Page 3

2 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

COVER STORY ARC Guidelines From Page 1

tion. “That is correct,” he said. The motion then passed.

At the Board’s regular monthly meeting a few days earlier on Oct. 25, Brady introduced the first reading of the proposed guideline changes. At that meeting, Brady explained that the Architectural Review Committee had submitted its proposed updates to the guidelines to the Board for review.

“We had received a documentation from the ARC committee for some changes, which happens on a regular basis,” she said. “We did the first reading on it and then the Board of course looked at the documents, the kinds of changes that they were trying to make and we had certainly some concerns, specifically directed at the as-built survey requirements that they were wishing to get enacted.”

According to Brady, those concerns led to the scheduling of the special meeting the following week.

“We called for a special meeting which we had this last week and had a full discussion with the committee members and from the Board,” she said. “Truthfully, we weren’t happy at any of those changes at that time. We’ve now sent that document back to the ARC committee to revise based upon the conversations and the Board’s wishes for that.”

Brady said most of the proposed guideline changes would be revisited later, after revisions and a planned public town hall meeting, but she emphasized that one specific item—the order of permit approvals—needed to be addressed immediately.

“This one particular item does need to be changed,” Brady said.

“Currently, the order of permits are if you’re in a secondary HOA, you have to get a letter from your HOA for whatever it is that you want to do. Then you have to go to the county to get a permit, and then lastly, you would come back to Ocean Pines.

It was creating some problems for some folks because they didn’t realize sometimes that they didn’t have to get two sets of permits.”

She noted that in some cases, homeowners obtained county permits and completed construction without realizing that Ocean Pines has additional restrictions. The county doesn’t have the same types of restrictions that Ocean Pines has, she said. So then later a number of people were coming back to ARC be-

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 3 cause they were getting violation notices for doing things on their property. She said “and then they were having to take things down or trying to get a variance for something that Ocean Pines doesn’t allow.”

Brady cited differing setback requirements between the county and the community as one example. “We have different setbacks,” she said.

“Some people go directly out to the property line building their home and then they want to put a fence.

Well, you don’t have any room to put a fence. But they will get a permit from the county and just move ahead.”

The Board’s intent in reversing the permit order, Brady explained, was to make the process clearer for homeowners and avoid costly mistakes. “In order to fix that part of the problem that they’re having with the ARC committee trying to get variances and also to make it clearer and easier for our members, what we want to do is turn that around— get the Ocean Pines permits first and then they go to the county,” she said.

The county then will see that Ocean Pines issued certain permits for a project and not allow someone to do something beyond what Ocean Pines has approved.

She emphasized that while the permit-order revision was being expedited, other ARC revisions—such as those dealing with “as-built survey” requirements and updated fencing materials—would go through additional review and public input.

“The rest of it, we’re not looking to rush. It needs to be done right, not quickly,” she said.

Brady confirmed that the ARC would send back a “cleaner red line” version of the revised guidelines reflecting the Board’s feedback. “And at that point, we’ll schedule a town hall,” she said. “We’re not in a hurry to push all this other stuff through.

We want to make sure it’s clear and understanding to everybody, but this permit has been a real problem for a while. And so I’d like to at least get that one item taken care of.”

During the Oct. 25 meeting, Director Steve Jacobs expressed support for moving the permit-order change forward quickly. “I also know you have an interest, I think appropriately so, to move this discrete provision as quickly as possible,” he said. “I would simply point out that this will be the first reading.”

Jacobs said a second reading of To Page 5

Staff photo

This couple dressed like bank robbers for Ocean Pines’ Halloween Festival at White Horse Park on Oct. 25, but they brought home the cutest bag of money.

4 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

OCEAN PINES

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 5

Board likely to strike proposal for as-built drawings from proposed ARC guidelines

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor he Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors signaled during a special meeting on Oct. 22 that it will likely remove a controversial proposal requiring homeowners to submit as-built surveys as part of the updated Architectural Review Committee guidelines.

Several directors voiced strong op-

position to the measure, saying it would impose unnecessary costs and burdens on property owners without effectively addressing the issues it was meant to solve.

OPA President John Latham opened the meeting by emphasizing that the Board is “not in any hurry” to move forward with the proposed changes. He said a Town Hall meeting will be scheduled to allow home-

owners to provide input before any second reading or final action takes place.

The proposed ARC revisions were being considered for their second reading, but given the lack of support for the as-built survey requirement, it now appears likely to be struck from the draft document before it proceeds further.

The proposed guideline would

ARC Guidelines

permits as part of the revised process.

Brady, who also serves as Board liaison to the ARC, noted that she has personally witnessed costly problems resulting from the prior process. “I’ve been sitting on the ARC committee for two years and there have been some very expensive projects that were done that people had to tear down,” she said.

“You feel very sorry for them at the time.”

With the second reading and approval completed on Oct. 29, the change to the ARC Guidelines

takes effect immediately. The rest of the proposed updates to the guidelines—including discussions about “as-built” survey requirements and allowable construction materials— will continue to move forward separately.

The Board has directed the ARC to revise its full set of proposed amendments before scheduling a public town hall to discuss the changes in detail.

The adopted permit-order change is intended to help prevent confusion between county and Ocean Pines regulations, ensure consis-

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From Page 3

the motion can be held at a special meeting. “We don’t have to go through members or anything like that,” he said of the change.

OPA President John Latham agreed.

He said the goal would be to schedule a special meeting as soon as possible, ultimately they held the Oct. 29 meeting for a second reading and passage of the motion.

Brady added that homeowners would still need to ensure they present both county and Ocean Pines

110

have required property owners to provide an as-built survey completed within the past 24 months for certain ARC applications and potentially for resale certifications.

The intent was to ensure that property improvements, fences, sheds, and other structures comply with community standards and do not encroach on neighboring lots.

However, many homeowners and real estate professionals warned that such a requirement would delay property sales, drive up costs, and create unnecessary complicaTo Page 6

tency with association standards, and reduce the number of violations that require homeowners to alter or remove completed work.

As Heavner summarized during the Oct. 29 vote, “This change will help ensure permitted work will be within the required guidelines for Ocean Pines.”

The motion passed unanimously among the directors present, marking completion of the Board’s expedited action on what they deemed a necessary and time-sensitive correction to the community’s architectural permit process.

6 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025 As Builts From Page 5

tions.

During public comments, local Realtor Sharyn O’Hare strongly cautioned the Board about the consequences of linking as-built surveys to resale certificates. She explained that under Maryland law, buyers have five days to rescind a contract after receiving a resale certificate, and adding a new survey requirement could trigger significant delays.

O’Hare said only a few surveyors operate locally, and scheduling one can take 30 to 60 days, at a cost of $1,000 to $2,000—expenses typically borne by sellers.

“It’s a serious issue,” she said, noting that requiring as-builts for every sale would effectively “overstep” the HOA’s role and interfere with state-regulated real estate procedures. She also pointed out that title companies already have established processes for verifying property details and that the added survey requirement would make it harder to close sales in a timely manner.

O’Hare acknowledged the intent behind the proposal—to prevent

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“Everyone we represent in Ocean Pines is a seller at some point.”

- Director Steve Jacobs unpermitted structures and maintain property values—but urged the Board to pursue less burdensome solutions. She said the association’s job is to have a strong ARC to maintain property values, but not to tell people they must pay for a survey, she said. “That’s their choice.”

Director Elaine Brady, who has long been involved in the ARC process, echoed many of those concerns.

She said the proposal appeared “arbitrary” and out of step with the committee’s purpose.

“Our ARC document is one of the most important governing documents we have,” she said. “Changes that we make in that document affect everyone.” Brady noted that many Ocean Pines homes have not changed significantly in years and questioned why long-time owners with no recent improvements would be forced to obtain new surveys.

“If someone isn’t changing the footprint of their property, I don’t see why we’d need to require an asbuilt,” she said, adding the OPA is not a regulatory body—it’s a policy body.

Brady emphasized that while the ARC plays a vital role in upholding community standards, its authority is limited to design and property appearance, not enforcement of property lines or ownership boundaries.

“Requiring as-builts for things like playhouses, above-ground pools, or temporary structures is really an overreaction,” she said.

ARC Chairman Mike Galello, who introduced the idea, defended the rationale behind it. Calling himself “an imagineer of logic,” Galello said he saw gaps in the current system that allow unpermitted projects to slip through. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he explained, inspections were largely suspended for two years, and as a result, some fences and sheds were installed without proper approvals—sometimes even encroaching on neighboring properties.

“Our policy has been to sign off after the fact and grandfather things in,” Galello said. “That’s a soft spot we need to fix.” He noted that committee members often receive out-

OCEAN PINES dated or incomplete surveys—some dating back to the 1980s—making it difficult to evaluate applications accurately. “When someone submits an as-built from 1986, and the fence is actually on a neighbor’s property, that’s a problem,” he said.

Still, many Board members said that while the issue Galello identified is real, the proposed fix would penalize homeowners who had done nothing wrong. Brady and others argued that the committee already has mechanisms in place to require upto-date documentation when owners seek variances or major permits.

Director Steve Jacobs said he could not support a policy that would “impose more restrictions on sellers” or drive down property values by introducing additional costs and delays.

“Everyone we represent in Ocean Pines is a seller at some point,” Jacobs said. “To impose financial burdens on them to solve problems from the past is not the right way to proceed.”

Jacobs added that when variances are requested, property owners already must submit detailed site plans for approval, both from the county and the ARC. That process, he said, provides sufficient oversight without requiring surveys for every property transfer.

Director Stuart Lakernick agreed, saying the proposal would unfairly “punish all for the sins of a few.”

He noted that the county does not require as-built surveys for home sales and questioned why the association should exceed those standards. “An as-built survey puts too much of a burden on our homeowners,” Lakernick said.

Director Jeff Heavner also spoke against the proposal. While reaffirming the importance of the community’s architectural restrictions and guidelines, he said the new requirement would represent an unnecessary overreach. “The ARC should be there to help protect our architectural culture,” he said. “An as-built survey is an unnecessary burden that we don’t want to put on our residents.”

Latham agreed with his colleagues, saying he could not justify a rule that would add thousands of dollars in expenses for property owners. “I think about it in terms of fleecing our owners,” he said. “We’re trying to make this a great place to live, not fleece homeowners.”

Galello acknowledged the pushback but maintained that the asso-

ciation must eventually find a way to address the lingering problems caused by past enforcement lapses.

“Sometimes you can’t put your head in the sand,” he said. “When I see a problem, I put it on the table.”

However, Brady pointed out that resale transactions have never been under the ARC’s purview, and violations that persist through ownership changes are handled through the association’s Compliance, Permits, and Inspections (CPI) process—not the ARC. “We shouldn’t penalize everyone for the past,” she said. “It comes across as punishing our community for the sins of the past rather than addressing the root causes.”

She added that the ARC’s role is limited to reviewing applications for new projects and ensuring they align with community standards, not policing every historic violation.

“You can’t fix those kinds of things with an as-built,” Brady said.

Latham concluded the discussion by thanking the ARC and the community for their input and reaffirming that the Board will seek public feedback before any final decision is made.

He said a Town Hall will be scheduled to give residents a chance to express their opinions and help shape the final version of the guidelines.

Given the unified opposition from several Board members and the strong concerns raised by the public, it appears almost certain that the as-built survey requirement will be eliminated from the next draft of the ARC guidelines. Instead, the Board is expected to focus on refining existing processes for handling compliance issues and ensuring that property improvements are properly documented when they occur, without adding new financial burdens on homeowners.

As the process moves forward, Latham stressed the importance of transparency and collaboration.

“We’re taking the time to get this right,” he said, noting that no immediate vote would be taken. “We’ll have the Town Hall, take all the comments, and then move forward carefully.”

