Ocean Pines Progress January 2022

January 2022

www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress

443-359-7527

OCEAN PINES

Judge Sidney Campen

Still no decision on Farr vs. OPA

Board of Directors candidate Richard Farr and the Ocean Pines Association were still awaiting a decision from the judge overseeing the Farr vs.

OPA candidate eligibility case as 2021 drew to a close.

A decision from Judge Sidney Campen could come down at any time.

The Progress will be publishing a special “Progress Report” on the decision available at www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress whenever the decision is made.

Local social media have also agreed to distribute the report.

Those with a stake in the outcome of the case are perplexed on what is taking Judge Campen so long to render a verdict.

But a month and a half on a decision by normal measures of judicial productivity is not a lot of time. Judge Campen seemed like he might be an exception to the rule, however.

During procedural hearings prior to a final hearing on the merits Nov. 15, he had seemed intent on spurring the opposing attorneys to act expeditiously.

PROGRESS THE OCEAN PINES JOURNAL OF NEWS & COMMENTARY

COVER STORY

Proposed budget calls for $1 decrease in base lot assessment Dues for golf would increase $100 across most categories; daily user fees would increase for most amenities

By TOM STAUSS Publisher he $16.834 million proposed balanced 2022-23 budget for the Ocean Pines Association unveiled just before Christmas would deliver a $1 decrease in the base lot assessment, currently set at $996.

The proposed budget calls for no change in the waterfront differential of $615, despite significant increases in the linear foot cost of replacing bulkheads. To address the increase, the staff is proposing a reduction in the linear feet of bulkheading to be replaced, year-overyear. Some of the bulkhead replacement planned for 2022-23 was pushed into the current fiscal year.

The proposed budget, to be reviewed by the Budget and Finance Advisory Committee in meetings in early January, calls for total spending that is $159,952 less

T

than the estimated total expenditures for the current fiscal year, 2021-22.

The proposed budget calls for $13.983 million in department spending, $1,169,921 in bulkhead spending, $924,515 in replacement and new capital reserve spending, $400,000 for drainage improvements and $350,00 for road resurfacing, according to General Manager John Viola.

In remarks delivered during the Dec. 11 meeting of the Board of Directors, Viola said that he and his staff were encountering both headwinds and tailwinds in assembling the budget.

Headwinds included inflationary pressures, increases in minimum wage and insurance premiums, and possible state legislation that could require homeownTo Page 29

Viola announces departure as General Manager three months before his contract was set to expire ~ Page 3

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Viola announces departure three months before his contract was set to expire Board working group appointed to screen possible replacements

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The directors met in closed session in late November to review Viola’s performance over the last year, the results of which probably would have been delivered to Viola by Perrone and possibly Vice-President Colette Horn in one of their regular Monday meetings.

Viola has been asked by local media to explain his res- John Viola ignation, but he’s been tightlipped, almost as if he’s been told to say nothing other than what was in the Perrone statement, and that was relatively little.

“Ask Larry,” Viola told the Progress, the same two words he used when asked by other local media to explain his reasons.

Perrone didn’t return a Progress phone call for

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By TOM STAUSS Publisher cean Pines Association General Manager Viola resigned at the end of November, giving the Board to Feb. 28 to find a replacement. Although Viola’s announced departure gave the OPA three months notice, his employment contract was not set to expire until June 1.

The early departure and no announcement that a contract extension had been on the table has prompted speculation in Ocean Pines about the reason or reasons for his resignation.

OPA President Larry Perrone in a Dec. 1 announcement said that Viola had “decided to resign to begin his well-deserved retirement.”

Viola’s resignation came not too long after he had received the results of an annual performance review, in which directors rate the GM on how well he performed fulfilling various performance goals.

comment, and he told Joe Reynolds of oceanpinesforum.com that “he [Viola] retired.”.

The cloak of silence over Viola’s performance review and subsequent resignation contrasts with the way the performance review was handled in November/December of 2020.

At that time, it was clear that the Board of Directors was pleased with the job performance of Viola, giving him a “four out of five rating” in a recently completed review, the general manager told the Progress. That was sufficient to give him both a three percent raise and a $5,000 bonus, he said at the time.

The Board of Directors in a closed meeting back in March of 2020 had agreed to add language to Viola’s contract allowing for an adjustment to his pay.

Viola told the Progress in October of 2020 that he had agreed on the language that he said allows but doesn’t guarantee a raise after a performance review that was scheduled for completion in November of 2020.

There’s been no indication that Viola was offered a raise or a bonus after the November, 2021, performance review, despite the OPA’s strong financial performance under covid-related conditions in the 2020-21 fiscal year ending this past April 30. The OPA is also on a path for a $1 million or more surplus in the current fiscal year, 2021-22, that ends this coming April 30.

To Page 5

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Viola resignation From Page 3 A two-and-a-half-year employment contract executed in December of 2019 gave him a raise to $155,000 per year, roughly the same as former General Manager John Bailey’s when he departed the Ocean Pines Association.

