Homeowners also overwhelmingly approve partial rebuild of South Fire Station; total cost approaching $6 million
By JOSH DAVIS Acting Editor in Chief
Three incumbent candidates will continue to serve on the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors, based on voting results announced Friday, Aug. 8.
Rakowski and Steve Jacobs each won re-election, with one challenger, former appointed board member Amy Peck, fin ishing just outside the pack –yet again.
Friday at the conclusion of nearly three hours of ballot counting held over Microsoft Teams. Although there was another hour-plus of scanning through each individual ballot for a thorough review
“This means that we have stability,” Rakowski, the leading vote-getter, said. “We are fast going forward, and we’re looking forward to maintaining the good progress we’ve accomplished.”
Remembering Tom Stauss
Thomas William Stauss, beloved brother, uncle, journalist, and cosmic wildcard, passed away on July 13, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona. He was 73.
Born in Neenah, Wisconsin, Tom spent his early childhood in Thorp, Wisconsin, before moving to Easton, Maryland at age 9. He graduated from Easton High School and went on to earn a degree in journalism from Northwestern University. From the start, Tom was a newspaperman through and through. ~ Page 42
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Low expenses trump low revenues
OPA posts positive budget variance in June; Amenities’ slow start blamed on weather
By JOSH DAVIS Acting Editor in Chief
Cost savings – and not necessarily amenity performance – helped produce a $107,648 positive-to-budget variance in June, General Manager John Viola reported during a July 26 OPA Board meeting.
Viola said weather was a factor at some of the amenities in June and during the first week of July.
“We have a very good product, but obviously we need good weather,” he said.
Leading the way favorable to budget were Public Works, positive to budget roughly $37,000; Administration,
positive by $23,000; Public Relations and Marketing, positive by $18,000; and Finance, positive by $11,000.
Amenities, for the month, finished about $4,000 worse than budget estimates, with Beach Parking, Golf, Aquatics, and Food and Beverage all posting numbers below budget. That was offset somewhat by $15,000 favorability at the Marinas and $2,000 favorability at Racquet Sports.
On the favorability, Viola said there were two open positions in the accounting department, which falls under Administration.
“That has driven some of the savings,” he said. “The good thing is that we have
been able to be operational, despite being down two people for probably two months.”
The Public Relations and Marketing Department also has had an open position since April, and Viola said some of the Public Works favorability was because of “timing.”
Year to date, the Association is favorable to budget by $126,000 after two months. The fiscal year runs from May 1 to April 30.
Despite a solid June, the Racquet Sports amenity has posted the biggest year-todate departmental loss, off budget by a total around $40,000. Viola said that was because of lower-than-expected membership revenue.
“That is a big number – it is about the memberships,” Viola said. “Obviously, we did not receive the memberships that we thought … we would have [after] building the clubhouse and the enhancements with all the Racquet Sports facilities down there. It has not happened yet.”
Viola added, “some people elected to stay in Delaware.”
Ocean Pines, as of June 30, has $9.1 million in reserves. Viola said that number is estimated to fall to $4.8 million by the end of the fiscal year. That includes approximately $1.7 million for the new South Fire Station and $2.6 million in spending for other projects.
1 1 0
Finance Committee tracks mixed results
By JOSH DAVIS
Acting Editor in Chief
Ocean Pines amenities might not be firing on all cylinders yet this summer, but overall results have been positive year to date.
Discussing Ocean Pines finances during a July 23 Budget and Finance Committee meeting, Committee Chairperson Doug Parks said OPA posted a roughly $107,000 positive variance to budget in June.
That number lags behind last year’s positive variance in June, $175,672, but is well up over the June 2023 positive variance of $11,684.
Parks said revenues beat budget estimates by around $9,000, while expenses were
Of the particular departments discussed, Parks said Beach Parking was down roughly $13,000 for the year “but it’s $30,000 better than last year … those numbers are extremely interesting.”
“We’re looking at onemonth productivity,” committee member Jack Collins said, adding the numbers showed OPA sold “something like 2,700 parking spaces.”
“How many are over there? Two hundred and fifty?” Collins said. “It’s really amazing how they handle this.
“You’ve gotta oversell it because not everybody’s gonna use that parking space for any length of time – they may use it once or twice a summer,” Collins continued. “That always fascinated me, how they handle that.”
budget predictions.
Parks added that, compared to last year at the same time, the membership revenue difference was “less than $1,000.”
“Is that telling us a story? Don’t know, but it’s something that we’ll follow. If that gap gets bigger and bigger … it might be a telltale sign,” Parks said.
Parks added that “maybe six months is a good timeline” on evaluating how Racquet Sports is doing under the new fee structure.
Golf was down slightly for the month, which some committee members blamed on a rainy June. But the amenity is up overall for the year, and the July 4 weekend was particularly busy, they said.
Parks said the Golf amenity continues to show robust growth – though he did warn about an eventual plateau.
“Year to year, net [operating] is about $23,000 better than it was last year,” he said. “There’s gotta be a threshold when Golf reaches capacity that you won’t see these
Page 5
numbers. It’s gotta plateau at some point.”
The overall food and beverage operation was off budget by $3,971. Parks said that number includes a monthly lease fee and 6% of food sales. He added he did not know if the monthly budget estimates were done in 12 equal increments, or if OPA budgeted specifically for each month.
Overall cash and investments, as of June 30, totaled $17,675,093. Collins asked if OPA was getting the best return on investment for that amount of money. Specific rates of return are not listed on Ocean Pines’ monthly financials.
“It’s a fair piece of change –I wonder if we are getting the maximum yield on that cash,” he said. “I’m wondering if there’s something else that we should be looking at.”
Collins suggested the mix of CDARS and funds invested through the Bank of Ocean City and Taylor Bank were perhaps not the smartest place for that amount of money. He mentioned looking into twoyear or more federal securings as an alternative.
“I don’t know that the banks are that competitive with those kind [of investments],” Collins said.
“I understand what management is doing, keeping those funds liquid, because you never know what’s going to come up and bite you,” Collins continued. “I’m talking about short-term government bonds … are we really going to need something like $7 million to $10 million over the next five years – [or] over the next two years, for that matter?”
Collins recommended a general manager committee to explore that possibility.
Parks, meanwhile, said some measure of caution was being used until results of the next reserve study are published. There are concerns about what new state requirements for HOA reserve levels could mean for Ocean Pines.
“I wouldn’t recommend doing anything to change our current environment until we understand what the requirements might be to the Association, based on that reserve study,” he said.
OPA Treasurer Monica Rakowski said the new reserve study was due by November.
At the end of the meeting, Parks said OPA had answered a series of email questions asked by committee members after the meeting last month. Going forward, Parks said those answers would be published in the committee’s monthly meeting minutes, available at oceanpines.org.
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Communication breakdown: Committee says feedback from OPA not always forthcoming
By JOSH DAVIS
Acting Editor in Chief
Environmental and Natural Assets Com-
mittee
Chairperson Patricia Garcia, at a committee meeting on July 23, said communication could be better between the Ocean Pines Association and its advisory committees.
She said that sometimes, when requests are made for community improvements, the job gets done – but the person making the request never hears back.
Garcia read from a document she called “Advisory Committee, OPA Board Relationship” that she said was “a distillation of all the things” committee members were frustrated about.
“A lot of this just comes down to communication,” she said, adding that often, after a committee submits a charging document of suggested actions to the OPA Board, “we only find out by accident that the project has happened.”
As an example, Garcia cited goose crossing signs that had been placed near the South Gate Pond, and a rejected request to put a Mason bee house at the Mandolin Meadows Committee Garden.
According to Garcia, the latter request was declined because OPA said the bee house would be too close to a playground, although Garcia said that species rarely stings people.
Addressing reported communication issues, Jeff Heaver, the OPA Board member assigned as the liaison to the Environmental and Natural Assets Committee, said, “a lot
of times those charging documents are answered at our Board meeting.”
Heaver said General Manager John Viola delivers a monthly report at each Board meeting that includes association initiatives from the prior 30 days.