For now, Ocean Pines property owners can expect that the proposed as-built survey requirement—one of the most contentious elements of the ARC guideline revisions—will not make it into the final policy. The Board’s consensus was clear: maintaining property values and community standards must be balanced with fairness and practicality for

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 7

8 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

OCEAN PINES

Beckelman departs as director of golf, OPA prepares to post position

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor fter three years on the job this time, Director of Golf Bob Beckelman is no longer with the Ocean Pines Association.

In a brief two-sentence press release issued Tuesday, October 28, OPA announced the departure and added only, “We wish him the best

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in his future endeavors.” No further explanation was provided.

When contacted by The Progress for additional information, Linda Martin, OPA director of business operations, responded on behalf of General Manager John Viola.

While The Progress did not ask about personnel matters, Martin responded ““We do not comment on

personnel matters.”

She continued “However, we are working on releasing the job posting soon and in the meantime, the management of the golf course is being handled by Ocean Pines staff.”

The OPA has not announced an interim golf director or identified who is overseeing daily golf operations beyond the reference to “Ocean

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Pines staff.”

When asked how the association has communicated the departure and interim plans to golf club members, Martin simply said “A release/ notification will go out when the job is posted, hopefully by the beginning of next week. The job opening will also be posted on the OPA website.”

OPA’s communications about Beckelman’s departure appear so far to be limited to the brief public statement. The association did not confirm whether members of the Ocean Pines Golf Club received any direct notice or if the general announcement served as the sole notification.

Beckelman’s departure marks the end of his third year as the association’s director of golf this time around. He was hired in September 2022, returning to a course where he had previously spent much of his professional career.

A longtime golf professional with deep ties to Ocean Pines, Beckelman’s history with the Ocean Pines Golf Club stretches back to the early 1990s. Beckelman began his professional golf career at the course, first serving from 1992 to 1997, then returning from 2000 to 2007. During that time, he worked as an assistant under former head golf professional Buddy Sass, later helping to develop the Deer Run Golf Club before returning to Ocean Pines as head professional.

When his rehiring was announced in 2022 in a press release issued by the OPA, Beckelman described Ocean Pines as a special place both personally and professionally. “Once I started at the Ocean Pines Golf Club, I enjoyed the golf community so much, I planned on working my way up the ladder and eventually finishing my career here,” Beckelman was quoted in an OPA press release announcing his hiring in 2022. “There’s been some changes along the way, but it’s still my plan – I started here, and I want to finish here.”

At the time of his hiring, Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola said golf member and community input played a role in bringing Beckelman back. He said he reached out to the now-defunct Golf Advisory Committee and the golf community.

“And they all told me this was the right guy for the job,” Viola said in 2022.

As of press time, OPA had not released further details about the leadership transition or hiring timeline for the golf director position.

OCEAN PINES

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 9

Board approves motion to repeal resolutions for terminated committees

By DAVID BOHENICK Contributing Writer he Ocean Pines Board of Directors approved the motion to repeal the terminated committee’s associated resolutions in the OP constitution in a 6-1 vote at the Oct. 25 OPA Board meeting.

The resolutions repealed were C04 - Bylaws and Resolutions Advisory Committee, C06 - Communications Advisory Committee, C07 - Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, C10 - Environment and Natural Assets Advisory Committee, C11 - Golf Advisory Committee, C12 - Marine Activities Advisory Committee, C13 - Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee and C15 - Aquatics Advisory Committee.

Director Jeff Heavner said the listed resolutions defined the purpose of advisory committees that were approved to be terminated in last month’s Board meeting, and should now be repealed entirely.

The repeal of the listed resolutions also received a first reading at the

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September Board meeting.

Heavner said the committees were purely advisory under OPA’s governing documents and they existed at the pleasure of the Board.

Director Steve Jacobs was the only vote against the motion, saying he was convinced the Board was going in the wrong direction.

“I remain convinced that the Board took the wrong step last month in killing off these advisory committees,” Jacobs said. “The level of passion, rancor– whatever term you want to use– that was at the last meeting I think was self-evident, but I have no doubt as to what’s going to happen this morning.”

Jacobs also said he thinks committees will return in some manner in the future.

“We’ll probably, at some point long after we’re all gone, start seeing these committees coming back in one form or another,” he said. “But as I say, this is just a mistake that shouldn’t have been made.”

Director Elaine Brady said

she was in support of the ad hoc approach, since it is a new method for people to get involved helping the Board of Directors.

“We want [people] to be involved.

I think the committee’s system had its time,” she said. “I think now it’s [time for] task groups with a very specific agenda and feedback to the Board.”

She also said the task group format allows more opportunities for people of different backgrounds and specialties to help the Board when necessary.

“I do feel like it’s a more modern, better approach. It’s more productive for the folks who sit on those committees and it allows people to join in,” she said. “Task groups, when you have designated thoughts to bring back to the Board for consideration, I think it just works better and it allows other people to come in and out.”

Jacobs also clarified during discussion the resolutions wouldn’t be physically removed from the book

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of resolutions but that they would simply be marked as repealed.

During public comments, resident and former chair of the By-laws and Resolutions Advisory Committee Lora Pangratz said she disagreed with the Board’s reasoning behind the termination of committees last month, which was poor communication and the inability to work together.

“Our committee worked well with the other committees and never overstepped in any way with staff,” Pangratz said. “We always went through our Board liaison as required and no current director spoke with me about any of their concerns to lump us all in as one violation.”

Pangratz, who also spoke during public comments at the September Board meeting in an attempt to persuade the Board’s vote on terminating committees, claimed committees were capable of doing what the Board asked of them voluntarily.

“We are now relying on legal counsel and staff to complete these tasks possibly with added fees,” she said.

To Page 11

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OCEAN PINES

Ocean Pines Board approves motion to construct new cell tower

By DAVID BOHENICK Contributing Writer new cell tower is coming to Ocean Pines. The Board of Directors unanimously approved the motion to authorize the signing of the site lease agreement for the new tower with Milestone Towers at the Oct. 25 OPA Board meeting.

Ocean Pines Police Chief Tim Robinson said Milestone Towers, a wireless tower developer in Virginia, is expected to have the drawings and exhibits for the construction of the project that same week. The tower is planned to be built at 100 Clubhouse Drive and will include required ground equipment in a fenced area at the base of the facility.

OPA officials and residents have discussed the possibility of erecting a cell tower since late 2024, when concerns were raised regarding cell reception. An official at Milestone Towers approached the OPA in the spring to work on the project, and a town hall meeting was held in July for residents to learn more about the tower proposal.

Verizon Director Paul Plymouth attended both the July town hall meeting and the September Board meeting to share some of the expectations for the proposal. Last month, he said developers could plan for “day 1” of construction once the Board approved the site lease agreement.

While the height of the tower wasn’t confirmed, Plymouth said at September’s meeting the tower could be 143 feet or 175 feet.

Robinson also confirmed plans for the tower to be disguised like a tree.

“Of course everyone’s going to know

A

Advisory Committees From Page 9

Pangratz concluded her point by emphasizing that residents involved with committees want to help out of passion for the community.

“Being heard and appreciated is very much the foundation in a good business, a nonprofit and within committees consisting of volunteers who want to serve because of their passion for our community, and not to just please the Board of directors,” she said.

it’s not a real tree but it’s going to blend in and try to keep a little bit of beauty that we’ve come to know at Ocean Pines,” Robinson said.

When Treasurer Monica Rakowski raised questions about finances, Robinson clarified Ocean Pines will receive 40 percent of the revenue for the ground rent once the tower is in place. Robinson said this was a stan-

dard rate when comparing this contract to similar towers in the area.

He also said the OPA will receive an official ground rent once the construction process begins.

Robinson said he’s been told all three major carriers, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are planning on providing reception via the new cell tower, and if that happens the Ocean Pines

Association will be receiving approximately $35,000 a year in rent.

If just one carrier joins the project, Robinson said Ocean Pines is still expected to gain more than $36,000 in the tower’s first year, which includes the initial $20,000 payment.

“This is an amazing step moving forward because we’ve been talking about it for a while,” OPA President John Latham said after Robinson presented the site lease agreement.

Latham also asked about the timeline for the tower. Robinson said a contact with Milestone TowTo Page 12

12 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

Pines Board Approves $75,000 for Beach Club Renovation Plans

By DAVID BOHENICK Contributing Writer he Ocean Pines Board of directors approved General Manager John Viola’s proposal of $75,000 for architectural drawings for renovations to both floors and the basement of the Beach Club at the Oct. 25 meeting. The renovations would include a new floor decking for the first floor, a new deck on the second floor with updated bars and an elevator to fulfill Americans with Disabilities Act compliance.

Currently, the renovations planned for this year consist of the basement and first floor. The current timeframe, while unconfirmed, is a two-year plan with the second floor renovation and the elevator installation to come next year.

Touch of Italy Owner Bob Ciprietti said the interior renovations on the second floor would begin after Labor Day but the demolition to start construction is planned for later this year.

A full-size kitchen and deck are expected to be on the second floor providing elevated dining. Ciprietti also said they are planning on installing a tiki-bar style deck outside the first floor.

This project is one of three food and beverage renovation projects

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ers told him “realistically [the tower will be built] by next November.”

Previously, Milestone representatives expected the timeline to take 12 to 18 months.

Director Elaine Brady asked what the clause is if Milestone Towers backs out of the contract halfway through the construction of the cell tower. Robinson said in the event Milestone Towers breaks the clause, the tower would come down at their expense, and not at the expense of Ocean Pines.

Robinson said Milestone Towers are also expected to take care of permits moving forward.

“They’re going to do everything,” Robinson said. “Once we sign, it’s all in their hands,” he said.

between Ocean Pines and Touch of Italy that were approved at the Board meeting. Last month, Viola requested $75,000 to $100,000 for renovations and said approximately $25,000 would be going toward the basement, including a dehumidifier system.

Director Steve Jacobs asked if both the first floor and the second floor restaurants would be open year-round. Ciprietti clarified that the first floor is expected to be utilized for seasonal dining and the second floor is prepared to be yearround, with the possibility of being closed for two or three months in the year.

Viola said most of the planned renovations were already discussed prior to this proposal, saying the decks need to be replaced soon.

“A lot of this proposed spend that we’re making and talked about, for instance the decks, was all coming up for replacement anyway. I mean we are going to enhance it. We did want to do the upstairs deck ourselves to recapture the view of the ocean. So that was going to happen either way,” Viola said.

OPA President John Latham agreed with Viola and said the building is in need of enhancement.

“That building, if you’ve been over there, it’s a little bit tired…. We were going to spend it and having a partner to help us share those expenses will be nice,” Latham said Jacobs asked if the Board was approving just the architectural plans.

Viola clarified that the current expenditure didn’t involve anything beyond architectural planning, which is to be done by Atlantic Planning and Development.

He also said he’d come back with construction and engineering proposals.

Jacobs also asked if the work on the Beach Club would be done inhouse or contracted out. Viola said the work will mostly consist of outside contractors.

“We have been updating that deck and what I call the Boardwalk in the front in-house. The painting we’ve outsourced but this pretty much would be outside contractors,” Viola said.

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OCEAN PINES

Touch of Italy Plans Major Upgrades to Enhance Dining and Service at Ocean Pines Venues Ciprietti outlines planned improvements for the Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Clubhouse

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor ouch of Italy is planning big improvements to enhance its services to Ocean Pines residents and visitors, with significant renovations coming to the Beach Club, Yacht Club, and Clubhouse.

During the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 25, General Manager John Viola presented OPA’s plans for capital improvements at all three facilities. While the association focuses on building and infrastructure upgrades, Touch of Italy, which leases and operates the restaurants at each site, will invest heavily in enhancing the food and beverage operations for customers.

Owner Bob Ciprietti reviewed his plans in detail during the meeting, outlining a two-year project schedule that will involve major renovations, new kitchens, expanded out-

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door dining spaces, and improved bar service areas.