Viola’s expiring contract with the OPA is a twoand-a-half-year agreement that ran from Dec. 1 of 2019 to June 30, 2022. There was a provision in the agreement that either side could terminate the arrangement prior to the June 1, 2022, expiration date.

Viola had a six-month interim agreement to serve as GM in place as of June of 2019, which was converted into a non-interim position with the new contract in December of that year.

Viola succeeded John Bailey, whose contract was terminated in February of 2019. Bailey was hired in September of 2017, succeeding acting GM Brett Hill, who served from August of 2016 to August of 2017.

Former General Manager Bob’s Thompson’s contract was terminated in August of 2016, after about six years on the job.

In contrast to Viola’s statement about his performance review, bonus and raise a year ago, Perrone’s statement issue stayed clear of any reference to financial details related to Viola’s departure.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am writing today to announce the resignation of John Vi-

ola as OPA’s General Manager. John decided to resign to begin his well-deserved retirement. The Board of Directors is very appreciative of all of John’s contributions in his various roles at OPA,” Perrone wrote.

“Notably, as the General Manager, John assembled a highly effective management team and oversaw the stabilization of the OPA’s finances and recent strong economic performance. John’s last day will be Feb. 28, 2022. The Board of Directors is moving forward with initiating a search for the new General Manager.”

A three-member board working group has been appointed to oversee the process of hiring a replacement for Viola, Director Doug Parks told the Progress recently. Perrone, Horn and Director Frank Daly are the members.

Shortly after the announcement of Viola’s pending departure, the OPA placed advertisements in various trade publications and Web sites, including those for the Community Association Institute, for the pending vacancy.

Parks said the working group would do the initial screening of applicants, with the possibility of retaining an executive search firm to assist in the process. He mentioned that before the board hired former GM John Bailey in September of 2017, the Novak Consulting Group had assisted in the process, with the board interviewing the final slate of candidates and making the decision from among the finalists.

Parks said that if a decision is made to hire an executive search firm, it’s not certain that the

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Novak group would be the one retained.

Parks and other sources have said that it seems unlikely that any top tier OPA department head would apply for the position.

“I’ve not heard of any,” he said.

An all-but-abandoned GM succession plan had identified Colby Phillips, a former OPA department head who left to become community manager of the Captain’s Cove Community in March of 2021, as someone who was interested in the position. Phillips told the Progress that she’s not interested in returning to Ocean Pines or to apply for the vacancy.

Director Frank Daly had even engineered a change in the position’s job description removing a four-year college degree as a minimum requirement, and had been an advocate for promoting Phillips if and when a job opening materialized.

After that requirement was reinstated, Daly then said he would lobby his colleagues for an exception if Phillips had been interested in the job.

At the time -- and this was before there were two resignations from the board -- Daly said he believed there were four votes for Phillips.

Daly had pushed for a succession plan including identification of potential in-house candidates for a GM vacancy. It would have identified potential weaknesses in a potential candidate’s background and advocated ways to remedy them.

Once Phillips left in February for her new job in Captain’s Cove, there was no public discussion

by Daly or any other board member on the status of the succession plan.

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6 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

Viola renews intent to remove guardhouse on North Gate bridge

GM contends that structure likely wouldn’t survive attempt to move it

By TOM STAUSS Publisher lthough General Manager John Viola said during the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting that staff was recommending that the North Gate bridge guardhouse remain in place, at least for awhile, he has since said a new consensus is emerging that the best course of action is removal.

In a Dec. 22 interview, Viola said he and Public Works Director Eddie Wells had recently discussed the possibility of removing the bridge by crane and transporting it to a site in White Horse Park where the Parks and Recreation Department reportedly had a use for it.

A

The Communications Advisory Committee has looked at the guardhouse as a possible site to store and display historic Ocean Pines records and memorabilia.

Viola told the Progress that he and Wells are now of the opinion that the guardhouse, which dates back to the 1970s, is in such poor condition that it likely would not survive an attempt to transport it using a crane and moving it from the North Gate down Ocean Parkway to White Horse Park.

“The attempt would likely result in demolishing it,” Viola said.

It could also be a logistical challenge navigating through tall trees that align Ocean Parkway.

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The general manager told the Progress that he has had a conversation with Jenny Cropper-Rines, a member of the communications committee, and she understands the practical difficulties associated with trying to move a 50-year structure that has received very little maintenance during that 50 years.

Viola said they discussed the possibility of building a replica of the original guardhouse to store historic memorabilia, perhaps retaining some of the original structure for display in the replica.

During the Dec. 11 board meeting, Viola had estimated the cost of a simple in-house tear-down at $2,500, a repair and maintain op-

tion also at $2,500.

He estimated the cost of transporting it off the bridge to another site at $12,000.

Another cost would involve finding a new home for the structure in White Horse Park.

A concrete pad would be needed as a base. To house historic documents, the guardhouse would need to be retrofitted with air conditioning for proper climate control. County permits including possible issues with non-tidal wetlands would also add to the time and cost of such a project.