“And a lot of those are the results of advisory committee’s requests,” Heaver said.
“I think it would still be a nice courtesy to say, ‘Thank you, your request to the Board [was received] and the Board has either approved it or declined it.’ That is all I’m asking for,” Garcia said.
She added, “There’s no real process for receiving feedback.”
“Considering the amount of work and paperwork … that’s just a suggestion for the Board,” she said.
Garcia said the issue of goose crossing signs was “a little bit painful” because committee members didn’t know they had been moved or repurposed.
“We had people riding around looking for them … just tell us” what happened to the signs, Garcia said.
Another committee member, Patricia Benner, said there were originally eight signs that she helped to place throughout the community.
“Had we been told … they were even there, that would’ve been a good start,” she said. “Everybody on this committee thought kids were stealing them … and that turned out not to be true.”
“We understood that the signs belonged to Ocean Pines,” she continued. “It
would have been nice to have let us know that they were being moved [or] taken.”
Garcia said the committee also recommended more native plantings in the community, but they have yet to hear whether that suggestion will be implemented.
On the prepared document, Garcia went on to say that Heaver responded by email saying, “just because we submit something doesn’t mean it’s going to be acted on.”
“It says they’re [the Board] supposed to maybe consult with us, but they don’t? They don’t have to?” Garcia said.
“It doesn’t mean that the Association is going to take that advice and actually act on that,” Heaver said.
Heaver briefly explained the process, saying charging documents, which are used by committees to make suggestions, are sent by the committee chair to the Board liaison and then discussed by all Board members.
“We all then have an opportunity to say, ‘I think this is a good idea’ [or not] … and then we pass it on to the Association,” Heaver said. “We do this via email.”
Garcia said there was still some frustration on the part of committee members.
“I want to be able to make some effect – not just come to a meeting just to talk.”
“Everything that you all recommend, I promise you, is looked at,” Heaver said. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to get done.”
“We all could be better at communicating,” Heaver
added, saying there are some questions he’s asked of the administration that have yet to be answered, apparently including issues with vines.
“Is this something that can be addressed or not, or is it going to be put on a list? We’ve just got to communicate,” he said.
Garcia thanked Heaver for his part and said he’s the second Board liaison she’s worked with.
“The previous one just kind of sat in the corner and didn’t interact at all,” she said. “Obviously, you care about these issues as much as we do, and I appreciate that.”
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JULY 26 BOARD MEETING NOTES
Mailboxes and maintenance updates, amenity performance, and organizational chart changes
By JOSH DAVIS Acting Editor in Chief
General Manager John Viola and Senior Director of Administration Linda Martin discussed the following items during the July 26 regular OPA Board meeting:
DMA study:
Viola said Martin will work with contractor DMA to lead an update of the Association’s reserve study in the coming months. The total cost was estimated at $18,480.
The study was originally commissioned in July 2015 under then-General Manager Bob Thompson and former OPA President Dave Stevens.
Viola said DMA representatives should be in Ocean Pines by August or September for fieldwork related to the study. New state regulations require Maryland HOAs to conduct a reserve study and maintain certain reserve levels – but OPA appears to be ahead of the game.
Viola hopes to have the updated study done in time for the next budget process.
“I’ve mentioned that I need this in order to tie in the reserves … in how we’re going to fund the fire department,” he said. “One way or another, every department will work on it.”
He said a draft report would be released three months after fieldwork concludes, with working sessions with the Budget and Finance Committee and Board of Directors to follow.
Mailbox updates: Martin, during her portion
of the monthly report, said new mailboxes are going up in the Wood Duck community, with Cannon Drive mailboxes to follow in September. The total price tag for the work is estimated at just under $100,000.
Martin said that work was phase two of ongoing, community-wide renovations of Association mailbox clusters, with the next phase to be evaluated for the upcoming budget process.
The mailboxes in Ocean Pines were once owned by the post office, but ownership was later transferred to Ocean Pines, with the Association becoming responsible for their upkeep.
Viola said each cluster is given a rating based on its condition, similar to systems used to evaluate community roads and bulkheads for replacement.
“This will be a couple million dollars to Ocean Pines, by the time they’re done,” he said.
Maintenance updates:
Viola said a car recently struck part of the railing on the North Gate Bridge.
“The railing needs to be replaced,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, but we do have it on the list and hopefully we get it corrected quickly.”
At the Racquet Center, Viola said a new touchless water fountain and tennis court lights were installed, and some landscaping was done, including new mulch and plantings. He said one of the fountains had been damaged during the recent Racquet
Center office renovations.
He said some Racquet Center courts were closed after a homeowner complaint, but those courts were evaluated and later reopened.
He added, on the subject of racquet court repairs, OPA was waiting to hear back from ATC Corp., a company that specializes in construction, maintenance, and renovation of sports surfaces and parking lots in the Mid-Atlantic region.
“We are on the list for that – hopefully it happens quick,” he said.
Amenity updates:
Viola said the Yacht Club, now being run by Touch of Italy, unveiled a new menu on July 10.
“The menu right now is fluid,” Viola said. “Let’s not forget that Touch of Italy took over in March.
“Give them a chance … If the weather is good and you have a good product, you’re making money,” he added.
Viola said July 4 events were well attended. He said those events don’t necessarily make money, but do provide value to the community.
“We’re not looking to make money … but this is a valued piece of your assessment,” he said.
Viola said the Ocean Pines Golf Club was named Best Golf Course in a recent oceancity. com poll. He credited investment in the course over the last six or seven years, including the hiring of Justin Hartshorne as the senior director of golf maintenance five years ago.
“It was probably one of the best things we did,” he said.
The course should also benefit from a new irrigation system, which is currently being installed in several phases over the next few years.
“That will bring us to the next level,” Viola said.
He said golf memberships are up for the third straight year, and July 5 saw a record-breaking 266 rounds.
“The membership has been growing with golf,” Viola said. “Last year the actual [number] was somewhere around 140 memberships. The actual so far this year is around 170 – the budget was around 150.
“We believe that golf is positioned well with everybody else. This is a challenging course, which the golfers like. And the value for the money is one of the best,” he added.
Organizational changes:
Martin said a press release on July 10 announced that the Compliance, Permit and Inspections (CPI) Department would be moved from the administration building to Public Works, with Deputy Public Works Director Nobie Violante to lead that department.
In a related move, the Public Relations and Marketing Department will move from Public Works to administration. Martin also introduced Sarah Ash as the new senior public relations coordinator, and said Ash was previously with WMDT TV news in Salisbury.
Viola said further changes to the organizational chart could be coming soon.
By JOSH DAVIS
GM doubles down on customer service
Acting Editor in Chief
How long should customer service actually take?
That was a question posed by homeowner and Bylaws Committee Chairperson Lora Pangratz at a regular OPA Board meeting on July 26.
Pangratz, during the public comments portion of the meeting, said when homeowners call a department and leave a message, they’re told they will receive a reply within 24–48 “business hours.”
“They say that your call will be returned within 24–48 business hours – are they really saying that if a business day is eight hours, they have
three-to-six days to return your phone call?” she said. “Because that’s the way it’s listed.”
Pangratz said she was referring to calls to the Compliance, Permit and Inspections (CPI) Department.
The Progress tested those phone lines on Saturday, July 26. A voicemail for the CPI Department said, “Please leave a name and number and I will get back to you as soon as possible.”
The membership and assessment office voicemail said, “please leave a message and we’ll return your call as soon as possible.”
The general mailbox said, “Someone will get back to you
within one business day.”
Still, Pangratz posed the question – and it was answered during the meeting.
“I would recommend saying it in terms of days versus hours, so that there’s no confusion about when to expect a phone call back,” she said, adding that certain situations involving violations with a strict deadline could potentially get very messy.
“Just a little clarification would be helpful,” she said.
General Manager John Viola said those in his staff meetings have been told, “There’s no such thing as 24–48 hours.”
“I want [calls] returned now,” he said.
He added, “There is a department that I knew about – it wasn’t the one you just told me about – where … I explained it to that person several times. It’s still there,” Viola said. “Now I’ll explain it to that department head differently.”