At the Beach Club, Ciprietti said, “It’s a two-year project that in the first year we expect to remove all the first floor—the entire first floor— and remodel that.” He said some structural work will be handled by the association, but Touch of Italy will “absorb all the cost to build out the first-floor structure and put a new kitchen in and new bar and create a better experience because that place is very dated.”

Plans for the second floor include demolishing it this year, with construction beginning after Labor Day next year. “Then build a second-floor restaurant with a deck that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean there,” Ciprietti said. “And that’ll be elevated dining.”

The renovated first floor will feature outdoor decks and a new tiki bar-style area facing the ocean.

David Bohenick photo

Touch of Italy’s Bob Ciprietti speaks about planned facility renovations during the

Oct. 25 Board of Directors meeting.

“That will actually enhance the experience for Ocean Pines members and their guests,” he added.

Ciprietti said Touch of Italy will

invest “at least a half a million dollars into the Beach Club” for the renovations.

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Touch of Italy

Board Approves $51,000 for Golf Clubhouse Shade Structure Design

From Page 14

Board member Steve Jacobs asked whether the new restaurant would be open year-round. Ciprietti responded, “Maybe nine, ten months. Maybe there’s two months that we’re—it’s not open.” When Jacobs asked whether the first floor would also be open year-round, Ciprietti said, “Prime summer months downstairs.”

At the Ocean Pines Golf Club, home to The Clubhouse Bar and Grille, Ciprietti said the improvements are designed to better serve golfers and improve the flow of play.

“Big issue here is the turn,” he explained. “For those that don’t play golf, the turn is where you go from the ninth hole to the tenth hole. And usually golfers stop. They want to grab something to eat or drink. And the faster the speed of play, the faster people play through, the more money the clubhouse and Ocean Pines golf course makes.”

To speed up service, he said, “We propose putting a pavilion outside where we’ll have a small kitchen and the golfers won’t have to come inside.”

Ciprietti said Touch of Italy will also invest in interior improvements at its expense. “We’re also, at our expense, going to remodel this building,” he said. “New flooring, some stuff to the walls to soften the place and enhance the experience. And inside, we’re going to take the existing bar out. We’re going to reposition the bar facing outwards with an outside bar facing inwards and a 44foot food rail on the patio out there where everybody can sit and enjoy the outside.”

He said the company plans to invest another $200,000 into the Country Club renovations.

Jacobs asked whether the intent was to allow golfers to grab food quickly between holes. Ciprietti replied, “Yes.” Jacobs then asked what the menu would look like at the new pavilion.

“Quick and fast,” Ciprietti said.

“Wraps, hot dogs, burgers, nothing fancy, just to keep them moving. For $6.”

He added that the new outdoor kitchen would also allow the club to host more events and golf outings.

“It’ll give you the ability to have events out there under the pavilion,” he said. “Because the patio is not going to be encumbered, we could put a tent up there. And then the kitchen’s big enough to support any golf

By DAVID BOHENICK Contributing Writer he Board of Directors agreed to spend $51,000 for architectural drawings for a proposed shade structure outside the Ocean Pines Golf Clubhouse at the Oct. 25 meeting. The project is part of a larger effort to improve food and beverage operations.

Touch of Italy Owner Bob Ciprietti claimed the proposed structure would serve to speed the pace of play by offering players a new location to get food.

“The big issue here is the turn. For those who don’t play golf, the turn is where you go from the ninth hole to the tenth hole. Usually golfers stop, they want to grab something to eat or drink,” Ciprietti said. “The faster the speed of play and the faster people play through, the more money the clubhouse and Ocean Pines Golf Course makes.”

Ciprietti also said he plans to remodel the interior of the existing Golf Club building by providing new flooring and repositioning the bar.

He also plans on including a 44 foot food rail on the patio.

Director Steve Jacobs was the

only Board member to abstain in the vote of approval. He said he didn’t think a new structure would resolve the issue of speed of play.

“I have to say I’m somewhat torn on this one. I don’t see this as being workable,” Jacobs said. “I understand the goal… to make sure we don’t fall behind on pace of play and all that sort of stuff at the golf course. I get that. And I know that is an issue that the golf committee had, prior to its demise, raised. But I’m not convinced, frankly, that the sort of construction suggested out here is going to substantially raise the pace of play.

“When this issue was raised several months ago, it really was a factor that there’s insufficient staffing in the kitchen and in the restaurant to meet the need for the golfers.”

Jacobs also raised concerns regarding the revenue expected from the structure.

“If there was an assurance that there would be more revenue generated by this, I would be a lot more convinced but, at best, we’re talking about breaking even with what we’ve got now. Even with the adjustments to rent, I don’t see this as nec-

essarily being a revenue center to increase our revenue,” he said.

Director Elaine Brady responded to Jacobs, saying she disagreed and thinks the structure has potential to make a profit.

“I do know that if you’re coming off the course, you’re going in there whether there’s enough staffing or not. To me, I would just think it takes a lot more time to get food and beverage coming inside where there are also a lot of other people being attended to. Whereas you’re coming around the turn and you’ve got a tiki bar and a quick thing where you can grab something [to eat]... it would be a revenue generator, I think,” Brady said.

Treasurer Monica Rakowski agreed with Brady, saying the proposal would deliver in enhancing the golf club.

“We always talk about enhancing the experience and, to me, it seems like a big effort to enhance it.”

General Manager John Viola said he understood Jacobs concerns regarding staffing but thinks the shade structure will still be an effective addition.

events that we have planned and outings and support a whole outdoor experience there.”

At the Yacht Club, Ciprietti said the focus will be on improving food service logistics and expanding outdoor dining. Through experience this summer and the walk to get food out of the kitchen and to diners, it was hard to keep the food hot, he said.

That led to an experiment this past summer with an outdoor setup and putting a little outside kitchen, it was very successful, he said. “And the thought was, hey, if we had a really real good outside kitchen here, we could create a better experience for everybody and execute not only the food service, but the drink service better.”

The plan now calls for a fully equipped outdoor kitchen near the tiki bar. “You’ll see in between the tiki bar and that, and the new kitchen, there’s enough area there where we’re going to create an outside patio for tables and a little bit more intimate setting out there,” Ciprietti said.

He also credited Ocean Pines

Public Works Director Ed Wells with helping to improve the design. “Ed Wells at Public Works came out with a great idea,” he said. “They’re going to relocate the fence at the pool so it complies with the state to keep protect the pool when nobody’s—so nobody falls in it—but also you’ll be able to now access the back of the tiki bar at all times and everybody will be able to sit on the other side of the tiki bar and face the music and everything else that’s going on.”

Ciprietti said the company will invest “another probably $125,000 into the yacht club kitchen” and plans to make “some soft renovations in the yacht club this winter.”

“We plan on taking the main bar out and rebuilding the main bar and a couple other things just to enhance the experience,” he said.

He emphasized that both the association and his business are contributing substantially to improve Ocean Pines amenities. “You guys are making a big investment here,” he told the Board. “And we’re going to be making an investment, you know, on our end also.”

Ciprietti’s combined investments—roughly $825,000 across the three properties—will align with OPA’s facility improvements to modernize and expand Ocean Pines’ most popular amenities.

At the end of his presentation, Ciprietti expressed appreciation for the Board’s collaboration and said the renovations would significantly improve the dining and entertainment options available to residents and visitors alike.

The Beach Club’s two-year transformation will bring a modern oceanfront restaurant and tiki bar to the Atlantic shore. The Country Club will gain a new outdoor pavilion and redesigned bar to better serve golfers and events. The Yacht Club will feature an outdoor kitchen, patio seating, and a rebuilt main bar to streamline service and create a more inviting environment.

Together, these projects mark one of the most extensive upgrades to Ocean Pines’ hospitality operations in years. Ciprietti said the goal is simple—to create a “better experience” for everyone who visits.

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To Page 16

16 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

OCEAN PINES

Plans for outdoor kitchen at Yacht Club approved by OPA

By DAVID BOHENICK Contributing Writer he Board of Directors approved moving forward with engineering designs costing $40,800 for an outdoor kitchen at the Yacht Club at the Oct. 25 OPA meeting. Touch of Italy is expected to add a pizza oven and grill. General Manager John Viola said the renovations would enhance the service for both the pool and outside deck.

At the meeting, Touch of Italy Owner Bob Ciprietti said Eddie Wells, the director of public works at Ocean Pines, also suggested relocating the fence of the pool to fit state compliances requiring the pool be protected, and to allow customers access to the back of the tiki bar at all times.

“The thought was, hey, if we had a really good outside kitchen here, we could create a better experience for everybody and execute ,not only the food service but, the drink service better,” Ciprietti said.

Viola clarified and said the planned renovations for the fence would allow people in the Yacht Club to access all four sides of the tiki bar and still allow people in the pool access, while serving as protection for the pool.

“What he said was we are going to work on the fence so that the fence, once the pool closes, can be opened and expanded on that fourth side that the pool normally uses,” Viola said. “But now the people at the Yacht Club

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will be able to go around that side and have another window to be served with.

“The fence would close so nobody would have access to the pool. It would be like a swinging fence.”

Director Steve Jacobs asked if the OPA or if Touch of Italy would be paying for the relocation of the fence. Viola clarified the expense is expected to be paid for by OPA finances, and said he was already planning on having it done before pursuing the food and beverage proposals.

“Eddie and I were going to do that regardless of this [structure],” Viola said. “We already talked to the county about it last year.”

At last month’s Board meeting when the proposal was first mentioned, Viola said an outside kitchen at the Yacht Club would alleviate the stress in the existing kitchen. Viola said at the time the bocce ball courts and pool wouldn’t be affected and the structure is expected to be 20-feet-by20-feet.

The current plan also involves leaving enough space in the area between the tiki bar and the kitchen for an outside patio with tables.

While the current timeline for construction is still unknown, Viola said at the September OPA meeting that Touch of Italy believes interior renovations can be accomplished by next summer. He also said food and beverage options would still be available if that expectation isn’t meant.

GM Explains Food and Beverage Budget Adjustment

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor cean Pines Association General Manager John Viola presented the monthly financial report for September at the Board of Directors meeting on Oct. 25, providing detailed context for a budget discrepancy in the food and beverage operation and offering encouraging news about the overall financial outlook.

While the report initially showed an “unfavorable” variance for food and beverage operations compared to the approved budget, Viola said the numbers did not tell the whole story. The discrepancy, he explained, stemmed from the way certain expenses were budgeted — specifically, insurance costs for the association-owned buildings housing the food and beverage facilities.

Viola said when reviewing the actual financials for the year, staff notice the issue with insurance, Viola said.

He said it’s part of food and beverage and should be allocated to it.

“So that’s an expense that’s in the actual but not in the budget.”

Viola said the insurance had been accounted for in a separate line item during the budgeting process, rather than being incorporated into the food and beverage budget itself. As a result, when the year-to-date num-

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bers were compared to the budget, it appeared that the department was overspending when in fact, it was performing well ahead of last year.

“It’s just a an adjustment or a reclass to food and beverage for the budget net at the bottom line. It’s the same. There’s no change. This way the numbers line up,” he said.

Viola emphasized that the issue is purely a matter of presentation, not performance. “Sometimes it shows that we’re unfavorable to budget, when actually, we’re not. We’re actually favorable — and certainly favorable compared to last year,” he said.

Board members discussed whether the insurance costs should be part of the food and beverage operation expenses at all, given that the buildings are owned by the association. Director Elaine Brady raised the question during the discussion.

“I kind of wondered why we were putting the insurance back in there,” Brady said. “I was thinking that might already be part of the lease, which is different than what’s been done before. Since we own the buildings, it seems like that would not fall into food and beverage or how it’s performing.”

Viola said he understood the concern and was open to either approach. “Look, I’m open to anything, and I’m certainly open to Budget

and Finance,” he said. “I’ve seen this kind of stuff over the years, not just here. It’s a management decision.

We can do it either way. All I’m saying is, I’d rather keep it consistent.

If it’s in the budget, we have it in actual.”