Because of these concerns, Viola said he and Wells agree that it’s best to demolish the guardhouse, leaving the base intact for the structural integrity of the bridge.

Once the Christmas tree is removed from inside the guardhouse after the holidays, Viola said Public Works would move ahead on removal sometime in January.

When Viola mentioned during the Dec. 11 board meeting that staff was recommending the guardhouse remain in place, there was no response from any director.

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8 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022 North Gate From Page 7 The impression given whether intended or not was that the board was willing to give Viola free rein, provided that the end result is much improved bridge aesthetics.

During the interview, Viola said there has been little push-back in the community on the idea of removing the guardhouse.

He said that attitudes in the community apparently have evolved, from one in which large numbers of Ocean Pines residents regarded the bridge as an untouchable iconic symbol of the community.

“That doesn’t seem to be the case any more,” he said.

During the Dec. 11 meeting, Viola presented a number of options for new, more modern lighting fixtures on the bridge, none of which elicited comment from the directors.

There, too, it seemed that the directors were willing to give Viola latitude to choose the lighting that he and staff think work best.

If the cost exceeds $15,000, then Viola would present the final light-

ing selection to the board for approval.

Parts for the 1970s-era globes that adorn the bridge now are no longer available, Viola has said, necessitating the new lighting.

New bridge railing that needs replacing because of an accident in Oct. 5 is on order.

Timbers lining the approach to the bridge were damaged.

Viola has said previously that the Ocean Pines Association is working with Vista Design Group as well as a contractor recommended by the county to investigate options for improving the approach to the bridge.

“The way it’s structured, with that slope,” he said, “When a car hits that it certainly is not good. So we are addressing that.”

The cost to repair the bridge is $7,800 for timber and $7,500 for inhouse labor, according to Viola.

The estimated total cost of $15,500 of repairs will be filed with the insurance company, Viola said in November.

The cost of removal of the guardhouse this month using Public Works staff won’t add significantly

to that estimate.

There is sentiment among the directors for Viola to move as expeditiously as possible to refurbish the North Gate Bridge.

During the Nov. 20 meeting of the board, Director Frank Daly said the last year had been a tough one for Ocean Pines residents and they deserve to have an attractive and festive North Gate entryway for the holidays.

“The North Gate bridge entryway is one of the major entry points into Ocean Pines. Normal wear and tear, a number of vehicle-bridge accidents, weather-related factors and littering have taken a toll on its appearance.

The purpose of this discussion is to determine what can be done to improve the appearance of this main entryway into the community,” he said.

Specifically, Daly proposed shutting down the North Gate entry for several days, diverting traffic to the Beauchamp Road entryway, power washing and staining the bridge and guard house, cleaning the surrounding trash, repairing and replacing

the lighting to make it uniform and placing a holiday display in the guard house during the upcoming holiday season.

“I’ve heard over the years we refer to the North Gate bridge as iconic. I kinda refer to it as dilapidated,” he said. “I mean it’s showing its age.

Period.”

No one disputed that chartacterization, and Viola has since said that there has been relatively little pushback in the community urging the OPA to retain the bridge in its present form because of its iconic status.

What’s on the table now is not a replacement, but an upgrade, with new railing and lighting and removal of the guardhouse.

Viola during his monthly report said the OPA is intending to complete repairs and maintenance to the bridge, including power washing the structure and replacing damaged timber.

That was done prior to the holidays. A Christmas tree was added to the interior of the guardhouse.

He did not agree with Daly that the bridge needed re-staining, however, and that has not been done.

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 9

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Michelle Bennett departs executive assistant position Leaves for position that utilizes accounting skills

By TOM STAUSS Publisher enior Executive Assistant Michelle Bennett in late November resigned from the Ocean Pines Association effective Dec. 28, within days of General Manager John Viola doing the same, although his resignation isn’t supposed to go into effect until the end of February.

Bennett has been employed by the OPA for almost ten years, succeeding the late Phyllis East.

Bennett served during the tumultuous years of general managers Bob Thompson, Brett Hill, John Bailey and John Viola.

She has reportedly told friends that her decision to resign was not timed or related to Viola’s recent resignation.

Bennett issued a statement that indicated that her new position would utilize her accounting skills.

As senior executive assistant, Bennett worked directly for the general manager and was not a member of the OPA’s finance department.

During the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting, OPA President Larry Perrone confirmed Bennett’s resignation and thanked her for her hard work and dedication of the last decade. She would have celebrated her tenth year with Ocean Pines in April. She officially resigned on Nov. 30.

“Unfortunately, Michelle Bennett … has tendered her resignation,” Perrone said. “Most people probably don’t know, but Michelle works very closely with the board in addition to working directly for the general manager, so we have a little something for Michelle.”

He presented her with a thank you plaque, and board members posed for a photo with her.

Viola released a statement about Bennett’s resignation on Dec. 3.