On the supposed CPI message, Viola added, “We are going to look at that.”
“That’s not what I want –it’s certainly not what we talk about at staff meetings,” Viola said.
Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola addresses a public comment during the July OPA Board meeting.
Photo from meeting video
By JOSH DAVIS
Board approves procedural changes to resolution regarding OPA manuals
Acting Editor in Chief
Substantial, but perhaps not substantive, changes were approved on July 26 for OPA Resolution M-08, governing “the policy for creating and maintaining manuals and documents used by the various departments of the Association.”
According to the July 26 OPA Board meeting packet, a first reading was held during a May 24 Board meeting, and “certain changes were recommended by the Bylaws and Resolutions Committee and further suggested changes” were made by the OPA attorney.
A “red-line” version of
those changes was included in the meeting packet, available at oceanpines.org, and the approved version apparently “reflects both the Committee’s original edits as well as those of Counsel.”
The revised M-08 includes a number of changes, but it’s unclear whether those changes will impact operations in any meaningful way. Most, but not all, of the manuals fall under the purview of the general manager, according to the formal motion made by Director Steve Jacobs.
Board members did not discuss the second reading prior to adoption of the changes.
“The proposed changes to M-08 are meant to address where the responsibility lies for updating and amending
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the various manuals. It provides for a form to use for that purpose,” Jacobs said. “It also leaves the responsibility for changes to the Financial Management Policy Manual and ARC Guidelines with the Board of Directors. Recom-
mended changes to the ARC Guidelines can originate from the General Manager, ARC or the Board itself.”
The vote was unanimous, 6-0, with only Board member Elaine Brady absent during the meeting.
OPA Board members during a July regular meeting vote on a procedural change. Photo from meeting video
Verizon, developer answer cell tower questions
By PROGRESS STAFF
Aproposed monopole cell tower at the OPA Golf Club maintenance facility was the subject of a virtual town hall meeting on July 28 that included staff from the developer, Verizon and Ocean Pines Police Chief Tim Robinson.
The purpose of the meeting, according to facilitator Matt Forkas, was to provide information, answer ques-
Single tower to start, small cells added if/when needed
tions, and respond to feedback during the 90-minute session.
The meeting was recorded and can be viewed in full at oceanpineswireless.com.
More than 40 people attended the virtual session.
The developer, whom Forkas represented, is Milestone Towers, a Virginia-based cell tower construction company with more than 20 years in the field. It has completed projects on more than 200 sites
in 50 municipalities, Forkas said.
“We got the most recent interest from Chief Robinson, having some concerns about community safety coverage in Ocean Pines, and Verizon also expressed some interest in filling some network coverage gaps in early 2024,” he said.
A concept plan was completed in early 2025 and went before the Ocean Pines Board.
The Board approved bring-
ing the plans to the public to gather more feedback, leading to the town hall meeting.
“We are still very much in the preliminary stages of this project,” Forkas said.
The meetings’ findings are to be presented to the Board during a future meeting.
Paul Plymouth, a government relations manager for Verizon, described the strategy the corporation uses to build out its network, liken-
Photo
Town hall
From Page 14
ing it to a “connect the dots” picture.
“The challenge we’ve had in Ocean Pines is finding a good location that can be approved to be built, but also won’t be too close in proximity to some of the other tower locations that we have in the surrounding area,” Plymouth said.
Towers are the technology of choice for providing coverage, Plymouth explained, while small cells, which can be mounted on streetlights and the like, are better for providing capacity.
This project, Plymouth said, is more suited to a tower than utilizing small cell devices.
This is not the first time the company has attempted to improve coverage in the area, Plymouth said, pointing to a 2019 effort to install technology at the county wastewater treatment plant in Ocean Pines.
“The community did not like that,” he said, and the project did not move forward. As a result, the company has not made an effort to build in Ocean Pines since. However, coverage issues have continued.
“We’ve heard many complaints from residents, from Chief Robinson and even Del. (Wayne) Hartman on the issues too. We certainly want to build in Ocean Pines, but it takes a community to come together and say, ‘yes, this is what we want’ – and HOA approval too,” Plymouth said.
This is the fourth attempt the company has made to expand coverage in Ocean Pines, he continued.
Plymouth said it was his understanding AT&T and T-Mobile would also have access to the tower, covering customers on different carriers.
“So, us coming together to get a site approved, that’s what’s really going to help move the ball forward, to
build out the network and improve all the coverage for Ocean Pines,” he said.
As it stands now, the tower is about 18 months from coming online, Forkas said.
Hartman was the first to weigh in, and said he agreed network coverage was a public safety issue.
“If the Board, and hopefully, when the Board approves this, if there’s anything I could do in my capacity to expedite this at the state level, certainly know that I’m here as a resource,” he said. “I think it’s something we need to do sooner rather than later.”
Residents selected to ask questions wanted to know more about how soon impacts will be felt, how far the tower’s coverage would extend, and why a more comprehensive solution wasn’t planned out in advance.
Network improvements should be felt almost immediately, company represen-
tatives said, but congestion will still be an issue – though they’re not sure how much.
Since tower and small cell technology is expensive, the providers are opting for a “wait and see” approach to boosting the signal, they explained. Such devices also need some sort of neighborhood approval, which has caused delays before.
“The tower is going to be the most appropriate first step,” Plymouth said. “It’s going to be able to do the most good, and we’re not spending a lot more than we have to –versus building a tower and planning 10 small cells across Ocean Pines, and it turns out we didn’t need those small cells at all.”
If it turns out a couple of small cells are needed, “that’s perfectly fine,” he said.
Forkas said the next steps in the process would be OPA Board approval of the concept, and then zoning approval from Worcester County.
Current coverage (left), vs. proposed coverage (right) with the addition of a new cell tower, according to Verizon. Red areas will have the fastest speeds and most network availability, while blue will have the worst. The red line represents about a mile and a half, measured from the proposed locations at the golf course’s maintenance facility. Photo
Another look at where a proposed cell tower could be placed near a maintenance building at the Ocean Pines Golf Club.
Photo from meeting video
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our assessments low, and investing in the important stuff like the golf course, which is the economic engine that’s running Ocean Pines and keeping our money down,” he said.
Jacobs also said he was pleased with the results.
“I look forward to serving another three years and doing what I can to maintain and improve Ocean Pines,” he said. “I mean, what else is there to do? It’s all good stuff.”
An elected incumbent hasn’t lost an Ocean Pines election since 2016, when Jack Collins failed to win a second term and finished seventh in a crowded field of 11 candidates.
The last time an appointed – but not elected – incumbent lost was in 2022, when Peck narrowly lost after being appointed in 2021.
“I think, in part, it probably says people are generally happy with what’s going on in Ocean Pines,” Jacobs said. “I think also it speaks to the fact that we need to improve and get more people involved in stuff. We had three seats up this year and we only had four candidates.”
Voter turnout also appeared
relatively low, with the Elections Committee on Saturday reporting 2,824 total ballots – apparently 1,996 were paper ballots and the remaining were electronic. The Elections Committee annual report from 2024 listed 3,283 total ballots.
Jacobs said OPA needs to do a better job of reminding people to vote.
“I think we’ve got to do a much better job of that, and I want to engage with my colleagues to see what they think,” he said. “But overall, it’s a great community, and we got a good bunch on the Board. And working with [General Manager] John [Viola] makes our life quite a bit easier.”
Peck, for her part, said she was disappointed with a fourth-place finish during a year when three seats were up for grabs. Last year, she finished third when two seats were open.
“[The election] was going to be unopposed if I wouldn’t have tried,” she said. “I didn’t lose anything – I tried.”
On the long track record of incumbents holding onto their seats, Peck said most homeowners focus on their assessments – which have been stable for more than five
years.
“I think the majority of Ocean Pines isn’t paying attention to the little things,” she said. “So, unless something goes really bad, it’s kind of that the status quo is good for them.
“I still think people should try,” Peck continued. “I’m proud of the campaign I ran. I’m proud of the platform that I had, and I hope more people step up. In a community this big, we shouldn’t have so little interest in people being part of the process.”