Director Stuart Lakernick weighed in, suggesting that adjusting the budget to include the insurance was the cleaner approach.

“What I would do is adjust the budget for it,” He said.

Viola agreed, noting that doing so would make future reports clearer and easier to interpret. “That’ll be one less thing that causes confusion,” he said. “We’ll make that change next month.”

The discussion then turned to the structure of Ocean Pines’ food and beverage operations and how that affects the financial presentation.

With the association having shifted from a hybrid management model to a full lease arrangement with contractor Touch of Italy Group, which manages the food and beverage services at Ocean Pines amenities.

Under the old hybrid model, the association operated food and beverage like other amenities, tracking revenue, expenses, and contractor bonuses through a profit and loss statement. Whatever net proceeds remained after the contractor’s share went to the association.

“Now, since we are a lessor, I don’t have a regular P&L,” Viola said. “I certainly have one — you always do — but the P&L now is just the lease income each month, the revenue that we receive from the percentage of non-alcohol sales that Touch of Italy makes.”

Ocean Pines receives 6.5 percent of non-alcohol sales such as food and soft drinks, as additional revenue, in addition to a fixed monthly lease To Page 17

Golf Renovations From Page 14

“That part, I will talk to Touch of Italy about what you’re telling me inside the building, and I get it but we have to look at operational and structure separately,” Viola said.

“This is a structure. How it’s performed is something else.”

Director Jeff Heavner was also in favor of the shade structure, agreeing with Rakowski’s claim.

“I mean, you got the quality of the service, quality of the food, the price of everything, the experience, and that all comes together as the total experience and that’s what we’re trying to enhance,” Heavner said.

Viola presented this project alongside ongoing proposed food and beverage renovations for the Beach Club and Yacht Club with Touch of Italy.

OCEAN PINES F&B Adjustment From Page 16

payment of about $32,000. Over a full year, that lease income totals roughly $384,000, which Viola said essentially covers the association’s depreciation and overhead costs related to the food and beverage facilities.

“So, the lease is income to us each month, and that covers our costs,” he said. “Then we get the revenue from the 6.5 percent, and that’s also income. The only expense that I have there now, at the bottom, is depreciation, which offsets the lease, and the insurance, which we just talked about.”

Viola noted that because lease income is spread evenly over 12 months while food and beverage revenue follows a seasonal pattern, with most income generated during the busy summer months, the monthly comparisons can appear uneven. “For that period in the summer when you’re dealing with a regular P&L, odds are those numbers would be higher than the way it’s spread over time,” he said. “But over the next couple months, it’ll be more income for us.”

To provide a clearer picture, Viola recommended comparing the forecasted full-year results to last year’s actual totals, rather than to the month-by-month budget. “The best way to look at it is over 12 months,” he said. “Last year, for 12 months after depreciation, Ocean Pines lost around $100,000. This year, what’s forecasted — after depreciation and insurance — is favorable, in the black, by $150,000.”

The difference is $250,000 for food and beverage versus last year.

Viola credited the improvement to both operational efficiency and the structure of the new lease, which provides more predictable revenue for Ocean Pines while reducing risk and variability.

“We’re tracking it,” he said. “We have a very good accounting department, and they’re giving me everything I’m asking for. We’re working well with Touch of Italy, and that’s the forecast.”

He said the positive trend in food and beverage operations is contributing to the community’s overall financial health.

Board members appeared to agree with Viola’s approach, and no formal vote was required to authorize the adjustment. The change will be reflected in next month’s financial report.

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 17

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November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 19

OPA financial position remains strong at $330,000 favorable to budget Reserve study update underway

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor cean Pines’ operating results for September show continued financial strength, with the association reporting year-todate results $330,000 favorable to budget. General Manager John Viola credited the strong performance to the “economic engine” of Ocean Pines’ amenities and operating departments, along with the work of senior management and support from the Board of Directors.

“We’re favorable to budget around $50,000 for the month, $54,000 according to the schedule,” Viola said during the Board’s October meeting.

“Golf was favorable, though we are seeing some softness there. But the numbers are still very good, as well as everything else.”

Year-to-date, the association remains in a solid position despite higher budget expectations compared to the prior year. “We are favorable $330,000, not as favorable as last year,” Viola said.

“As we talked about during the budget process, we increased the budget, so you have to meet higher results each month and each year to try to get more favorability. But this is good.”

Among the factors contributing to the favorable performance are better-than-expected revenues from EDU (Equivalent Dwelling Unit) fees tied to new construction, a $50,000 county grant, favorable casino revenues, and staffing vacancies that reduced personnel expenses.

“The EDUs are a hard number to

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predict during the budget process,” Viola explained. “We have EDUs coming in based on the Triple Crown properties toward the north. We did get some grants. The county gave us $50,000. The casino money came in favorable. We did have favorability in finance we had an open position and a couple of other openings and we have favorability there. The good thing is the entire team got everything done.”

He noted that the EDU fees, a charge assessed on new lots for water and sewer connections, generate revenue for the association when lots close and homes are built.

“If you buy a lot in Triple Crown and you’re going to build there, you need an EDU,” Viola said. “If you’ve been following this over the last 20 years, when the builder bought that, he had an agreement with Ocean Pines. So, if you bought a house in there, you’re paying $8,500 for the EDU. Today, those EDUs are probably double or triple that. That money is revenue to us.”

While golf revenues remain strong, Viola said the association is investing additional funds into course maintenance following minor issues in September. “We corrected them very quickly and allocated more money to maintain the sand traps and fairways and new sod for the tee boxes,” he said. “We’re trying to get to the root cause, no pun intended.”

Turning to reserves, Viola presented an update on the association’s long-term funding position.

“What we’re trying to do there is estimate at the end of this fiscal year

what our reserves will be,” he said.

“Obviously, this is important. We have a lot of spend coming up.”

He noted that DMA, an outside independent firm that conducts Ocean Pines’ reserve study, is in the process of completing its latest analysis.

“That tool is very important to tie everything together,” Viola said.

“They will recommend, based on the new regulations put in a couple years ago, how much they believe we need in our reserve funds.”

Viola provided a brief history of the association’s reserve planning efforts, which began with a DMA study in 2017. At that time, having such a study was not yet a legal requirement for homeowners associations. “ We were ahead of the curve on that,” he said. “ At that time, that number probably would have been $25 million, and we only had a couple million.”

Following extensive discussions among the Board and Budget and Finance Committee, the association set a target to maintain reserves in the range of 22 to 24 percent of projected needs. A later “DMA light” study led to a recommendation to

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increase that range to 30 to 32 percent, a goal the association has been working toward over time.

Now the regulations say you have to have a study every five years, Viola said.

“It’s been five years since we did that study. DMA is in the process now. The landscape has changed. I don’t believe they’re going to come in and say we have to have 100 percent. I believe it will not be 30 percent, it will probably be less than 30 percent. But we have to wait for the report.”

Viola reiterated that he believes Ocean Pines is in a “Goldilocks situation” with reserves. “Based upon the spend, the construction, and what we want to do here in Ocean Pines, I do not believe we will have a spike either way,” he said.

The updated DMA report will guide future budgeting and longterm capital planning, Viola added.

“Once I have that, everything will fit in,” he said.

Viola also noted that the fire department construction funding line item, shown as $1.7 million, will likely be distributed over two fiscal years as project costs are finalized.

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Pines on Track for FY 2026-27 Budget Development Process Departments Busy Updating Strategic Plan

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor eneral Manager John Viola said the Ocean Pines Association is moving forward with development of its fiscal year 2026-27 budget, with departments providing updated plans and the senior management team on track to deliver documentation to the Budget and Finance Committee and Board of Directors before the holidays.

Viola reviewed the budget process during the Oct. 25 Board meeting, highlighting a bottom-up approach that incorporates input from all departments.

“We are working on it. I have to say we are ahead of schedule.”

He said when he was chair of the Budget and Finance Committee he never received a budget until the day that he sat to review it with his team.

“A lot of times the paper was hot.

Over the last five, six years, we’ve got it done and distributed to the Board and to Budget & Finance well before the holiday. We’re ahead of that,” Viola said.

Viola credited the senior management team for the progress. He said the team is hoping to have all that done earlier than last year.

The proposed budget will include increased costs for public safety, which are projected to account for approximately 42 percent of the assess-

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Staff photo

A lifeguard dressed in costume for the Haunted Swim at the indoor pool.

Financial Report From Page 19

“We’ll probably end up with a little higher, but once we get all the numbers from the fire department, I’ll have all the spreadsheets and everything will be spelled out over the next two years,” he said.

Treasurer Monica Rakowski reported that as of Sept. 30, the association held approximately $17.1 million in cash, a decrease of $800,000 compared to the same time last year and $700,000 from August.

“We have $7.9 million invested in CDARS and realized $52,000 in interest income,” Rakowski said.

“The remaining $9.2 million is in insured sweep accounts, treasury bills, money market, and other operating accounts diversified between two local banks.”

ment, he said.

These costs cover the police pension equivalent and new fire department expenses.

A key step in finalizing the budget is the completion of the Design Management Associates review.

DMA conducted field work Oct. 14 to 16 and held a pre-meeting with Viola and initiative leads. Viola reported that discussions with DMA have been encouraging and that the final report is expected prior to December budget meetings.

“We need probably another three weeks before we get the results from them. I did have meetings with them. I am encouraged by the discussions and I’m hoping that we are in a Goldilocks situation…,” he said.

Another major component of the budget preparation aside from the reserve study is updates to the strategic plan.

Viola noted that department heads, led by Linda Martin, senior director of business operations, are updating the strategic plan for the next five years.

“I know Linda and her team and all the department heads are working on it, updating it. We update every year. They’re updating this for the next five years,” Viola said.

The strategic plan emphasizes enhancing the Ocean Pines experience, developing staff, improving amenities, and delivering the best value to residents, Viola said. “The way I look at the strategic plan approach is I’m looking at the Ocean Pines experience.

“Start with that,” he said, adding “We want to enhance the customer experience, the amenities. We want to develop our team and most importantly, we want to give the best value ….for the assessment,” Viola said.

Once finalized, the updated fiveyear strategic plan will be uploaded to the Ocean Pines website in the coming weeks, he said.

Viola said the budget documentation is expected to be ready for Budget & Finance and the Board in time for review prior to Thanksgiving. Meetings to review and approve the budget will be scheduled in December.

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 23

OCEAN PINES

B&F Committee Recommends Formalizing Convenience Fee Policy Resolution

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor he Ocean Pines Association’s Budget and Finance Committee met on Oct. 22 to review several administrative and financial matters, including discussion about a resolution related to charging a convenience fee for the use of credit cards to pay annual property assessments.

While committee members agreed the matter was relatively minor, they concurred that clarifying and formalizing the existing policy would improve transparency and organization in the association’s financial governance documents.

Committee Chairman Doug Parks opened the discussion by explaining that the convenience fee policy already exists in the Association’s “book of resolutions,” which contains all approved financial and operational policies. However, the convenience fee document currently lacks a formal designation or resolution number, making it somewhat of an orphan among the association’s otherwise well-structured financial resolutions.

“As history goes, there’s a resolution in the book of resolutions that’s unnamed; it’s the convenience fee,” Parks said. “I brought it up last year,” he said, but the issue didn’t receive much interest. He suggested giving the resolution a number through the normal Board approval process.

According to Parks, the only reason the document hasn’t been assigned a resolution number is because it was being reviewed by the association’s legal counsel. “The response I got was, ‘Well, it’s being reviewed by legal,’” he said. “And not for the format of a resolution, but for the legality and any other associated requirements with charging a convenience fee for the use of a credit card.”

Parks emphasized that the proposal is strictly administrative.

None of the verbiage would be changed, he said. The change would simply involve reformatting the document so that it was read just like other resolutions. None of the terms and conditions would change.

“So there’s no reason for us to have to worry about changes. We’re not changing anything financially

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or legally. We’re just formatting the document to meet our governance format.”

