APRIL 2021
www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress
443-359-7527
Community pushes back against regs on short-term rentals Although the proposed regulations are nearly identical to those implemented last year by Worcester County to control short-term rentals, property owners are pushing back against the OPA’s plan to create its own set of fees and guidelines. ~ Page 5
THE OCEAN PINES JOURNAL OF NEWS & COMMENTARY
COVER STORY
Ballots on spending limit referendum to be sent out no later than April 8
Perrone, Trendic spar over whether annual bulkhead program would be caught up in $1 million spending limit
By TOM STAUSS Publisher he referendum on limiting Board of Directors spending authority to no more than $1 million without the explicit approval of Ocean Pines Association members is imminent. In a March 27 public hearing, OPA President Larry Perrone said the referendum ballots will be in the mail no later than April 8, with a return deadline of May 13. The Elections Committee will count the ballots the next day, Friday, May 14, Perrone said. The public hearing, conducted in-person with no live streaming in the Community Center’s Assateague Room, featured a lively debate be-
T
Larry Perrone
Slobodan Trendic
tween proponents of a spending cap and five members of the board who oppose it. Two directors, Frank Brown and Tom Janasek, were absent because of other commitments. About ten OPA members joined former Director Slobodan Trendic, who waged a two-year legal battle
to bring the spending limit question to referendum, in advocating for their position. They argued that property owners are entitled to have a voice in spending large amounts of OPA resources for significant expenditures. They already do, albeit higher than $1 million. The referendum if approved would decrease the $1.8 million threshold currently in the by-laws, or 20 percent of the revenue collected from annual assessments, to $1 million, with no adjustment for inflation. The existing formula allows for an increasing spending threshold without a referendum as the assessment increases. To Page 3
Janasek effort to oust Perrone as president fizzles when Parks rescinds earlier support for special meeting ~ Page 10
Possible competition for trash collection in Ocean Pines A company called Seagull Disposal is looking at the possibility of providing once-aweek trash collection services in Ocean Pines. ~ Page 25
Daly announces board reelection bid
Director Frank Daly has become the second candidate in this summer’s Board of Directors election. Citing lots of accomplishments in three years, he says there’s more he’d like to get done if reelected. ~ Page 34
‘Get Involved’ group formed on Facebook Former OPA Director Esther Diller has organized a new watchdog group called ‘Get Involved.’ It has a Facebook presence and 500-plus members. ~ Page 28
Colby Phillips reacts to lawyers’ report
Former OPA Department head Colby Phillips has criticized a report purporting to show the results of an investigation into whether she suffered from ‘enhanced sensitivity’ to interactions with OPA President Larry Perrone. She said that witnesses who would have supported her version of events were never contacted. ~ Page 16