Also on this year’s ballot was a referendum to build a new South Fire Station on the site of the existing station, which was overwhelmingly supported by voters. Roughly 80% voted in favor.
Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department President Joe Enste called that “a strong endorsement” of the department.
“It’s great to know that all the hard work that folks on the department building committee, the folks on the Association building committee, and everything that went into this process has paid off,” he said. “There was a lot of education that was involved in trying to help the community fully understand the scope
of why, how, and everything like that. So, I think it’s a testament to that effort and all that hard work.”
Although there are a fair number of divisive issues in Ocean Pines, building a new firehouse does not seem to be one of them, Enste said.
“I think the voting results say a lot about the relationship that we have with the community, and that the community recognizes the value that we bring,” Enste said. “The community knows that if they support us, we can continue to deliver and support them – sometimes in the most unfortunate times.”
Discussion of the new station dates back at least to 2022. That April, OPA and OPVFD jointly announced a $1.35 million grant from the State of Maryland to renovate and expand the station, and a town hall was held that June. The existing building, constructed in 1981 with additions in 1985 and 1987, was built under much older and less stringent codes. According to OPA and OPVFD, the facility lacks modern features, such as gender-inclusive living quarters, adequate decontamination and shower facilities, and space to house
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today’s larger emergency vehicles.
OPA said the replacement building will be a 15,000-square-foot facility, with a projected construction timeline of 65 weeks and an estimated cost of around $6 million.
“This is a groundbreaking project that will be the centerpiece of our safety,” Lakernick said.
He described the South Fire Station as “a critical piece of infrastructure that affects every family” in Ocean Pines.
“If you’ve been in the southside firehouse, it’s crumbling,” he said. “It’s got a lot of problems and you can’t fix it.”
Among many issues, Lakernick said the original facility didn’t consider accommodations for female firefighters.
“We don’t even have a place for them to sleep,” he said. “They’re sleeping on cots in a locker room.”
He also noted the growth of Ocean Pines since the original structure was built.
“It’s a lot of territory for these volunteers to make sure that we stay safe,” he said. “When you talk about hometown heroes – these guys are it.”
OPVFD has secured $1.7 million in grants and bonds, along with $750,000 from fundraising and savings. The remaining $3.7 million – plus a 10% contingency – will be funded by OPA, primarily through the replacement reserve.
With the referendum’s approval, construction is expected to begin in October 2025, with costs spread across the 2025–27 budget years. Homeowners will likely pay an additional $50 to $60 annually in assessments.
The new station will reportedly meet all current Worcester County requirements, including stormwater management and parking, with no additional expected costs.
OPVFD also plans to maintain its six-minute average response time by ensuring a continued presence on the South Side during construction.
Under the approved plan, ownership of the new building will reside with OPA. OPVFD will retain ownership of the land.
Lakernick statement on election results
The following is a statement from Ocean Pines Association President Stuart Lakernick submitted to The Progress following the Aug. 8 election results:
I want to start by saying how deeply honored I am to have been chosen to continue serving our incredible com-
munity. Every single vote in this election – whether for me or for my opponent – was a sign that people here care about our future, and that’s something worth celebrating.
To those who voted for me, thank you. Your encouragement, your conversations at the pool, grocery store, and
about town, your messages, and your belief in my leadership mean the world to me. You have placed your trust in me, and I will work every day to honor it.
To those who voted for my opponent – I want you to know that I hear you, I respect your choice, and I will represent you with the same commitment and fairness as anyone who supported me.
We may have had different ideas about how to get there, but we share the same goal: keeping Ocean Pines the amazing place we all call home.
This election is over, but our work together is just beginning. We have a lot to be
proud of – upgraded amenities, a stronger police department, and a growing sense of community and permission to move forward with our new Southside Firehouse, we have more to do.
I promise to keep listening, to keep building bridges, and to keep working for every single household in Ocean Pines.
Whether you voted for me, for someone else, or simply cheered us on from the sidelines – thank you for caring about our community.
My door is always open, and together, we can make the next chapter in Ocean Pines history the best one yet.
From John-Boy to Mark Twain
Actor Richard Thomas brings great American author to life, Sept. 5
By SUSAN CANFORA
Contributing Writer
In conversation with actor Richard Thomas, the voice of John-Boy Walton is unmistakable, stirring memories of the much-loved character he played on the TV program The Waltons, which aired from 1972 to 1981.
Girls had crushes on the young man who aspired to be a writer – Thomas was a 20-year-old blond with an easy smile when he appeared in The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, a 1971 movie that served as the pilot for the series – and now, at 74, he remains grateful for every crush.
The New York resident and father of seven in a blended family with his wife, Georgiana Bischoff, is now embarking on a new venture, portraying Mark Twain. On Friday, Sept. 5, he will present Mark Twain Tonight! at the Arts Center at the Ocean City Convention Center, one of the first stops in a tour of the East Coast. For tickets, see eventticketscenter.com.
The late actor Hal Holbrook portrayed Twain for more than six decades, and Thomas is the only actor authorized to continue. But it’s a considerable change from John-Boy Walton, the oldest in a close family with seven children, parents and grandparents who lived together on Walton Mountain in Jefferson County, Virginia. Thomas still stays in touch with surviving cast members.
“Well, big changes. That is what we do as actors, right?”
an affable Thomas told The Progress during a recent telephone conversation.
“We change from one character to another. That’s what the profession is. I started to play John-Boy when I was 21, so there is a lot of experience, a lot of mileage on the odometer,” he said with a laugh.
“It is very exciting to play Mark Twain. He is such an enormous, important American in so many ways and probably the first worldwide American celebrity,” he continued. “He was on the road doing these lectures, going from city to city, place to place. He called them lectures, but it was an early version of standup.”
Twain was a very famous, very funny, and notorious critic of American culture.
“He embodied all the great contradictions of being an American, like his suspicion of wealth and corporations and extreme wealth and power, yet he worked his whole life to be as wealthy as he could,” Thomas said. “His relationship to organized religion is very interesting. He is funny but he was very provocative. He’s always relevant because he is the absolute picture of the American character. This is a very exciting time to bring him back. I am delighted that Hal put this show together.”
He is interested in reacquainting audiences with Twain because, Thomas said, he is “so much more, so much richer than just an author and I think Hal put together a wonderful sampling of his thoughts.”
Holbrook died in 2021 at age 95. He and Thomas were friends.
“He’s been gone awhile, but his estate got in touch with me and asked me to continue playing Mark Twain. It made
me very happy. I was honored,” he said.
Thomas read Twain’s timeless books in his youth and said he has “revisited both Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn while I was doing a tour of To Kill a Mockingbird (in which he played key character Atticus Finch) because I felt I hadn’t read them since my school days.”
“They are wonderful books to read. Huckleberry Finn is his masterpiece, for so many reasons in so many ways,” he said. “I’m enjoying it enormously. It’s a wonderful book. I’m getting ready to read
Roughing It. I have read a lot of selections. You can really immerse yourself in him.”
Thomas said it’s hard to single out one key piece of advice or passage from Twain because “there is so much.”
“It’s so rich. The lesson I take from him is to embrace your contradictions, because those are the things that define him,” he said. “He talks about religion. He talks about politics, politicians, a lot about human nature and in the course of talking about mostly things he finds hilarious and kind of horrible. He couches all that in humor and he uses storytelling.”
In the show, there are five stories as told by Twain, including a section from Huckleberry Finn and a retelling of the biblical “Great Flood.”
“It is a wonderful time to acquaint ourselves with this great American personality,” Thomas said. “In so many ways it’s who we are – what we aspire to be, fall short, what our contradictions are, what our ideals are. I am really thrilled I’m going to be able to live with this person for the next seven months, and maybe beyond.”
Photo of Richard Thomas as Mark Twain by Julieta Cervantes. Photographed at the Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford, Connecticut. Costume Designer Sam Fleming, Wig Designer Luc Verschueren.