Committee member Bob Hillegass asked for clarification about the current practice. “Are we charging it now?” he asked.

“Oh yeah,” Parks responded. “It’s a resolution on the books.”

Hillegass said he had noticed

some local businesses adding 3 or 4 percent surcharges for customers using credit cards and wondered if similar charges are permitted under card issuer policies.

He said he had called several credit card companies to learn about the practice of charging convenience fees for use of credit cards.

He asked the credit card companies

if those convenience fees can be appealed. The response was not unless the customer can prove they didn’t know about it before being charged the fee.

He said he confirmed that policy with Visa, Mastercard, and Discover, all of which told him that the key factor is customer notification. “OthTo Page 25

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OCEAN PINES

B&F Discusses Investment Strategy For Excess Cash

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor he Ocean Pines Association’s Budget and Finance Committee met on Oct. 22 to continue its work developing guidance for the community’s fiscal year 2026-2027 budget, focusing in part on investment strategies and overall financial priorities. The committee reviewed its draft guidance document, which will be forwarded to the Board of Directors to help shape the budget process for the next fiscal year.

Committee member Jack Collins opened a discussion about the association’s investment approach, particularly the potential benefits of placing excess cash and reserve funds in higher-yielding U.S. Treasury securities. Collins noted that earlier in the year, committee members had discussed the opportunity to lock in favorable rates when Treasury

yields were at their peak. “ W e were kicking it around,” Collins said.

“At the time, we were talking about fiveJack Collins year rates being up at 5 percent. That’s a pretty nice yield.

My point was that if we have funds that we’re not going to need for five years, that might be something to look at.”

He acknowledged, however, that the economic environment has changed in recent months, making that approach less advantageous.

“Now that these rates are coming down, that’s a different story,” he said. “Maybe you don’t want to tie up your money. So it may be a moot point, but we did discuss it. I don’t know if it’s something that should be considered in any kind of guidance or not.”

Committee Chairman Doug Parks said he viewed the discussion as a useful addition to the committee’s ongoing budget and financial considerations. “What comes to mind is that we’re giving recommendations,” he said. “I don’t think using the word ‘consider’ necessarily translates into ‘must.’ I think it’s probably good for us to at least approach the topic as an FYI — not under the assumption that it’s not being done already.”

Parks noted that the association’s current investment portfolio already includes U.S. government

Convenience Fee

sel, and the Board of Directors. “If they want to change it, because legal says we want to look into this to make sure our risk is avoided, then that’s a different environment altogether,” Parks said. “We’re not into that part of it.”

Parks said his primary goal was to ensure that all of the association’s financial resolutions are properly formatted and easy for members to locate and reference. “It looks a little more organized,” that way he said.

Hillegass asked whether the association charges convenience fees for other amenities. “We don’t charge a fee for any of the other amenities or anything, do we?” he asked.

“Not to my knowledge,” Parks said. “I believe it’s only for the annual property assessments.”

The committee discussed whether similar fees might be applied in the future to other transactions, such as golf, aquatics, or recreation programs, but Parks reiterated that expanding the policy was not the committee’s focus.

“That’s where the notion of discussing it at legal comes in—having the attorneys involved to determine what options, if any, we should have,” he said. “But that’s not part of what we need to get into right now.

Let them decide what they want to do with that.”

Committee members recalled a related situation earlier in the year

when Ocean Pines Golf operations considered adding a small surcharge for Thursday Men’s League participants paying by credit card.

“There was a notification to players that they would be charged an extra 3%, but then they didn’t do it,” one member said. “They changed their mind and absorbed the cost instead.”

Parks said such operational decisions fall outside the committee’s scope. That’s an operational and legal issue, he said. “Personally, I’m not interested in going down that rabbit hole because I don’t see it as a real issue.”

He said there is a 3 percent convenience fee for assessments, and if operationally the general manager and the Board want to look at extending that into other areas, that’s up to them and legal counsel to discuss.

He concluded the discussion by summarizing the committee’s consensus to send a note to the Board recommending a formatted resolution be created with no changes to the terms and conditions that are already on the books.

Committee members agreed that formalizing the resolution would ensure better consistency and clarity in the association’s governing documents, without changing the substance of the current policy. The matter will now move to the Board of Directors for consideration.

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From Page 23

erwise, it becomes a he-said, shesaid,” Thompson said. “ Committee member Jack Collins added that he had seen this practice firsthand at restaurants and other businesses.

Hillegass noted that when credit cards were first introduced, merchants were not permitted to pass fees on to customers, but that restriction has since been lifted and now they can charge the fee.

Collins added that in the past, most vendors absorbed the credit card transaction fees by slightly increasing their prices.

That led to a broader philosophical discussion about fairness and the practicality of passing convenience fees along to customers.

Parks agreed that charging a convenience fee for certain transactions has become standard practice in both the public and private sectors.

“It’s already part of our environment,” he said. “It’s a past resolution. What I would hope to do is just forward it to the Board and ask them to consider making it a formal, numbered resolution with no change in terms and conditions.”

He added that any broader discussion about whether to expand convenience fees beyond property assessments would need to involve the general manager, legal coun-

securities and other secure instruments, reflecting a prudent, conservative approach to managing community funds. He suggested just adding language suggesting continuing to monitor rates and look for opportunities to maximize returns while maintaining security.

He emphasized that the committee’s role is not only to identify potential improvements but also to recognize sound financial practices that are already in place.

“I really don’t want the report to just point out things that need to be fixed or reconsidered,” Parks said. “I think it should also promote what’s happening that’s going well.”

He said when the association is doing something successfully, the committee should acknowledge it and recommend continuing that practice.

Collins said he appreciated the intent but suggested that specific investment recommendations may not belong in the formal guidance document, given how quickly economic conditions can change. “Maybe it’s not necessary to include it,” he said.

“It changes with the environment.

Five years from now, U.S. securities might be a very risky bet. We just don’t know.”

Parks then asked for consensus from the committee on whether to include language about investment strategy in the final version of the budget guidance.

After brief discussion, committee members agreed that while monitoring investment rates and returns remains important, it did not need to be specifically added to the written budget guidance for this coming fiscal year.

Collins clarified that his goal was not to change policy but to prompt discussion. “It was just a point of discussion and a way to use the brainpower sitting in this room,” he said. “I’m not suggesting it go in the report, just raising it as something to think about.”

Parks concluded that the committee was generally aligned on the issue.

The committee’s budget guidance document serves as a roadmap for management during the budgeting process, outlining financial goals, assumptions, and priorities that support Ocean Pines’ long-term stability and strategic planning.

26 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025 OPA, Republic Offer Leaf Collection The Ocean Pines Public Works Department will collect bagged leaves from Nov. 24 through Dec. 31.

Bagged leaves will be picked up on days opposite of Republic Services’ regularly scheduled collection days. If your trash is collected on Mondays and Thursdays, bagged leaves will be picked up on Tuesdays and Fridays. If your trash is collected on Tuesdays and Fridays, bagged leaves will be picked up on Mondays and Thursdays.

These events are free of charge and aim to help promote environmentally friendly disposal of seasonal leaf debris. In addition, Republic Services will offer six curbside leaf collection days during the months of November and December. The schedule is as follows: Northside: Nov. 8 and 22, Dec. 12; and Southside: Nov. 15, Dec. 6 and 20.

Leaves must be placed in paper bags only, not plastic bags. Thirty gallon paper bags can be purchased at the Public Works Building in bundles of 5 for $10 plus tax.

The Public Works Yard will be open for yard waste Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., from Nov. 24 through Jan. 3. The yard will be closed Nov.27-29, Dec. 24-26, and Jan. 1.

For questions, email info@oceanpines.org or call 410-641-7717.

Construction on 589 to Cause Traffic Delays Motorists will encounter road work associated with construction of a commercial development at the intersection of routes 589 and 50 beginning in early November.

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration said the work was scheduled to being on Nov. 1 and completed by the spring of 2026, weather permitting.

The intersection improvements are required for the construction of a commercial shopping center and apartment complex, called Coastal Square, on the south side of Route 50. The improvements will include the addition of a fourth leg at the intersection to create a four-way intersection and the removal of the traffic signal on Brader Lane. Additionally, east and westbound lanes of US 50 will be widened, resurfaced, and include installation of pavement markings, and stormwater upgrades to accommodate the commercial de-

OCEAN PINES

PINES NOTES velopment.

Motorists can expect 24-hour, single-lane closures and flagging operations throughout the duration of the project. The developer’s contractor, Reynolds Excavating, of Princess Anne, will use arrow Boards, cones, and flaggers to safely guide motorists through the work zone.

MDOT is asking drivers to stay alert and be aware of reduced speed limits and changing driving patterns in the work zone.

For a look at real-time traffic conditions, go to chart.maryland.gov.

Fall Decorations Brighten Pines Ocean Pines is getting a seasonal makeover, with fall decorations now on display at the community’s entrances and in front of several association buildings.

General Manager John Viola said during an Oct. 25 meeting the effort is part of ongoing beautification work across the community. “Beautification—and we constantly move forward with this,” he said during the Oct. 25 Board of Directors meeting.

Viola added that additional staff were hired this year to support landscaping and decorative projects. “We hired somebody. She’s doing a great job,” he said.

Emergency Removal of Tree Approved At the Oct. 25 meeting of the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors, Director Jeff Heavner announced the results of an email vote taken earlier in the month regarding a safety concern on Teal Circle.

On Oct. 11, Director John Latham made an email motion authorizing a contractor to enter the property at 142 Teal Circle to remove a dead tree deemed unsafe. According to Heavner, Board approval was required under Section 14.8 of the Declaration of Restrictions and the updated Resolution M-01.

The Board unanimously approved the motion via email, allowing the work to proceed. The tree has since been removed, and the safety issue resolved.

Pavers Installed Around Bocce Courts Improvements continue at the Ocean Pines bocce courts, where new pavers have been add-

ed around the playing areas.

Viola encouraged residents to visit the site and see the upgrades firsthand. “The pavers and what they’re doing at the bocce ball courts—it’s pretty impressive,” he said. “If you don’t play bocce, please go up there and see.”

The enhancements are part of broader beautification and maintenance projects completed this fall.

Ocean Pines Marina End-of-Season Hours The Ocean Pines Marina has announced extended hours as the 2025 season comes to a close.

The Marina fuel dock will be open 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through Nov. 2. Additionally, the fuel dock will be open the following weekend, Nov. 7 to 9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., before officially closing for the season on Nov. 9.

For updates on additional dates and hours, visit www.oceanpines. org. For questions or more information, contact Marina Manager Tony Tedeschi at 410-641-7717, ext. 7118.

Latham touts Weekly e-Newsletter During his president’s report at the Oct. 25 Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting, President John Latham reminded residents to stay connected with community news and events by signing up for the association’s weekly email newsletter. “I would encourage you to sign up for that,” he said.

Latham highlighted the e-blast as a valuable resource that provides updates on local activities and important information for Ocean Pines residents. “It’s great information and just keeps you up to date,” he said, encouraging anyone not already subscribed to join the mailing list.

Restroom Renovations Planned for Winter Ocean Pines Association leaders are preparing a winter plan for restroom renovations across several community facilities, including the Golf Course and Swim and Racquet Club.

“Bathrooms are always a priority,” Viola said.

“We will be doing renovations, maintenance there over

the winter. We’re actually putting together our plan now.”

He said staff have been documenting the current condition of facilities and are exploring replacements for aging dividers and flooring. “We did hear we’re looking at the floors. We are putting carpet and stuff there temporary … we’ll be looking at all the restrooms and coming with a plan that we’ll do over the winter,” Viola said.

Sports Core Patio Repairs Cracked pavement issues at the Sports Core Pool are being addressed with new paving and concrete work.

OPA General Manager Viola confirmed during an Oct. 25 meeting that the back patio area has been repaved, while the front section is still under review.