“I am writing to you all today to announce the resignation of Michelle Bennett, effective Dec. 28, 2021. Michelle has been a trusted, highly valued member of Ocean Pines Association for almost 10 years and has provided the General Manager’s Office and the Board of Directors with excellent service.

She has received an employment opportunity “that will enable her to utilize her accounting experience fully,” Viola said. “Michelle has been a great asset to Ocean Pines Association and will be missed very much. Please join me in wishing the very best to Michelle in her new career endeavor.”

Bennett also released a brief statement touching on her resignation.

“I am excited to join a local private family-owned business, where I will utilize my accounting experience fully,” she said. “I have enjoyed serving the Ocean Pines community for almost 10 years and will miss working with the team.” In a text to the Progress, she said that her last day of work had been very “emotional.”

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Pictured are, left to right, Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean PinesOcean City President Tim Lund presenting a check, in appreciation of his weekly service to the club, to Ocean Pines employee Norbert “Nobie” Violante. He prepares the Assateague room for the club’s weekly meetings and for other Kiwanois events. The check was presented in early December.

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 11

12 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

OCEAN PINES

Perrone tells Oostveen he and Colette Horn won’t resign from Board

By ROTA L. KNOTT Contributing Writer espite a public call for their resignations by one property owner, the Ocean Pines Association’s president and vice president intend to hold onto their seats on the Board of Directors.

“I can guarantee you that the vice president or I will not be resigning,” President Larry Perrone told Roelof “Dutch” Oostveen during the Public Comments segment of the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting.

Oostveen urged Perrone and Vice President Colette Horn to give up their board seats. “What I’m saying for the year 2022 we have to get a new start without you and the vice president,” he told Perrone during the meeting.

“We cannot go forward the way you want to go.”

Acknowledging that “some people call me a pain in the butt,” Oostveenagitated for a change in leadership for the coming year. He alleged that eight OPA employees left the association last year because of interference

by Perrone. “Eight people quit under your leadership,” he said.

As an example, Oostveen gestured toward General Manager John Viola and Michelle Bennett, executive secretary, who were sitting nearby at the meeting. Viola’s announcement of his resignation earlier that week was quickly followed by Bennett’s. He said they were “two nice people quitting” and that “somewhere something is wrong.”

Oostveen also questioned the OPA insistence on hiring an attorney from “2.5 hours away from Ocean Pines” who is “giving wrong advice and costing Ocean Pines money. ... I ask you to quit,” adding that he had voted for only “one man this time in the election.” He asked Perrone to respond during the meeting and not after.

Perrone did. “Well, Dutch, I’m going to respond to you this month. I didn’t respond to you last month out of respect. But I did talk to you after the meeting, and told you I will not be resigning,” he said. Perrone said he doesn’t know who the eight people are that Oovsteen thinks he forced to resign.

“You need to get your facts straight. Quite honestly I’m not concerned.

I don’t make decisions on my own,” he said, adding that “the board made decisions on the litigation we’re involved in and whether or not you like it or not, the board made the decision. I don’t make decisions on my own. You have seven people up here who make the decisions.”

Perrone continued, saying “I will not be resigning and I can guarantee you the vice president …”

When Oostveen tried to talk over him, Perrone responded, “Your time is up. Now it’s my time.”

As Oostveen continued to speak, Perrone said “thank you” and “your time is up.”

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Committee wrestles with changes to OPA election procedures

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 13

Panel avoids directly dealing with issues in Farr vs. OPA

By TOM STAUSS Publisher t the Dec. 3 meeting of the By-laws and Resolutions Advisory Committee, members wrestled with ways to provide “increased certainty” over who is eligible to vote in OPA elections or sign petitions to force community referendums.

During that meeting, the committee skirted around discussions or recommendations on topics that are issue in the Richard Farr vs.

OPA candidate eligibility litigation, particularly what constitutes an “owner of record” or whether a candidate must be a legal owner of Ocean Pines property, that is, listed by name on a property deed, or an equitable owner of property, such as a partner in limited liability corporation or a trustee or beneficiary of a family trust.

A

The committee in previous meetings had decided not to weigh in on those thorny issues pending a resolution of the Farr vs. OPA litigation, which might provide some clarity or instruction on those issues by the court.

The committee has agreed to at least one amendment to the by-laws on the voter eligibility issues, proposing a new Section 1.11 of the bylaws defining “eligible to vote” as an OPA member who has paid the”annual charges” or lot assessments and any interest on a delinquency under Section 5.14 and has not had a right to vote suspended under Section 5.13(c).

Generally speaking, anyone who is eligible to vote in an OPA election also is eligible to be a candidate, although the by-laws could be amended to add additional requirements.

The committee is also working on

language to tighten up language in Section 3.01(c) of the by-laws that requires candidates for the board to have paid their assessments no later than May 15 of the year in which they’re seeking a board seat.

Existing language allows property owners another 35 days beyond that, or until July 1, to pay their assessments and still be able to vote in that year’s election.