Sponsors needed for Sept. 17 Veterans Memorial Foundation fundraiser
Annual golf tournament in Ocean Pines to support student education programs
By JOSH DAVIS Acting Editor in Chief
The Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation is seeking sponsors for its 18th annual Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament, to be held Tuesday, Sept. 17, at the Ocean Pines Golf Club.
The event is the major fundraiser for the Foundation’s education programs, which include annual field trips for all Worcester County fifth graders to the Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines.
The tournament will feature a scramble best ball for-
mat with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Registration is $150 per player and includes 18 holes of golf, a cart, “grab and go” breakfast, lunch and tournament prizes.
Sponsorships are still needed at various levels, ranging from $125 to $2,500.
Foundation President Marie Gilmore said sponsor support directly impacts the more than 650 students who visit the memorial each year through the Foundation’s programs.
“Since 2007, every fifthgrade student in Worcester County has visited the memorial as part of a special field
trip,” Gilmore said. “They learn about the military branches, the real-life stories behind the engraved bricks, and the meaning of service and sacrifice.”
The tours are run in partnership with the Worcester County Board of Education and feature volunteer docents, as well as demonstrations by JROTC cadets from Stephen Decatur, Snow Hill and Pocomoke high schools.
Local Coast Guard members also frequently participate.
“Our Foundation covers all costs for these trips, including buses, drivers and educational materials,” Gilmore
said. “As those expenses grow, we rely more than ever on community support to make this possible.”
The Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, and all contributions are tax-deductible. In addition to sponsorships, the Foundation also welcomes donated prizes, gift certificates or items for the tournament’s silent auction.
To sponsor the tournament or donate, contact Marie Gilmore at 410-726-2881 or opmarie@aol.com.
For more information on the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation, visit wocovets.org.
Sponsors are needed for an upcoming golf tournament in Ocean Pines, with proceeds supporting educational programs of the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation.
Josh Davis/Photo
Friends purchased memorial brick at Worcester County Veterans Memorial
By JOSH DAVIS Acting Editor in Chief
A group of volunteers recently banded together to honor Jim Trummel, the longtime Bylaws Committee chairperson who passed away in March.
Trummel served in the Marine Corps as a captain during the Vietnam War and later obtained degrees in both engineering and law.
In Ocean Pines, Trummel was known for his vast and encyclopedic knowledge of Ocean Pines rules and regulations – and for his kindness and charitable nature. He was a tireless volunteer.
Current Bylaws Committee Chairperson Lora Pangratz said she and other current and past committee members bought a memorial brick to honor Trummel at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines.
The memorial is made up of perhaps hundreds of bricks and pavers that honor local veterans, like Trummel.
Pangratz, during the public comments portion of the July 26 regular OPA Board meeting, thanked Board members
for offering a moment of silence for Trummel after his passing.
Trummel helped mentor Pangratz as the Bylaws Committee chair after his final term expired several years ago.
“We just wanted to honor him because he was a very, very, very positive person –very humble, very thoughtful and insightful, and could tell you the bylaws” by heart, Pangratz said.
“Please take that in con-
sideration … and honor your volunteers. They’re very important. Don’t ever turn away a volunteer,” she added.
For more information on the Veterans Memorial, including brick and paver sponsorships, visit wocovets.org.
A brick at the Worcester County Veterans Memorial in Ocean Pines, purchased by friends and fellow volunteers, honors Jim Trummel for his military service. Trummel was a prolific volunteer in Ocean Pines and is fondly remembered by many.
Photo from meeting video
Tennis Community honors Dale and Mitzi Ash
By CINDY HOFFMAN
Contributing Writer
Dale and Mitzi Ash were honored for their longtime dedication to the tennis community with a planting and tree dedication on June 21 in the Remembrance Court, a garden area at the Racquet Center that was created in 2004 to honor players who have passed away.
While the Ash’s are very much alive, and still avid tennis players, they have relieved themselves of their longtime duties as President and Trea-
surer/Secretary of the Ocean Pines Tennis Club.
“Mitzi and Dale have been the backbone of the tennis community for many years. It was fitting that we honor and recognize them at the “changing of the guard,” Deb Downing, the current President of the Tennis Club said.
“Dale has been the president of the Tennis Club more times than we know and always volunteered to take the job again when no one else stepped up to take the position,” Judy Kearney, the current Treasurer for
Mitzi and Dale Ash were honored on June 21 for their leadership in the Ocean Pines tennis community with the planting of a tree in Remembrance Court.
Submitted Photo
the Tennis Club, said.
“Through the years, Dale has worked tirelessly for the tennis community. He has been the spokesperson at OPA meetings, lobbying for tennis court maintenance and with Public Works to ensure the grounds were looked after.
“Mitzi served as Secretary/Treasurer for the last 14 years. She, alongside Dale, organized events, managed the clubs funds, all while fully participating in club play.”
Mitzi did yeoman’s work, helping me prepare the tennis directory every year, said Dale. The directory, which is not in print this year, provided members with information on staff, a calendar of events, instructions, contact information and a membership list.
The Tennis Community joined together before the Davis Cup Round Robin to recognize their contributions.
“We were overwhelmed by the surprise and very appreciative of the thoughtfulness to have a tree dedicated to us in the Remembrance Court,” Dale said.
The community chose an Eastern Redbud, “Heart of Gold” variety to honor the couple. “It’s one of my favorite trees,” Mitzi said, noting the heart-shaped leaves.
The Remembrance Court is special to Dale and he will continue to manage it. The garden is divided into decades, beginning with the 1980s. Name plaques remember and honor each player who has passed away. The Remembrance Court was envisioned not as a place to view from afar, but to enter and reflect upon friends who have passed.
“The tree was a way to honor Dale while he is still with us and he can recognize the sig-
nificance between the tree’s growth and the tennis community’s growth and well being,” Downing said.
Having their tree planted in the Remembrance Court is significant to Dale because of his role as the keeper.
Dale and Mitzi have both been playing tennis for decades. Dale started with lessons when he was 12 years old and has played regularly since. He’s played in Ocean Pines since 1978. Mitzi has been playing since she was 20. She has played in Ocean Pines since 1985.
They have been through many evolutions of tennis in Ocean Pines. They remember playing on the tennis courts at the Yacht Club, before the Racquet Center was developed. Dale also remembers years ago that there were courts at the current site of the Post Office.
The courts have been expanded throughout the years. Dale remembers when Pickleball players started to put down tape on the tennis courts for their use. Eventually, Pickleball courts were created, now the most popular racquet sport in Ocean Pines.
Mitzi enjoys the community aspect of the Tennis Club. She likes the welcoming atmosphere on the courts, even for drop-ins, noting that young and old and all levels of play are welcome.
Dale has observed that since the change in membership to a single consolidated rate for all racquet sports this year, he has seen more people playing tennis.
Deb Downing is the current President of the Tennis Club. She and Kearney will lead the community this year.
“We are pleased with the energy and enthusiasm that the leadership has brought to the Ocean Pines Tennis Club,”
Dale said. Visit the website atoceanpines.org/web/pages/tennis for more information.
Mitzi and Dale Ash.
Submitted Photo
Mary Mac seeks support for local camps, food banks
Nonprofit honors late educator Mary McMullen by funding youth programs and hunger relief
By JOSH DAVIS
Acting Editor in Chief
Thirteen years ago this August, Mary McMullen – a beloved Millersville special education teacher and tireless advocate for youth athletics – passed away after a lengthy illness. She was 64.
In the years since, her family has kept her spirit alive through the Mary Mac Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to creating brighter futures for children by funding summer camp programs and supporting food banks across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C. region.
“Our mission is to provide opportunities for young people so they can live better lives by offering the resources they deserve and need,” said Mary’s husband, Tim McMullen, who co-founded the Foundation with his brother Don and other family members. McMullen was also a career educator and coached a variety of school sports.
This summer, the Foundation supported programs at St. Vincent de Paul Summer Day Camp in Baltimore, and Camp Ocean Pines, where Mary once served as one of the first camp directors.