“We did the back only,” he said. “If there’s something in the front that needs to be done, we’ll look at it.”

Public Works staff plan to inspect the area and schedule any additional repairs needed.

Terns Landing Park Maintenance Public Works crews continue regular maintenance at Terns Landing Park, ensuring the area remains clean and inviting for residents.

Work includes plantings, weeding, grass cutting, and upkeep of signage such as “Curb Your Dog.” Viola noted that while the park itself is maintained by Ocean Pines, the small bridge at the site was installed by residents and is not maintained by the Association.

Fire Station Project to Begin This Winter General Manager John Viola said the long-planned new South Side Fire Station project is advancing steadily, with construction expected to begin this winter.

“Firehouse — this is a big one,” Viola said during the Oct. 25 Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting. “This is moving right along. I believe it’s going well. A lot of work has gone into this. A lot of pre-planning and now the planning stage. I like the way it’s coming. I think we’re in a good place.”

Viola said the timeline remains largely on track, with only a minor To Page 28

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Resident Voices Concerns About Possible Pier on Golf Course Canal

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uring the public comments portion of the Oct. 25 Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors meeting, a Clubhouse Drive resident raised concerns about the possibility of building a pier on the 10th hole of the golf course.

Brian Higgins said, “It’s come to our attention that there is a possibility of building a pier on the 10th hole of the golf course and we have some concerns about that.”

He said residents were unsure

whether an environmental study had been done, noting that “the health of the canal is an issue. It’s just coming back to life. We do see fish and crabs there now.”

“The traffic issue is a big concern,” Higgins said. “If you look at the tenth, you’ll know that there’s a bridge right there. And as pontoons or other boats enter that canal, they have to slow down because there’s a blind spot. That pier would be fairly close to where those boats have to

turn to get on that canal to go out.”

He added, “We have a lot of kids in that neighborhood who paddle Board and kayak, so we’re concerned about their safety.”

Higgins said residents were also worried about liability if the proposed pier is not staffed. “We understand that that pier is going to be unmanned,” he said. “You know, drinking and driving is not any anything we want to promote here, especially in our canals.”

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“If there are injuries that incur there, that’s probably a cost that’s going to be imposed on Ocean Pines in general, not just that concentrated area.”

Higgins referenced a recent incident elsewhere in the community.

“We also know that at the larger marina, somebody recently had to be heliported out of there for because of an accident. So that is a concern.”

He emphasized that “in general, the health and safety of the canal and the neighbors is a big concern and we would prefer not to have something built there right off the tenth.”

There are multiple neighbors right off the tenth too, Higgins said.

He said they already deal with noise consistently and are tolerant of that because they know that the golf course is important for the overall financial health of the community.

But having a slip there might increase that noise level and create some problems for the neighbors who live there.

“It doesn’t just impact the immediate neighbors either,” he added. “It impacts the inner canals because again increase track. It could create a log jam at that what I might call an elbow to enter that canal.”

“I just wanted to bring that forward and ask you to please consider maybe not building a slip there that could create a plethora of problems,” Higgins said.

The Board did not discuss or take action on the issue following Higgins’ comments.

Pines Notes From Page 26

delay expected. “The shovel in the ground now is probably going to be in the winter, maybe one or two months later than what we originally said. I don’t see a problem with that,” he said.

According to Viola, the project has reached an important milestone. “We have received the architectural and mechanical drawings and we are working on those and we’re looking at them. So you can see we’re pretty much getting to the pricing stage, and that’s good,” he said. He added that the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department is now working with an interior designer on furniture, fixtures, and flooring for the new facility.

On Oct. 2, the Worcester County Planning Commission approved site plans for the project.

WORCESTER COUNTY

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 29

Worcester County Commissioners Approve 0 Percent Homestead Property Tax Credit

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor t their Oct. 21 meeting, Worcester County Commissioners approved legislation to reduce the Homestead Property Tax Credit from 3 percent to 0 percent, effective July 1, 2026. The change is intended to provide maximum protection for eligible homeowners by limiting any increase in taxable assessment for owner-occupied dwellings.

The legislative change, introduced as Bill 25-05, amends Title TR1 of the Worcester County Code to adjust the Homestead Property Tax Credit percentage.

“Effective July 1, 2026, the homestead property tax credit in Worcester County, Maryland shall be one hundred and three percent for county property taxes which shall serve to limit the taxable assessment increase for owner-occupied dwellings to 0 percent over the taxable assessment of the prior year,” the bill states.

A memo from Candace Savage,

A

Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, explained the rationale for the adjustment.

“This bill would reduce the Homestead Property Tax Credit cap from 103 percent to 100 percent, effectively lowering the allowable increase in taxable assessment for eligible properties from 3 percent to 0 percent,” Savage wrote. She noted that the change was proposed in accordance with a vote taken by the County Commissioners during the Fiscal Year 2026 budget work sessions, where the reduction of the Homestead Credit Cap from 3 percent to 0 percent was approved.

The Homestead Property Tax Credit is a state program that limits the annual increase in taxable assessment for a homeowner’s principal residence.

Homeowners must apply once through the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation to be eligible.

While the statewide cap is 10 percent, counties may set a lower cap. Worcester County previously

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maintained a 3 percent cap. The reduction to 0 percent makes Worcester County one of only two counties in Maryland to offer the maximum protection allowed under state law, alongside Talbot County.

During a public hearing on the proposal, Ocean City resident Vince Gisriel praised the move. “I’m hard pressed to imagine a better action that you could do for your local residents that own property here,” he said.

Commissioner Chip Bertino made the motion to approve the 0 percent Homestead Property Tax Credit, which was seconded by Commissioner Joe Mitrecic. The motion passed unanimously.

Mitrecic, who said he had brought up the measure during budget discussions, voiced continued support for the reduction while expressing concerns about the county’s overall budget. “We have a tremendous amount of non-resident taxpayers that pay the freight for lack of a better word,” he said.

Mitrecic added that the change

could help keep local rents stable. “Hopefully landlords will not have to raise rents going forward.

We have very little non high-dollar rentals here in Worcester County as it is and hopefully we can keep those ones that we have.”

Commissioner Caryn Abbott noted her surprise at the number of residents who have taken advantage of the Homestead Property Tax Credit and encouraged everyone eligible to apply. “It’s very easy and your approval happens fairly quickly,” she said.

The approval of the 0 percent cap ensures that eligible homeowners will not see any increase in taxable assessment from year to year, providing a significant benefit to local residents.

Applications for the Homestead Property Tax Credit can be submitted online at the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation website, and once approved, the credit remains in place as long as the property continues to be the applicant’s principal residence.

30 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

WORCESTER COUNTY

County May Tap General Fund to Refund OP Service Area for Escrow Shortfall

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor orcester County officials are considering an interim solution to address a significant financial shortfall affecting the Ocean Pines water and wastewater service area, with the county’s Treasurer’s Office suggesting the General Fund could pay back

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the $231,260 owed to the OPSA. The proposal, outlined in a memorandum from Enterprise Fund Controller Quinn M. Dittrich and presented to the Worcester County Commissioners at an October meeting, comes after a prolonged review of the Shared Facilities Escrow Fund, Fund 505, which has faced persistent negative balances and oversight issues in re-

cent years.

“The Treasurer’s Office has reviewed the concerns raised regarding Fund 505, the Shared Facilities Escrow Fund, and acknowledges issues related to its negative cash balance, internal fund transfers, and insufficient developer contributions during the 2022 to 2024 period,” Dittrich wrote. The fund, created to

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collect developer contributions for project-related costs, experienced a sustained cash shortfall beginning in mid-2022, resulting in $231,260 in internal transfers from the OPSA and $92,653 in unpaid payroll expenses. The memorandum noted that these gaps were not initially followed by formal recovery efforts.

To stabilize Fund 505 in the short term, the Treasurer’s Office proposed that the General Fund restore the $323,913 needed to cover the internal transfers and unpaid payroll.

Dittrich emphasized that this action would allow Fund 505 to regain integrity while long-term recovery measures and process improvements are implemented. The projected repayment from Fund 505 back to the General Fund depends on developer cooperation, with an estimated period of one to six months, and initial billings intended to go out within four to eight weeks.

The Treasurer’s Office has also completed a full reconciliation of escrow activity, covering all projects using Fund 505 since 2009, and is reviewing legal collectability of outstanding balances under Small Project Agreements and Project Turnover Documents. Corrective actions include implementing formal notification requirements for low balances, mandatory project coding for all revenues and expenses, increased initial escrow amounts of 7.5 percent of estimated construction costs, and requiring verification of account balances before project turnover is approved.

“Transparency between departments is a big one,” Dittrich said.

“Constant oversight in the Treasurer’s Office on how these escrow balances are being handled is essential.” The office is proactively reviewing accounts that are active or ongoing and can be replenished, while also examining recently closed projects to determine which expenses are legally collectible.

Commissioner Chip Bertino, who represents Ocean Pines, praised the proactive stance by the Treasurer’s Office, saying, “For the first time in more than a year and a half, this is the first time that the Treasurer’s Office has stepped up to the plate to acknowledge there were deficiencies and taking proactive action to

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WORCESTER COUNTY Service Area

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 31

From Page 30

correct the situation.” He attributed the change to new leadership in the county finance office and said, “Transparency was lacking in the past and caused a lot of the issues we had to deal with over the past year. It’s refreshing to see, finally, somebody stepping up to the plate in the finance office to take responsibility for the oversights.”

The issue of Fund 505 was discussed at a September commissioners meeting, when questions arose about more than $231,000 in escrow funds being diverted from the Ocean Pines service area to cover shortfalls in other parts of Worcester County.

Bertino pressed county staff on oversight and accountability, expressing concern that local ratepayers were effectively subsidizing deficits elsewhere.

At that meeting, County Chief Administrative Officer Weston Young acknowledged that the problem was only uncovered during the budget process, when staff were reviewing other transfers made between enterprise funds to cover operating deficits.

Dittrich clarified that the complexity of the issue is heightened

because Ocean Pines shares a bank account with other utility areas, with transfers coded under Ocean Pines. “ Looking ahead, the Treasurer’s Office plans to implement updated escrow rates ahead of the next billing cycle. Dittrich acknowledged the challenges but emphasized that accountability and transparency are now priorities.

The Treasurer’s Office has taken full responsibility for prior deficiencies and committed to both corrective action and transparent reporting.

While the proposed interim measure of using the General Fund to restore the deficit in the Ocean Pines service area is not yet finalized, it represents a tangible step toward stabilizing Fund 505 while longer-term solutions are developed, including improved internal controls and strengthened developer accountability.

Instead of acting now on the initial suggestion of covering the deficit to the OPSA from the general fund, Bertino suggested the commissioners wait for more information from the treasurer’s office “to see the whole picture instead of doing things piecemeal.”

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First Friday at Art League includes food drive

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he Art League of Ocean City announces five new art shows opening on First Friday, Nov. 7, 5-7 p.m. at the Ocean City Center for the Arts, 502 94th St. bayside. The public is invited to attend this free event.

The Sisson Galleria is home to the “Feast for the Eyes” group art exhibit, a visual celebration of food, flavor, and form. In conjunction with the exhibit, the Art League asks artists and patrons to bring canned or packaged food items that will be donated to Sarah’s Food Pantry at the Community Church in Ocean Pines.

John Schisler who paints in the classical/contemporary realism style is featured in the Thaler Gallery in November. Born in Baltimore, he began painting at the Conrad Miller Studio in Fells Point at age 17 where he studied the use of Maroger Mediums and the techniques of the Dutch Masters. In 2011, Schisler began a full-time career in art, later expanding from still life painting to plein air. In 2020, he was juried into Plein Air Easton, one of the most prestigious outdoor painting events in the country, and has won numerous awards in juried exhibitions.