Back in 2018, former OPA Director and Acting General Manager Brett Hill had filed as a candidate and had argued that he had until July 1 to pay the assessment. His candidacy was rejected by Director Colette Horn, who at the time was OPA secretary.

The basis for the rejection was that the limited liability corporation that owned an Ocean Pines lot -- Hill was a reported share-holder -had not paid the assessment by May

15. Hill challenged that determination in court but later withdrew it because of timing factors.

Trummel said the by-laws will be rewritten to clarify the different applicable dates, May 15 for paid-up assessments in order to run for the board and July 1 in order for an OPA member to vote in that summer’s election.

Following the meeting, Trummel told the Progress that he had received from Horn, on behalf of the board of directors and a board working group, a charging document specifically giving the committee the authorization to explore additional candidate qualifications to the bylaws.

Those additional qualifications were scheduled to be discussed at the committee’s Dec. 17 meeting.

Horn said one of the issues that could be addressed is ensuring the identity of a candidate who has filed, citing the confusion earlier this year over whether Richard Farr or his late father was an owner of record of property in Ocean Pines.

She also said language could be drafted that would authorize the u

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OCEAN PINES - Patricia M. “Pat” Foringer, age 96, passed peacefully in her home Tuesday, November 30, 2021. She was born in Lewistown, PA to Holmes and Madeline McCormick. After graduation from Lewistown High School, she and her parents moved to Camp Hill, PA where Pat met her husband, Paul, at a USO dance, married and moved to Ambridge, PA. They eventually moved to Fostoria, Ohio; Wooster, Ohio; Rockville, MD; Damascus, MD and retired in Ocean Pines. Although she was a trained bookkeeper and accountant, she worked in various administrative positions throughout her career, including the DC Convention Center, followed by The American College of Cardiology in Bethesda, MD, from where she retired after 18 years of service as Convention Registrar. She was active in Atlantic General Hospital Auxiliary for 10 years, served as President of the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a lifetime member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority (received her 60-year pin). She was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Ocean City, the Thursday Ladies Pinochle Club of Ocean Pines, and loved to play hand and foot, bridge, and the slot machines - most recently winning a $1,400 jackpot at Ocean Downs. Pat was preceded in death by her husband Paul in 2005, as well as her brother Holmes “Mack” McCormick, Jr. and his wife Ruth. She is survived by her brother Thomas McCormick and his wife Sandy of East Petersburg, PA, daughter Pamela Estes of Ocean Pines, and son Paul and his wife Mary Foringer of Gaithersburg, MD. Pat had seven grandchildren, Byron and Ashley Walters of Mechanicsville, VA, Riveraine Walters of Rosemead, CA, Kristin and Jake Reilly of Annapolis, MD, and Ryan and Michelle Foringer of Bethesda, MD, and three great grandchildren: Madison and Jackson Walters and her namesake, Leah Patricia Reilly. In the spring, Pat’s ashes will be interred at Rolling Green Cemetery in Camp Hill, PA followed by a celebration of her life.

14 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

Daly says he’ll present election process reforms at February meeting Director isn’t waiting for committee to propose changes to OPA by-laws

By TOM STAUSS Publisher hile his reelection to the Board of Directors still had not been certified in the run-up to Christmas, carry-over Director Frank Daly recently made it clear he’s not waiting for official certification of the 2021 board election to begin work on reforms to the Ocean Pines Association board election process.

In remarks during the Dec. 11 monthly board meeting, Daly said “there are too many gaps” in the process -- or “too many problems” in the way this summer’s election unfolded -- to allow another board election under existing rules to take place next summer.

Daly said he had been waiting to unveil his proposed changes to OPA governing documents that pertain to elections -- that would be the OPA bylaws -- until such time as the judge in the Richard Farr vs. OPA litigation rendered his judgment, providing some clarity on qualifications to run for the board.

That judgment had still not materialized before New Years Day. No doubt anticipating that a decision would be rendered in late December or sometime in January, Daly said he would introduce his proposed reforms at the February board meeting.

He seemed to suggest that he would like these

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reforms to be approved quickly by the board and then put to the community for a vote in a referendum, prior to the 2022 election. Changes to OPA by-laws must be approved by a majority of those voting in a referendum.

“The board is on the clock” to make process and candidate qualification changes to the by-laws and “my clock has run out,” Daly said in his remarks to colleagues.

Director Colette Horn reminded Daly that the By-laws and Resolutions Advisory Committee is also working on proposed changes to the by-laws ready for review and possible action by the board.

However, a charging document received by the committee after a seems somewhat limited in scope and the committee is awaiting word on the outcome of Farr vs. OPA before more comprehensive changes are drafted.

It’s also clear based on a discussion at a committee meeting in early December that members would be reluctant to tackle any specific changes that haven’t been described in a charging document from the board.

Daly said he would give Horn, the committee’s board liaison, a “heads-up” when he has a draft of proposed changes available for review.