Community partnerships have helped stretch the Foundation’s impact. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines donated $1,000 in Mary’s memory to send low-income children to camp, while Choptank Electric awarded a $1,200 grant to fund camp T-shirts. Former Ocean Pines Association President Tom Terry helped secure the
Choptank grant, and Bob Wolfing and John Hansberry assisted with Kiwanis funding.
McMullen also recognized board members Susan Wojciechowski, his and Don’s sister, and Lida Payne, one of Mary’s best friends and a retired Fort Meade recreation director, both of whom play key roles in supporting the Foundation’s work.
On July 14, McMullen visited Camp St. Vincent alongside John Scardina, a former first baseman for one of McMullen’s school teams in the late 1970s, to see the camp’s work firsthand.
“We spent the day there, and we saw three and fouryear-olds being given lessons in reading and math. We saw reading groups for middle school kids. We saw tremendous activities – and we just saw smiling kids,” McMullen said.
“The fact that these kids are being given three meals a day, swim lessons, and lessons in math, English and science just reaffirmed that that’s the best possible place we can be doing our work right now,” he added.
Looking ahead, the Foundation hopes to raise $10,000 during August and September to expand food bank support throughout the region.
“Once people see where the money goes and who it’s helping, they understand the impact – and their generosity makes it all possible,” McMullen said.
In 2024, the Mary Mac Foundation donated more than $32,000 to food banks and scholarship programs.
This year’s grant recipients include:
Eastern Shore:
• Worcester County Child Advocacy Center
• Diakonia (Worcester County)
• Mid-Shore Meals (Dorchester County)
• Bayside Shelter (Sussex County)
Annapolis–Baltimore–Washington, D.C. Region:
• Birth to Five Program Families (Anne Arundel County Public Schools)
• Fort Meade Family Alliance – Resource Center for Military Families
• Lighthouse Shelter
• Maryland Food Bank
• Helping Up Mission
• Ferndale United Bank
• Saint Mary’s Food Bank
• St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank Pennsylvania–Virginia:
• Hunger Response
• Back Pack Buddies
• Neighbors Helping Neighbors
The Mary Mac Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN#46-2720845). Donations can be made online at www.paypal.me/marymacfoundation, or by mailing a check payable to “Mary Mac Foundation” to 174 Nottingham Lane, Berlin, MD 21811. To learn more, visit www. marymac.org.
Members of the greater McMullen family attend a recent Mary Mac Foundation event.
Submitted Photo
‘I
By SUSAN CANFORA
Contributing Writer
Readers drawn to a coming-of-age novel that’s sprinkled with teenage love, parents’ missteps, and changes that come with the passing of time should enjoy Dan O’Hare’s new novel Water Dressed in Brown.
O’Hare, an Ocean Pines Realtor and reportedly the first baby born in the Pines, said the novel is named after the 1990 Ani DiFranco song “Out of Habit,” which contains the lyrics “I am watching the sun stumble home in the morning from a bar on the east side of town, and the coffee is just water dressed in brown.”
The book focuses on the early days of Ocean Pines. Although the community was formally established in 1968, O’Hare placed his characters a little later, from 1982 to the early 1990s, and followed them as they grew, fell in love, suffered disappointments, and planned their futures.
“Everything is based on real people and things I experienced or knew or heard about,” O’Hare said. “Time is important in this book. The era is very important. The relationship between parents and children. It’s very focused on that, even if it doesn’t seem like the main part of the story.
“I set out to write the novel I wanted to read – and edited it 32 times,” he continued. “It really changed drastically through the process. I shared it with different people. They would give me notes, and I would go back and tear it apart completely and restart. These
characters became their own people. It was kind of cool when that happened.”
Among the characters are Dolores, Trey, Laura and Katherine – the latter whose mother and father he described as “helicopter parents before most parents were like that.”
There is a nature vs. society theme, with the teenagers “trying to decide who they are and what they have to do. They are being told one thing – and is that the right thing?” O’Hare said.
One of the families moves to Ocean Pines from Chicago and members of another fam-
Local author Dan O’Hare shares a coffee with his daughter, Olive. O’Hare’s latest novel is set in Ocean Pines and available at many local bookshops. Submitted Photo
TUESDAYS
O’Hare book
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ily greet them, including the mother, Dolores, a native of Spain whose husband owns bars in nearby Ocean City. Dolores offers to watch the new family’s daughter, Laura, and the girl learns skills from Dolores, including how to cook.
She and Dolores’ son, Trey, become friends and eventually see each other in a romantic light. But another girl, Katherine, the prom queen, also gets involved.
Meanwhile, Trey’s father is an abusive alcoholic who sells cocaine at his bar and who Trey dislikes so intensely that, when he strikes him to protect his mother, he doesn’t care if the man dies.
“Trey is dealing with abuse, depression. He is a confused teenage boy,” O’Hare said, adding that Laura’s parents are divorced because Laura’s father cheated on her mother with another man “during the height of the AIDS scare.”
Laura’s mother, Joyce, is another prominent figure, as are Dolores and Katherine’s parents, O’Hare said.
“I think it’s an important part of the book to get into the relationships between the parents, and what type of parents they are and what era they are from,” O’Hare said.
Water Dressed in Brown is available at several area bookstores, including Caprichos Books in the Manklin Creek Plaza. It costs $19 for the paperback, $4.99 to download, and is free with Kindle Unlimited. It’s also for sale at The Buzzed Word in Ocean City, Barnes & Noble in Salisbury, and Bethany Books in Bethany Beach.
Two years ago, O’Hare wrote Tell Me the Truest Thing You Know, about his relationship
with his father and his own struggle with mental illness. He said the process was “the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
“I worked in film and TV and I made movies and documentaries about race – but this was harder,” he said. “That was hard, too, of course, because of the horrific subject matter, but this was harder.”
Tell Me the Truest Thing You Know, a 120-page, softcover book available on Am-
azon and at Bethany Beach Books, stirred emotions among others who had difficult relationships with their fathers. Many of them turned to O’Hare, resulting in “some interesting experiences.”
“Random people called me and asked to meet with me and asked to talk to me about it. They cried. They wanted to release their emotions. It was a very strange experience … I recommended they get coun-
seling,” he said.
“I’m not trained in counseling – I’m trained as a Realtor,” he continued. “I’m not the one you want to be talking to. I’m appreciative of them reading the book, but these people need help. I think everyone needs help. I do therapy myself and I think it’s great and I recommend it.
“Now, this book? This book is fiction. Everybody can read it,” he said.
Submitted Photo
August 17, 1951 – July 13, 2025
Thomas William Stauss, beloved brother, uncle, journalist, and cosmic wildcard, passed away on July 13, 2025, in Tucson, Arizona. He was 73.
Born in Neenah, Wisconsin, Tom spent his early childhood in Thorp, Wisconsin, before moving to Easton, Maryland at age 9. He graduated from Easton High School and went on to earn a degree in journalism from Northwestern University.
From the start, Tom was a newspaperman through and through. Early on, he had already won awards from the Maryland – Delaware – D.C. Press Association for his work on the Eastern Shore Times. He launched local newspapers in Ocean City and Ocean Pines, Maryland, with an unwavering commitment to hyper-local journalism. His true labor of love was the Ocean Pines Progress, where he especially liked to highlight local business owners and community activities. He had sold its
Remembering Tom Stauss
predecessor, the Ocean Pines Independent, but then came out of retirement to start the Progress when his noncomplete clause expired so that he could do it his way. He strove to improve residents’ quality of life by keeping them abreast of opportunities and promoting fiscal responsibility, while also chronicling the details of community meetings, budgets, and motions – right up until his final days when he managed to publish the July edition of the Progress. For Tom, publishing wasn’t just a profession, it was a calling, where he also provided an outlet for at least a dozen other local Delmarva reporters over the years.
He was a faithful practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, which he credited with bringing peace to his life after a more tempestuous youth. (He earned the nickname “Murphy” in the family due to what his part Irish father called Tom’s Irish temper. Another early nickname was “Hardhead.”) Tom’s meditation practice became especially meaningful in his final years as he faced cancer with grace, humor, and minimal complaint. TM helped him reduce pain, keep an even keel, and even gain a karmic head start on his next incarnation.