Gwen Lehman of Ocean Pines is the artist-in-residence in Studio E in November. Working in acrylic painting, photography, collage, and cold wax, the long-time educator at Stephen Decatur High School will exhibit her “Stage Door” series of abstract landscapes and photography of deteriorating landscapes.

Jamey Krebs and B.K. Slocum share the Schwab Spotlight Gallery in November. Krebs specializes in water and landscape scenes, and her style is characterized as realistic and detailed, with a photographic quality. Slocum is a plein air and studio painter, and her paintings are created from observation, catching the moment with emotion that touches on subjects as varied as the natural world, cultural events, and social statements

32 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

LIFESTYLES

Enduring Courage: Veteran Recalls Surviving Capture in the Korean War At 93, Walter Webster still remembers the hunger, pain, and fear of being a teenage prisoner of war in Korea — and the relief of liberation that changed his life forever

By PROGRESS STAFF alter Webster is 93 now, living in Salisbury, a proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather, but he still vividly remembers being a teenager in the U.S. Army, captured in Hadong, South Korea, and held as a prisoner of war until the end of September 1950.

“They fed us rice. It was rice and barley mixed, about as big as a snowball and only once a day,” said Webster, who, at 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighed 184 pounds when he enlisted but only 122 after he and other POW’s were liberated by the 25th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army in the town of Namwon.

“I’m the only one left in Maryland, in the Eastern Shore Chapter of POW’s. They were all World War

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II guys. I was the only veteran of the Korean War,” said Webster, who plans to be at the Veterans’ Day ceremony in Ocean Pines at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Worcester County Veterans’ Memorial.

Webster, whose second wife, Barbara, recently died, was in the Army from 1949 to 1952.

He dropped out of school and told his mother he wanted to enlist, worrying her enough to take him to the school principal, who, in conversation, said he was sorry but there was nothing he could do to stop Webster from enlisting.

Basic training was at Fort Knox, Ken., for 16 weeks before he was sent to Okinawa, Japan.

“On my 18th birthday I was in Korea, on the 27th day of July, 1950. The To Page Page 33 33 To

LIFESTYLES

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 33

Walter Webster From Page 32

commander and I, we were captured by the Koreans. They forced us from one town the other. First they took our watches and stuff away from us, our shoes, and we marched barefoot.

That was terrible.

“We would march during the evening and they would hide us during the day. We went from one house to another building to another. They separated us and some of us were in a church.

“I was shot in the left thigh and the commander was shot in the back but there was no medical treatment.

I blacked out and they were standing over me with a bayonet they pushed into my chest. I was 18 years old. They made me get up.

“After we were liberated I was in the hospital for a month with the skin torn of the bottom of my feet.

They wrapped my feet in some kind of Vaseline with bandages. After they healed, I stayed in the Army.

They sent me back to the states and I was stationed in Kentucky, then they transferred me to Georgia and I was discharged,” he said.

He didn’t tell his family he was coming home.

When he arrived, he ran into a friend, Webster said, remembering how the friend offered him a ride, told him to stay in the car while he went to get Webster’s mother, how he told her, “There’s somebody out here who wants to see you,” and how thrilled she was to see him.

She never forgot the earlier telegram informing her, “Your son is missing in action.”

“We got beat one time. They put us in a jail cell. We were crowded in there, sitting on the floor with our knees up to our chests, packed like sardines. The guards kept watching.

You weren’t allowed to fall asleep. If they I saw one of us sleeping we all had to stick our hands out and they whacked them with a stick. Some of those boys had their fingers broken.

“One day we were all in a barn.

They had captured some of the boys and they started tying their hands behind their backs. We were sure we were going to be shot then for sure but we were liberated and when the Americans came, the Korean guard took off running. If that American tank hadn’t come to liberate us, we would’ve all been shot, more than likely,” Webster said, recalling other POW’s who were killed with gunshots to the backs of their heads.

After the military, Webster, for 45

“I was shot in the left thigh and the commander was shot in the back but there was no medical treatment. I blacked out and they were standing over me with a bayonet they pushed into my chest.” years, worked for the Wayne Pump Company in Salisbury, an organization that built gasoline pumps and later was called Dresser Wayne.

The company has now moved out of

town.

He went to work every day, trying to forget what happened to him while he was a prisoner of war.

From time to time, Webster had

nightmares about the experience, “but I didn’t complain about it,” he said.

“I made out just fine. I kept busy working every day. Sometimes I took on a second, part-time, job but some guys I knew were messed up pretty bad,” Webster said.

“Today, I’d like to see things happen different. I just hope they protect this country. I don’t think we should be in these skirmishes overseas. It’s none of our business. It’s none of our business because they have been fighting since the beginning of time.”

LIFESTYLES

34 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

Retired Green Beret to Deliver Veterans’ Day Message: ‘Without Action, It Is Just Nostalgia’

By PROGRESS STAFF hen Retired U.S. Army Special Forces Col. John Fenzel speaks at Ocean Pines’ annual Veterans’ Day ceremony, he will remind guests, “Without action it is just nostalgia, so we all have a responsibility to take action, to remember -- and then it becomes meaningful.”

Planned for at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the Veterans’ Memorial in Ocean Pines to “honor all who have served in our military,” and sponsored by the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation, the ceremony will also include the dedication of the National Gold Star Memorial, presented to the Veterans Memorial by the Worcester County Garden Club.

“Veterans’ Day is a day to honor and celebrate all who have served in our military. We are forever indebted to those who were willing to serve to protect our freedoms.

We are grateful to the families they left behind while they served,”

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Col. John Fenzel, a former U.S. Army Special Forces officer and leadership author, will keynote Ocean Pines’ Veterans’ Day ceremony, urging Americans to honor service through action as the community dedicates a new Gold Star Memorial.

Marie Gilmore, president of the Foundation, said, adding some seating will be provided but guests should take chairs.

“One of the biggest things in Maryland’s history is, as a state, Maryland is friendly to veterans and I think that speaks for itself,” Fenzel told the Ocean Pines Progress during a recent phone interview.

“One of our Medal of Honor recipients is from Bethesda, Md., and he is a Medal of Honor recipient from our last war in Afghanistan,” said Fenzel, who recently returned from Ukraine and who said he will talk about how his organization, The Hero’s Path, is dedicated to leadership development for all generations at all stages in life.

“We’re going to internationalize that effort because in Ukraine, this is the first land war we have had in Europe since World War II and it’s a pretty stark situation we are facing over there. My belief is we all need to connect people through a common effort and the best way we can do that is learn, serve, lead and remember.

My biggest concern in our schools is, we aren’t emphasizing , or they don’t have time to, honor the nation’s critical past,” Fenzel, an Annapolis resident, said, referring readers to https:/www.heroespathfoundation. org/wreaths Summarizing his Veterans’ Day speech, he repeated his belief that remembrance without action is nostalgia and added, “action looks like three things -- care, the practical help for veterans and families; education, teaching resilient leadership so fewer bad decisions get made when it counts; and example, living the values “we praise on days like this.”

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COMMUNITY NOTES

Ottenwaelder Speaks to Anglers Club The Ocean Pines Anglers Club will meet on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 9:30 a.m. in the Ocean Pines Library.

The speaker will be Captain Tom Ottenwaelder (TommyO retired U.S. Coast Guard) and owner of Guardian Marine Services, an NSBC Certified Instructor and Marine Surveyor who will be discussing all things boating from winterization, inspections and marine regulation changes. Also updates on all things fishing. All welcome.

Yacht Club to Host Thanksgiving Dinner The Ocean Pines Yacht Club is accepting reservations for its annual All-You-Can-Eat Thanksgiving Buffet, taking place on Thursday, Nov. 27.

Guests can choose from multiple seating times: 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. upstairs, and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. downstairs.

This year’s festive buffet will feature holiday favorites, including roast turkey, smoked brisket, mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, house-made cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, baked ziti, roasted Brussels sprouts, corn succotash, dinner rolls, cornbread, apple pie, baked brownies, and assorted desserts.

The Yacht Club will also offer a selection of Thanksgiving cocktails and featured wines, such as Seasonal Sangria, Burnt Orange Spritz, Maple Butter Old Fashioned, and Prickly Pear Martini.

Wines are available for $9 per glass or $32 per bottle, featuring Josh Cabernet, Greg Norman Pinot Noir, TOI Montepulciano, CK Mondavi Chardonnay, CK Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc, and TOI Pinot Grigio.

Pricing is $39.95 per adult, $17.95 for children ages 12 and under, and free for children under 3. Prices do not include tax or gratuity. Coffee, tea, water, and soft drinks are included.

Full payment by credit card is required to confirm a reservation.

Cancellations made within 72 hours of Thanksgiving Day are non-refundable. To reserve your table, call 410-641-7501 and press 1.

Support our troops through Stars, Stripes, and Stockings event Come out to the Ocean Pines Yacht Club on Sunday, Nov. 9, to help support our troops at the Stars,

Stripes, and Stockings event.

Sponsored by Steel Blu Vodka, the event features live entertainment, passed Hors D’oeuvres, and a cash bar available. Stuff a stocking to be gifted to our soldiers in time for the holiday.

The Giving Tree is located inside the restaurant, filled with ornaments for items such as hot cocoa packets, hand warmers, and other small gifts. Stop by, take an ornament, and bring your donated items back to the Yacht Club by Friday, Nov. 7. Then, gather with the community on Sunday, Nov. 9 from 2-5pm, to fill stockings to be sent to those in need. Contact the Yacht Club at 410-641-7501.

High School Film Showcase Announced The Ocean City Film Festival has announced The Maryland High School Film Showcase, a platform for Maryland high schoolers to submit films for the upcoming festival in March 2026, the 10th anniversary of the festival in the resort.

The Maryland High School Film Showcase is exclusive to high schoolers from all across the state.

There is no cost for students to submit their films, as this showcase is an effort to highlight young artists.

Veterans Day From Page 34

to learn, serve, lead and remember,” he said, urging Americans to visit veterans who live in assisted living facilities, sponsor wreath for Wreaths Across America, talk about the value of service, help each other, learn and teach others about the country’s military history.

During Fenzel’s 30 years as an Army Special Forces in the Green Beret, he “operated around the world, in times of peace, crisis and war.

His perspectives on leadership, training and operations are as unique and rare as they are cogent and insightful,” according to his biography.

“As a brigade commander, operations director and strategic planner in the Pentagon and as a C-Level leader for a national brand, John leverages his expertise, relationships, experience and skills in strategic leadership,

No themes are required, and films should be short, under 15 minutes in length.

“This showcase is a new initiative to bridge the gap between emerging young artists and film industry professionals,” B.L. Strang-Moya, creative director of the OC Film Festival, said. “It’s an opportunity for young filmmakers to have their films screened at a major venue and be inspired by others.”

Films will be screened in a special block at the 10th Anniversary of the Ocean City Film Festival, coming to the resort March 5-8, 2026.

To submit films to the festival or for more information, student filmmakers or leaders of an academic institution must receive a password verifying their high school status.

Email Oceancityfilmfest@gmail. com to receive the password. When emailing, ensure that submission were made for or by a high school academic institution.

A Taste of the Amalfi Coast Dinner Scheduled The Ocean Pines Yacht Club will host A Taste of the Amalfi Coast Wine Dinner on Saturday, Nov. 29, from 6 to 9 p.m.

This dinner is a journey through the flavors, stories, and spirit of the communications, training and organizational development to the challenges facing the corporate and non-profit world – offering singularly informed and dynamic perspectives on character-driven leadership and results-based management.

He served in the White House in a full variety of leadership positions before, during and after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Beginning his White House experience as a White House Fellow, John worked as a special assistant to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, the Homeland Security Advisor and the Vice President of the United States.

“As a retired senior Army Special Forces Officer (Green Beret) and author of three … novels, John shares his experiences from the west wing of the White House and the E-Ring of the Pentagon, to the many war zones he has operated in around the world. John relates the power of humanity in the face of searing conflict; of friendship

Amalfi Coast, from its windswept cliff and citrus groves, to the deep blue of its waters.