OPA President Larry Perrone said any draft of To Pageby 16 proposed changes would need to be reviewed To Page 15

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OCEAN PINES Voter eligibility From Page 13 secretary to ensure that the name of the candidate on the application is the same individual listed on a property deed. That is not a current requirement in the by-laws, and would conflict with language in the OPA corporate charter and declarations of restrictions in each section giving equitable owners of property -- shareholders in an LLC or trustees or beneficiaries of family trusts -- membership rights in the OPA, including the right to run for the board.

The charging document issued after the Dec. 3 meeting does not authorize the committee to delve into the thorny “owner of record” topic that is an issue in the Farr vs. OPA litigation.

After Trummel said the committee had decided to wait for the litigation to be resolved before wading into that minefield, Horn said the issue had already been turned over to legal counsel -- that’s Jeremy Tucker -- for review and a recommendation “not withstanding” the OPA’s “authority to define ‘owner of record’.

“To keep us out of trouble, [we’ve decided to] let counsel handle it,” she said.

Another issue that the committee is avoiding unless and until it receives a charging document from the board is how to define the term “for cause” in the by-laws which allows the board to remove a director.

Some examples are already cited in the by-laws, including missing at least three consecutive board meetings. But the language also includes language giving the board authority to remove a director for additional, non-specified reasons.

“You’re off the hook on that one, too,” Horn told the committee, saying that the board needed to “socialize” how it wanted to proceed to provide some clarity on that issue.

One possibility is for the board to try again to draft a new ethics and conduct board resolution, she said.

A board resolution, B-08, was repealed this year after Director Frank Daly argued that it was ineffective and unfair to both complaints and those accused of wrong-doing.

Horn also said mentioned that a list of qualifications could also include at least one disqualifier, that a candidate cannot be a convicted felon. There was no discussion by the committee on the merits of including this disqualifier in proposed amended by-laws.

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16 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

OCEAN PINES

Board signals support for retaining Search Committee Would convert panel to standing committee with carry-over members

By ROTA L. KNOTT Contributing Writer fter struggling for years to recruit members for an annual ad hoc Search Committee, the Board of Directors wants to establish a standing committee to fulfill that role instead. During a Dec. 11 meeting, directors asked the

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By-laws and Resolutions Advisory Committee to draft language that will alter that Search Committee’s structure in the hopes that change will result in a more robust committee and field of candidates for future board elections.

“I think a committee that is a standing committee that has con-

tinuity of membership over several years is going to be our best option for coming up with effective methods for recruitment of candidates who are qualified. And also quite frankly preparing people who are interested in becoming qualified and ready to serve on the board,” Director Colette Horn said.

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Horn said the topic of what to do about the Search Committee was studied by an ad hoc By-laws Work Group. That group is no longer operating and the issue was handed over to the By-laws and Resolutions Advisory Committee to study and provide the board with some recommendations.

Jim Trummel, chairman of the by-laws and resolutions panel, presented two options for addressing the challenge of populating an ad hoc Search Committee each year: Get rid of it entirely or make it a standing committee.

Trummel said the Search Committee must exist per the Ocean Pines Association’s by-laws. To eliminate it completely, a vote of the membership to amend the bylaws would be needed. Additionally, Board resolution M-09 Board outlines the current Search Committee operations. That resolution could be amended to alter the structure of the Search Committee, he said.

“There may be revisions to the by-laws that can improve the operation and performance of the Search Committee,” Trummel said, but his committee, Bylaws and Resolutions, didn’t yet explore that “because the real issue is future of search committee.”

Trummel noted that it has been difficult for get members to serve on the Search Committee each year because of its ad hoc structure. The pandemic has not helped that effort for the last few years, he added.

The existing Search Committee was established in a 2008 update u

Election process From Page 15 OPA Counsel Jeremy Tucker before they’re presented to the membership for a referendum vote.

Perrone said Tucker would have his own suggestions for changes in the by-laws.

Tucker’s proposed language would presumably address weaknesses in the language that are at the heart of the Farr vs. OPA litigation.

Those could include including the term “owner of record” and whether trust beneficiaries are eligible to vote in OPA elections, and run for the board and serve if elected.

OCEAN PINES

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 17

Search committee

From Page 16

to the OPA’s by-laws. Before that, it was called the Nominating Committee. While the by-laws call for its establishment by February of each year, that rarely happens, Trummel said.

“We do think it should be understood that one of the ways that you could address some of that problem would be to change the appointment structure of the committee. Instead of it being an annual appointment of a committee, make it more like of the same as other committees within the association which all go on a term basis. And reappointment to additional terms as a committee member may desire,” Trummel said.

Trummel added that his committee did not want to propose radical changes like abolishing the committee and going in another direction for candidate recruitment. “We didn’t feel that our committee was in a position to be doing that kind of thing without there being some further guidance from the board of directors,” he said.

Horn immediately said she

would favor “the recommendation to change the structure of the committee to a term basis” rather than “abolishment of the committee itself.”

Indeed, in a recent meeting of the by-laws and resolutions committee she actively advocated for a standing committee as an alternative to abolishing it, which is the direction committee members had been leaning. Horn is the board liaison to the by-laws committee.