Tom lived most of his adult life in Ocean Pines, Maryland, where his home was both a headquarters for the Progress and a refuge for friends and family. The annual Stauss family crab feasts were often held there – noisy affairs filled with
laughter, Old Bay seasoning stains, and second and third helpings. His home was always open to his nieces, nephews, and their friends, especially those from the DC area, who knew it as a yearround sanctuary for beach weekends, philosophical and cosmic discussions, and dinners out.
Tom also spent years living part-time in Washington, DC’s Dupont Circle and later in scenic Tucson, Arizona. Tom loved weekend Broadway trips to New York City with his good friend Rota and was known for packing in as many shows as possible. He also cherished his long, meandering conversations with one of his oldest friends, Tom Edwards, where topics ranged from politics to metaphysics to the technological prowess of aliens.
He had a very large collection of books across many genres, and a family tradition emerged at Christmas: his eldest brother trying to find just one he hadn’t already read.
Tom got his start in journalism under Charlotte Edwards and later worked as an investigative reporter with Jack Anderson – experiences that sharpened his sense of curiosity and his BS detector, both of which remained finely tuned for life.
He is predeceased by his parents, Ernie and Marty Stauss, and close friend Huey. He is survived by his three brothers – Ben, Jack, and Richard – and their wives, Janet, Mary, and
Emma, whom he regarded as his own sisters. He also leaves behind eight nieces and nephews, eleven great-nieces and great-nephews, and his close friend Chris Jones.
Tom was one of four Stauss brothers, who might’ve passed as respectable –unless they were all in the same room. Even among them, Tom managed to be his own category: a barefoot intellectual with a car full of newspapers, wearing beachbum chic that never quite matched the razor sharpness of his mind. He believed in aliens, good journalism, and Transcendental Meditation –not necessarily in that order.
Tom taught us all how to stay curious, subvert authority, and never settle for a conventional opinion. His gift-giving record remains undefeated. His nieces and nephews received weird toys, pirated pop music recordings, and more attention than many kids get from their own parents.
His family feels pretty sure Tom’s now cruising the cosmos, windows down, newspapers in the backseat, explaining the Oxford comma to a few receptive aliens.
He did not want anyone to grieve his transition from one state to the next – he believed in reincarnation and karma, and if there’s any justice in the universe, he’s also having steamed blue crabs and beers with his parents, catching them up on everything they missed.
Thomas William Stauss
Remembering Tom Stauss
Remembering Tom Stauss
The Progress reached out to several people, near and far, to ask for remembrances about Tom. There were no rules and there was no word count – just, write what you feel. Read them below, and remember our friend.
‘There was always a way to laugh’
Uncle Tom has been a fixture in my life since as far back as my memory goes. He was the classic “fun uncle.” As kids, we would visit his little Ocean Pines house with the Sky Room where we understood he had special powers when he meditated.
He was ever-present at family Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, revered for his absolutely terrible gift-wrapping skills. He liked to instigate little parent-child conflicts and would grade the cleanliness of our childhood bedrooms – always giving a much better rating the messier the room was.
Ever since I was a teenager, heading out on my own –or sometimes with a group of friends or a new boyfriend in tow – to visit Uncle Tom at the beach in summer or winter has signified a getaway from whatever troubles or serious reflections I might be facing.
He always looked at life and the world with a sense of humor – that in the midst of mundane or more serious sorrows and drama, there was always a way to laugh. I plan to channel that orientation going forward, though I will miss being able to laugh about things with him. I’ll miss our frequent phone calls that almost always started out with me exclaiming “Tom Thumb!” to which he would declare “Karen middle finger!”
A few times a year, I’d call and say I would probably be visiting the beach that weekend, to which he would always
respond with some variation on: “I’m glad we both agree that there’s no need for committing in advance. You can always come stay or not. I’m not sure if there’s clean linens or toilet paper, but you’ll figure it out. And I may or may not have any time available because I have an issue of The Progress coming out soon. But either way, of course, you’re welcome as always to use the house as a crash pad.”
But he always had time. I’d come in from the beach and we would chat and joke about life and current events, and he’d take me out for a meal or two.
I also loved his “movie marathon” weekends when he would come into DC to see four or five movies at Landmark Cinemas in Bethesda and E Street, and I would join him for a couple movies and a meal. Tom was as good an uncle as a person could ask for.
I will miss him forever and always think of him whenever I roll into Ocean City; see a Landmark movie house; or read a report about potential alien life and technologies. But I will also think of him as still present, in keeping with his belief that he was bound to be incarnated somehow or other – possibly in a star system far away, but still with us.
I hope you have an incredible onward journey, Uncle Tom!
-Karen Stauss
‘A soulful, quieted, kind and generous man’
Uncle Tom was, for a long time, my only West Coast family. I enjoyed visiting him
in Tucson and had tried repeatedly to convince him to visit me in Seattle (it’s too cold there, Christina! Do they even have nice hotels?)
Among the many wonderful memories I have of him was back in Ocean Pines, maybe 15 years ago. I was lingering at the beach, rather than heading back to Silver Spring on a rare visit back to Maryland.
Tom and I went out to dinner (he and I agreed that the typical Stauss buffet events were stressful, so he took me to a normal restaurant.) On the way back to his house, he pulled over to a hole-in-thewall ice cream joint.
We each got a cone and watched the sunset over the water. It was peaceful, lovely, and seared into my memory. For all the times that Uncle T. was a jokester/instigator, in that moment, he was a soulful, quieted, kind and generous man.
I will miss him.
-Christina Stauss
‘I never felt lonely having such a loyal friend’
Tom loved and found true peace in Tucson. He loved the sunny weather and the peace and serenity that the mountains gave. He enjoyed going out to dinner on holidays, transcendental meditation, and tending his beloved grapefruit tree. Tom was an amazing friend for 10 years and became like family.
My favorite memories were of us both finding a new song we loved, and blasting
it around the house over and over. Tom made me feel like a family member.
I never felt lonely having such a loyal friend in my life. Rest in peace, Tom.
-Jakub Graf
‘We will never forget his abiding friendship’
Our family had the pleasure of knowing Tom for almost 10 years. It was always nice to see him at his lovely home, or to join him for dinner dates.
Our relationship with Tom began in 2015 when our son, Jakub, became partners with Tom’s housemate, Hugh. Tom was very supportive of the relationship between Jakub and Hugh, and when Hugh died tragically, Tom befriended Jakub. Tom often took Jakub out on dinner/movie outings. Tom never abandoned Jakub. We will always remember that.
When Tom became terminally ill, he invited Jakub to look after him. Tom never stopped believing in Jakub’s good nature and inherent compassion. We are so glad that Jakub was able to give Tom some reciprocal comfort during those sad days.
We will always remember Tom as a kind, intelligent and generous man. The perennial image of him working on his beloved newspaper via the computer is unforgettable. But, most of all, we will never forget his abiding friendship to our son, Jakub.
May he rest in peace.
-Louise and Bob Serkey
Remembering Tom Stauss
‘A true original’
I am so sad to hear of Tom Stauss’s passing. I had the privilege of working with Tom back in the ‘80s when he was editor of the Beachcomber. He was incredibly supportive – and remarkably patient with some of us more eccentric staff members (I was in my 20s, writing a watersports column, and constantly showing up at his desk with wild ideas). Tom would always listen, offer a wry smile, and then – gently but firmly –steer me in the right direction.
His sarcasm, wit, and sense of humor were unmatched. I have such fond memories of those days, and of Tom himself.
A true original. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
And yes – there will never be another Tom Stauss.
-Sandi Smith
‘An institution here in the Pines’
When I think of Tom Stauss, quite a few memories come to mind, especially since he lived around the corner from me in Ocean Pines for many years.
We got to know each other in the 1990s, when I started to freelance for him, or “string” in journalism jargon, because there was a time, many years ago, when freelancers’ articles were measured with string and the writer was paid by the inch.
Tom had a variety of cats over the years, including Beulah, who let me pat her when she was in a good mood and, when she wasn’t, scowled her annoyance.