Tickets are $150 per person and include five courses, each course a love letter to Southern Italy – vivid, heartfelt, and unforgettable.

Courses are as follows: First Course – “From the Fisherman’s Net”: Fried Bluefish with Tomato and Garlic Toast Points, paired with Lava Falanghina, a lively, mineral driven sparkling wine born from the volcanic slopes near Mount Vesuvius Second Course – “The Lemon Road”: Gli Scialatielli All’Amalfitana, paired with Ischia Bianco, a white blend of Biancolella and Forastera grapes from the island of Ischia Third Course – “The Hunter’s Path”: Pollo alla Cacciatora paired with Lava Aglianico, a softly sparkling red with a deep ruby hue and notes of black cherry, violet, and spice, born near Naples Fourth Course – “The Monk and the Sea”: Paccheri con la Rana Pescatrice paired with Mille Anni Piedirosso from casa d’ambra vs la pietra red blend from de concilis. An ancient grape cultivated on the volcanic slopes of Campania, Piedirosso offers ripe red fruit, smoky undertones, and a smooth, velvety finish.

Fifth Course – “Scorza del Limone” (Zest of the Lemon): Tiramisu

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in the wake of crisis; overcoming adversity; and the enormous value of storytelling, its lost art, and the tremendous importance it holds for leaders and for future generations alike,” the biographical information states.

“This year is the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Our World War II veterans are leaving us in such great numbers now. Out of the 16 million serving we only have 60,000 left and we are losing them at an average of 250 a day” Fenzel told the Progress.

His son told him his high school class discussed World War II for three days but never talked about D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944, during World War II. That is a critical omission,” Fenzel said.

“There isn’t any more institutional memory. Our World War II veterans are disappearing and those institutions were the ones that cut the peace.”

36 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025 Community Notes From Page 35

al Limone paired with Limoncello Giarola, a golden liqueur bursting with sundrenched lemon peel, sweet cream, and subtle herbal warmth For full descriptions of each course and to purchase tickets, click here https://www.opyachtclub.com/ events/a-taste-of-the-amalfi-coastwine-dinner.

Thanksgiving Festival returns to Market Get ready for a bountiful Thanksgiving at the Ocean Pines Farmers

& Artisans Market with the return of the annual Thanksgiving Festival on Saturday, Nov. 22 and Tuesday, Nov. 25.

D.J. David Greengrocer, a 14-year greengrocer shop at the market, will showcase an impressive array of fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits, perfect for crafting traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. They’ll also have a wide selection of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits for meal prep or snacking.

The many bakeries, including DelVecchio’s Bakery and Bella’s Bakery, are taking special orders for pies, breads, dinner rolls, and

LIFESTYLES breakfast pastries. An assortment of sweet and savory treats offered at the market are sure to complement your Thanksgiving feast.

Indulge in local honey, jellies, and jams from We Be Jammin, perfect for adding sweetness to your holiday meal. JABBS Seasonings will also feature an assortment of gift sets, including their famous Vermont Maple Honey Rub for turkey.

Explore unique gifts from local artisans, including jewelry, candles, and floral arrangements, ideal for hostess gifts or early holiday shopping.

“The Thanksgiving markets at

the Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market have become a family tradition,” says Market Manager David Bean. “We can’t wait to see everyone there.”

“Come and experience the best of Ocean Pines’ community spirit, local goods, and delicious food. Mark your calendars for a fun and festive shopping experience,” Bean adds.

The market takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. each day at White Horse Park, located at 239 Ocean Parkway.

Learn more here: www.oceanpines.org/web/pages/farmers-artisans-market

LIFESTYLES

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 37

Ancient Tree Line Takes Root in Berlin

By PROGRESS STAFF hanks to Berlin resident Joan Maloof, seedlings of ancient bald cypress trees, offspring of huge deciduous conifers that were growing before the birth of Christ, have been planted in a grove at Stephen Decatur Park in Berlin.

Maloof, retired as a Salisbury University professor, started the Old-Growth Forest Network after her retirement, giving her the opportunity to “see a lot of important forests and meet forest people,” she said during a recent conversation with the Ocean Pines Progress.

“One of the opportunities I had was seeing the oldest trees in the eastern United States, bald cypress trees that are growing in North Carolina, in a coastal swamp there. The oldest one so far has been aged to 2,630 years old, that’s B.C., before Christ. I was led in to see these trees by a man who realized how important they were. He went in two years ago and he noticed the oldest tree has produced some cones. He collected the seeds and grew them out.

They germinated and he grew them out and gifted them to the Network from some of the original trees that he grew.

“In the past couple years we have a horticultural advisory committee formed in town. One of our newer residents is Lara Mulvaney.

We decided we needed to promote tree planting in Berlin for the carbon and the storm water they absorb. She came up with this idea and it led to Keep Berlin Cool. To keep Berlin cool we’re going to plant trees,” Maloof said.

Mulvaney, a Berlin resident for the past two years, moved to Berlin in 2023, wanted to see more trees planted and made the suggestion to

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Seedlings Descended from 2,600-Year-Old Bald Cypress Planted at Stephen Decatur Park the Berlin Horticultural Advisory Committee.

She received a grant from Maryland Coastal Bays to plant trees in Berlin with the help of the horticul-

1,

tural committee.

Maloof gave the seedlings to Keep Berlin Cool and they were planted on Tuesday, Oct. 21, with plans to plant four more at Buckingham

Presbyterian Church in Berlin.

Maloof said the seedlings will be fine in the park.

“I taught environmental studies and biology and I was very involved in writing about trees. I have a number of books about trees and at a certain point I wanted to do more. I retired early to start the Old Forest Growth Network so I could work on trying to save old forests,” she said.

The day the seedlings were planting, Berlin Mayor Zack Tyndall was at Stephen Decatur Park, presenting Maloof with a document of To Page 38

38 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

LIFESTYLES Ancient Tree Line From Page 37

Submitted photos

Berlin resident Joan Maloof joins Berlin town officials and others who appreciate the value of trees for a planting ceremony at Stephen Decatur Park in Berlin. Seedlings grown from more than 2,000-yearold trees were planted.

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congratulations and dedicating the grove to Maloof “with gratitude to her forest-saving efforts.”

“On the occasion of the Keep Berlin Cool planting initiative around town and in Berlin’s Stephen Decatur Park, we thank you, Dr. Joan Maloof, for physically planting the seeds of Berlin’s future – grown from the oldest tree in the eastern US – a 2,630-year-old bald cypress, living in the Three Sisters Swamp along the Black River in North Carolina.

“The importance of these ancient bald cypress trees was recognized by outdoor guide and explorer Charles Robbins, who collected the seeds, grew the trees and donated them to the Old-Growth Forest Network in honor of its founder, Dr. Joan Maloof,” the document states.

“These little seedlings we planted, right now are about thigh high.

They could be here for hundreds of years. They are probably going to outlive all of us. They grow pretty fast. I estimate within six years they will be overhead and in 15 years they could be 15 to 20 feet tall.

They will be trees people will walk by in the park,” she said, adding the trees are native to the Berlin area and they are common in the forest in Pocomoke City.

“Bald cypress trees come from an amazing line of longevity. The reason the mother tree is in that swamp, and the others nearby were saved, is because they grow in a swamp so nobody could get in there to cut them down,” Maloof said.

She said they are unique “because they are conifers, what some people think of having Christmas tree cones. They make round cones but they drop their needles every year.

Most of the conifers keep their needles but the bald cypress, in the fall the needles turn a rusty color and drop off. Once they live long enough and if they’re in a wet area they will form these knees,” she said, describing woody outgrowths that come up from the ground.

“You can go in some swamps around here and see these projections stick up. They call them knees.

Scientists haven’t settled on why they do that.

“Some scientists think it’s because they grow in really wet areas and their roots need to get oxygen so they put these projections out. These knees are like a structure that balances them. One wild suggestion was, when these trees

COMMENTARY

November 2025 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 39

As-Built Drawings Requirement: An Overreach Struck Down in Ocean Pines

By ROTA L. KNOTT Publisher/Editor he Ocean Pines Architectural Review Committee (ARC) recently proposed a new requirement for homeowners seeking approval for improvements: submitting “as-built” drawings once construction was complete.

While the intent may have been to ensure compliance with community standards, the proposal represented an overreach that would have unnecessarily burdened property owners. The Board of Directors deserves credit for taking decisive action to strike the proposal before it ever went to a public hearing, recognizing that practical solutions already exist to address the underlying concerns.

The ARC is responsible for reviewing plans for new construction, modifications, and renovations to ensure compliance with the community’s covenants and regulations. The committee noted that some homeowners were inadvertently violating community guidelines, often because permits were sought in the wrong order or county regulations differed from Ocean Pines standards. The ARC’s proposed solution was a requirement for as-built drawings documenting every project and was intended to prevent future violations.

While the measure might appear reasonable in theory, it would have created significant chal-

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COMMENTARY lenges for homeowners. Preparing as-built drawings requires professional drafting or meticulous documentation. Many residents, especially those completing smaller projects, do not have the training or resources to produce such detailed plans.

Adding this requirement increases costs, administrative burdens, and delays for projects that may already be complex. It also could discourage property improvements or create disputes over whether submitted drawings meet ARC expectations.

Fortunately, the Board’s recent action has rendered the as-built proposal unnecessary. At a special meeting on Oct. 29, the Board approved a new sequence for approvals: homeowners must first secure letters from any secondary homeowners association, then obtain Ocean Pines approval, and only afterward pursue county permits. Previously, the order with letters from the HOA first,

The Ocean Pines Progress is a journal of news and lifestyles published monthly throughout the year.

It is distributed to every occupied home in Ocean Pines and at newsstands.

PUBLISHER-EDITOR Rota L. Knott pinesprogress@gmail.com 443-880-3953

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then county permits, and finally Ocean Pines approval, sometimes caused confusion. Homeowners could obtain a county permit, complete their project, and later discover that it violated Ocean Pines rules.

The revised sequence ensures that Ocean Pines-specific restrictions are clear before construction begins, effectively addressing the problem the ARC intended to solve. With this proactive measure in place, post-construction as-built documentation becomes largely redundant. Compliance can now be monitored through routine inspections, ongoing communication, and the Board’s oversight, rather than by imposing additional bureaucratic steps that are burdensome for residents.

Requiring as-built drawings for every project also sets a concerning precedent. Such a mandate could be seen as micromanaging homeowners, going beyond the ARC’s intended role of maintaining uniformity and compliance. Minor improvements, like fences, decks, or landscaping, could become subject to expensive and time-consuming documentation. Larger, resource-rich homeowners might navigate the process easily, while others could struggle, raising questions about fairness and equity.

The Board’s decision to strike the requirement before it reached an upcoming Town Hall meeting demonstrates an understanding of proportional governance.

By addressing the real problem in the order of approvals, the Board implemented a practical solution that protects community standards without imposing unnecessary burdens. Homeowners can receive clear guidance upfront, reducing the likelihood of violations and minimizing the need for post-construction oversight.

The ARC retains other tools to ensure compliance. Clear guidelines, communications, educational resources, and site visits are all effective ways to uphold standards without encumbering homeowners with excessive documentation.

These approaches are more accessible, maintain oversight, and preserve community trust.

Imposing unnecessary requirements can erode confidence between residents and governance.

Rules perceived as punitive or intrusive may lead homeowners to view the ARC as overly strict rather than supportive, harking back to the days of the Environmental Control Committee. By contrast, thoughtful, streamlined processes like the new permit sequence foster collaboration and understanding.

Residents are more likely to follow guidelines when they are clear, reasonable, and proportionate to the issue at hand.

By prioritizing practical solutions over unnecessary bureaucracy, the Board and ARC can maintain the integrity of the community’s architectural standards while respecting the rights and resources of property owners.

40 Ocean Pines PROGRESS November 2025

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