She cited the results of a recent community survey that had 1,838 respondents and 514 people who expressed interest in greater volunteer opportunities in Ocean Pines.

“That’s a lot of people. And I’ve got to believe the some of those 514 may be willing to serve on an ongoing committee to assist in populating our Board of Directors with qualified candidates,” she said.

Horn said the OPA has a lot of content that is available for that committee to use to publicize the volunteer opportunities, including service on the board of directors. “So that’s where I’m leaning with respect to this question,” she said.

Director Doug Parks said the

Board’s first priority should be adherence to the association’s governing documents. “If it’s stated in the governing documents, we need to abide by it,” he said.

The second consideration is the “practicality of it.” He said he agrees that it “might be a pretty reasonable solution to have it as a standing committee.”

Still, Parks said “one could argue that we haven’t had an active search committee for the past several elections yet we’re still able to get candidates.”

Parks said about five years ago the Search Committee hosted a meeting where prospective board candidates could ask questions of the sitting directors. “I thought that was beneficial,” he said, adding that a standing committee could help ensure continuity of practices like that meeting.

Director Amy Peck pointed out that Search committee doesn’t just solicit candidates for the Board. It also acts as a contact point for prospective candidates who have questions, she said.

She also said meetings between candidates and sitting board mem-

bers as mentioned by Parks could be valuable. “As a new person I thought that was an excellent idea. I think having someone there [on the Search Committee] for a three-year term will really help,” she said.

Horn reiterated that there is “incredible talent within this community.” She believes people will be interested in “coming forth and helping us with some of the vexing problems that we have,” she said.

“This is definitely a vexing problem that we face.”

Director Frank Daly said making the panel a standing committee are in order.

OPA President Larry Perrone summarized the board’s feedback that the Search Committee should continue to exist but that the structure should be changed to that of a standing committee.

“We had a discussion about the by-laws and these changes two years ago and my recommendation at that time was that we have counsel review it,” he said.

After the committee submits its recommended language changes, Perrone said the OPA’s legal counsel should review them. u

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18 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022 Search committee

From Page 17 During discussion at the Dec. 3 meeting of the by-laws and resolutions panel, Trummel referenced the Search Committee as “not effective.”

Eliminating the Search committee altogether or finding some other process for finding candidates to run for the Board of Directors each year were mentioned as possible solutions.

In recent years, the OPA president either has not found volunteers for the committee or has been late in appointing members, technically in violation of an OPA by-law that requires the appointment of a Search Committee by February.

The slate of candidates that has emerged in recent years has arisen independently of any involvement by the Search Committee, making it easy for critics to say it’s an artifact of the earliest days of Ocean Pines when there was a sparse population and difficulty in finding a sufficient number of candidates to

run for board vacancies.

The by-laws set a goal of two more candidates than the number of board vacancies that year. It’s not a requirement, but aspirational.

The by-laws and resolutions committee’s board liaison, Colette Horn, told the committee during the Dec. 3 meeting that a contributing factor of the Search Committee’s apparent ineffectiveness may be the fact that its members are supposed to be appointed every year by the OPA president.

An alternative would be a convert it into a standing committee, she said, which “might get better participation” if members are appointed in the same way members to other advisory committee are selected.

That would be mean there would be carry-over members every year, and new members appointed every year for an initial three-year term, followed by a two-year term and then a one-year term.

Trummel said this idea was considered a number of years ago but for some reason it was abandoned.

“I agree. It could be a potential

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A fox red Labrador retriever named “Lucy” has been named the top dog in the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department’s “Pup of the Pines” photo contest. Tenmonth-old Lucy received the greatest number of votes in the annual contest. She was named the winner at the “Hometown Christmas” tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 27 at White Horse Park. Votes were cast in person at the Ocean Pines Halloween/fall festival and community center, and via an online survey. Kevin and Susie Gordon, Lucy’s owners, said Lucy loves the Ocean Pines Dog Park and walking around the community. As “Pup of the Pines,” Lucy receives a free 2022 dog park registration.

She will also be the official face of the dog park and will be featured in the Ocean Pines Activity Guide and other postings throughout the year. Money raised from the contest entry fees will be used for upgrades and improvements to the dog park.

solution” to the difficulty in populating the committee, he said.

She said if the board decides to go in this direction, a charging document would be issued authorizing the committee to draft the language amending the board resolution

which governs the Search Committee.

At the Dec. 11 meeting of the board, Trummel indicated his panel was on board with that and would work on the language once the charging document arrived.

OCEAN PINES

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 19

Daly raises prospect of fines as longer-term solution to CPI violations

that will include something that most sections of Ocean Pines do not have. That’ll include the ability to fine,” Daly said at the conclusion of his remarks to Malone.