Remembering Tom Stauss
Tom never failed to greet my dogs as I walked them around the block – a tiny Yorkshire Terrier named Russell, then a protective beagle called Buddy and, now that they have both gone to their greater reward, a chubby, amiable beagle, Crusoe.
“There’s my baby,” Tom would say, bending to rub their heads if he was out walking or reaching his hand out the window if he was in the car.
But I doubt he’d want to be remembered as a soft-hearted animal lover, but rather as a tough journalist who, despite his failing health in recent weeks, made sure a final issue of the Ocean Pines Progress was finished.
In the late 1990s, Tom sold the Ocean Pines Independent, a newspaper he published monthly, to the company I worked for in Ocean City that also published The Daily Times in Salisbury. I was managing editor and took that paper from a monthly to a weekly, making it the first weekly publication in the history of Ocean Pines and doing it under Tom’s watching, sometimes critical, eye. It was a success and grew and circulated in the community for many years.
Later, Tom started The Progress.
We worked together again, but it’s no secret we didn’t always get along. He was strongly conservative and heaven knows I’m a raging liberal Democrat. He never missed the opportunity to tease me about that and I’d return the barbs, cutting political cartoons out of newspapers about poor, homeless owls and deer struggling to find shelter
because of overzealous developers, dropping the clippings into envelopes and mailing them to him, anonymously.
“Not funny,” he’d say, shaking his head when I’d see him on the street. But he’d be grinning.
We disagreed about what stories enhanced a newspaper, too. He was strictly news. I began my career as a features writer and focused on that genre for six years before I started writing news. Human interest stories became my specialty, but Tom didn’t believe they were as valuable as I do and – how can I put this nicely, describing two hard-headed journalists? –we “disagreed.” One word led to another. The conversation heated and I walked out.
Not my finest moment, but Tom calmly told me there would still be a position for me if I changed my mind.
I didn’t. I fumed. I stayed angry.
One sunny morning a year or so ago, when Crusoe and I were out for a stroll, Tom drove up beside us and when I turned to look, he was smiling at me.
“Are we still mad at each other, Susan?” he asked gently.
I lowered my eyebrows. “I don’t know,” I grumbled.
“Listen. We’ve been friends too long. Life is too short. We both love this business. We have always had that in common. Let’s not stay angry,” he said.
He had a point. I conceded and when I reached to shake his hand, I noticed he looked thin, but I had no idea he was sick, and had been for some time.
The last time we communicated was in the spring this year when, by e-mail, he said he had been reading articles I write as a full-timer at Coastal Point newspaper in Ocean View, Delaware, and listening to my radio news broadcasts on WESM-FM in Salisbury.
“You’ve won some awards lately and you’re doing really well,” he wrote. I thanked him and replied I read every issue of The Progress and continued to admire his writing style and love for detail.
One evening last month, I was sitting on the back porch, catching up on Facebook posts, and was shocked to read Tom had died. I had no idea he was that ill. He wasn’t one to share information like that.
News of his death hit me hard. Immediately, I thought about him coming to me, reminding me our friendship meant more than our disharmonies.
Carrying on his legacy by working with fellow journalist Josh Davis and writing for The Progress each month is an honor. In my memory, I can see Tom’s teasing smile and the little twinkle in his eye as he formulated ultra-conservative zingers.
That’s how I’m remembering you, my friend. And for your dedication. Your uniqueness. And for being an institution here in the Pines.
You aren’t one to rest in peace. From your heavenly news desk, you’ll be up to some mischief.
I’ll be watching for it. And in spite of myself, it will make me laugh.
-Susan Canfora
‘Wherever he is now, I hope he knows we miss him’
I don’t remember the first time I met Tom Stauss, but it was almost certainly some time in 2014 when I was newly covering the Ocean Pines Association for the Bayside Gazette. That year, the new Yacht Club opened, Mediacom was still king, Billy Casper ran the Golf Club, and Dave Stevens ran the OPA Board and frequently harassed then General Manager Bob Thompson.
Two men were at almost every meeting I covered: One was Joe Reynolds, who generally heckled elected officials and the GM during public comments – or whenever something struck his fancy. The other was Tom, who was much quieter, generally in baggy clothes and looking like he maybe had just woken up.
While I was brand new, learning how to report on local government in general and getting a crash course in the wild wilderness of covering this Ocean Pines place, Tom had already been there for decades and knew just about everything and everyone. He had a dry wit and was soft-spoken, but I very quickly learned that what he wrote carried tremendous power.
Copies of his newspaper, The Progress, were often held up or clutched at public meetings. Clearly Stevens and Thompson were avid readers and had thoughts. And the paper itself was incredibly dense – packed with Tom’s encyclopedic knowledge, his sometimes cutting commentary, and biting editorial cartoons about anthropomorphic
Remembering Tom Stauss
geese playing golf or generally being a stand-in for Tom himself.
I also learned, back at the office, what my colleagues in the editorial and sales departments thought of Tom. In Ocean Pines, he was the main competition – and a hard one to top.
Beyond that, he was part of a small but influential group of four men who had been at this locally for many years and had all worked together at one time or another. Along with Tom, they also included my boss, Stewart Dobson, then Berlin Mayor Gee Williams, and Worcester County Commissioner and Courier newspaper publisher Chip Bertino. Based on what I knew of Stewart and Gee at the time,
I imagined them all working together in a room where the bourbon glasses were always full, the smell of cigarettes was rich and mildly suffocating in the air, and smart, serious journalism was taking place. Whether or not they were ever in the same room –bourbon or not – is unclear.
I had to earn Tom’s respect over the years – and for good reason. I wasn’t great out of the gate and had to earn my stripes, and also I was stumbling across his turf.
But the more I showed up, the more we talked, and the more we grew to respect each other and eventually became friends. We would gossip briefly before meetings, and sometimes in hallways or parking lots afterward. He never gave away too much and I never asked him to.
After I shifted from journalism to become the public relations director for Ocean
Pines in 2019, Tom and I got to know each other even better. He would call once a week, and normal conversations were 20 or 30 minutes long. This time, he often told me more than I gave away – I made a deal early on that I never wanted to see my name in the paper –but I would connect him to the people and stories he wanted to chase down.
It was a lot of phone numbers and emails, whether a meeting was going to be recorded, if I had pictures, and, hey, could he get a copy of that newsletter feature on a Public Works or an Aquatics worker before I gave it to everyone else? I usually did. And he often told me, in great detail, what he was working on – and what he thought about certain OPA Board members.
We didn’t talk too much about the personal stuff. Tom would ask about my kids, or how I was handling the transition from being on the outside to being on the inside. I found Tom to be immensely private. But I knew he knew almost everything about Ocean Pines and could often predict the future – save for one infamous story about a certain local restaurant group. I knew he loved swimming and often valued cats above most people, and he loved his home in Arizona where he more and more frequently spent most of his time.
In the 10-plus years I knew Tom, I don’t ever remember him being mean. He certainly had his opinions on local and national elected officials – but it never got personal. He held people accountable –sometimes with sharp, acerbic commentary – but he did that because he felt it was his job,
and because he clearly loved the community that he covered for so many decades.
I was very sad to get a call in June that Tom was in the hospital and wasn’t doing well, and I was sadder to talk to him during his last few weeks, when he asked for my help in putting together what would be his last issue of The Progress.
Two things struck me: 1. How much this paper meant to him and how determined he was that that last issue came out. 2. How peaceful he was near the end.
Tom told me he had made his peace with the universe, and he was going back to his home planet where everything would be OK. He said it with clarity and – was that his dry wit? It was hard to tell. But I believed him and, although I was sad and shed tears after I hung up the phone, I was grateful to hear at least that he was at peace.
I miss my friend, now, writing this, working on this paper that he built – without him. He was a good friend to me and a good listener when I was having a tough time at work, and it’s hard to put this issue together when I want to ask him so many questions, big and small.
This issue was created in the loving memory of our friend, Tom. May he be at rest, and may those who knew him remember him fondly, with warmth and respect, and good humor.
Wherever he is now, I hope he knows we miss him and we want to do this the right way – the way he would have done.