“Because at the end of the day, what we have found out is when you go to somebody and say we’ll go take you to Property owner complains of derelict vehicles near his home court, they know who’s payBy ROTA L. KNOTT posed changes to the declaration of restrictions as ing for that, which is us, not Frank Daly Contributing Writer discussed by the board last year pertained only them. We also know that if we tell them we have lthough Ocean Pines Association members to short-term rentals. There’s been no board vote the ability to fine, that they know they’re going to soon will be voting on proposed changes to on changing the covenants to extend the power to be paying for it, not us. the Declaration of Restrictions in older levy fines on owners of problem properties other “That’s the way it will be addressed in the lonsections of Ocean Pines as they pertain to short- than short-term rentals. ger term,” he said. term rentals, Director Frank Daly recently sugAt least one director, Colette Horn, last year Daly did not respond to Progress emails and gested that an enforcement tool contemplated in expressed support for that, but she didn’t push phone calls trying to clarify his statement about the short-term rental amendments will be used the idea after Daly said adding the power to fine addressing problem properties in the longer-term. in the “longer term” in other areas where tougher beyond problems associated with short-term Malone began his comments at the Dec. 11 enforcement is needed. rentals might doom OPA efforts to amend the board meeting by saying there are houses near Contractor--Home HomeImprovements Improvements Dental Services Contractor At least, that seemed to be what he was saying. covenants with the focus on short-term rentals his on Nottingham Lane with multiple cars and In a response to property owner Richard only. motorcycles parked at them.

Malone, who was complaining about derelict veIn any event, the power to fine owners of short“They’re disabled, not tagged, been sitting hicles during the Public Comments segment of term rental properties if approved by the OPA there for so far almost a year that I’m aware of, the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting, Daly de- membership in a section-by-section vote won’t probably for a year more before that,” he said. tailed the challenges the OPA faces in enforcing provide relief to Malone.

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awhile. “We do have some residents who we’ve been fighting this type of From Page 19 issue for years. We’ve been to court. things going on in the background, We’ve got orders from the court. but we just don’t see it. So that’s our They’ll move the vehicles away and complaint really is to see, to know then bring them back and we have that something’s being done, to see to start the process all over.” that something’s being done,” he He said the OPA is trying aggressaid. sively to tackle the issue. “We hear Malone asked what “kind of time what you’re saying and it’s not a frame are we looking at when some- new complaint.” one’s got a front yard full of junk?”

The pandemic is exacerbating the Getting up from her seat, Horn issue because the courts are backgave Malone a business card and logged after being closed down for told him to call the Compliance, Per- much of 2020, he added. “Trying to mits, and Inspections Department get something done in the court systo see if violations at properties on tem is very difficult.” his street had been reported to the Perrone said the OPA has two OPA. different law firms that work to Malone responded, “We have.” remedy violations of the governing General Manager John Viola said documents, but some just continue he recalled Malone’s name and be- to cycle through the process. “We’re lieves CPI is investigating and be- being as aggressive as we can be,” he ginning action to address the viola- said. tions at properties on Nottingham He cited one example of a commuLane. nity member who has a large motor He said he would follow up with home and parks it in the driveway.

Malone regarding the status of the That is not permitted in Ocean compliance issue.

Pines.

“It is being worked on. We’ll give “We come out. We give a notice. you an update,” he told Malone.

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He said when the CPI department records a violation and notifies the property owners, they have 30 days to correct the issue.

If they don’t remedy the violations, the general manager has the authority to contact the OPA’s attorney and pursue legal action, seeking a temporary restraining order.

If they are a repeat offender, the general manager can move forward immediately with legal action without waiting that 30-day period, Daly said.

“The problem appears community-wide. Fortunately, we’re dealing with a very, very, very small percentage of homes,” he said.

Regarding pursuing legal action against a property owner for violating the restrictive covenants, “the minute that we institute that it is like writing you and every other homeowner here a $1,500 ticket because we pay for the court costs.”

Then, he said, the property owner

moves the offending vehicle. Since it is no longer a violation, the court dismisses the case and the OPA has incurred court costs with no return on the investment.

“The clock restarts” every time that happens, Daly said. “We have done, under our current governing documents, as much as we can to address that. Unfortunately, when it goes to court, that’s a low priority item.”

That’s when Daly said that the power to fine would change the balance of power in enforcement situations, concluding with his somewhat cryptic comments that the ability to fine would be the “longer term” solution to recurring CPI violations.

That would require approval of property owners in another section-by-section vote, in which a majority of owners in each section would have to endorse the proposed power to fine for matters other than short-term rentals.

Martin summarizes CPI violations

During the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting, Public Works Office Manager Linda Martin provided an update on the current state of compliance, permits and inspections violations.

From 72 outstanding violations on record as of Oct. 31, there were 31 new violations reported in November and 28 cases closed, leaving 75 on the books on Nov. 30, Martin said.

To the 41 cases that had been turned over to OPA lawyers at the end of October, there were four new legal cases and two settled, leaving 43 cases in the hands of lawyers as of Nov. 30.

Martin said that there had been 557 cases handled by the CPI Department through November.

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January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 21

On electronic voting, McGorry said the average age of survey respondents – and the fact that almost all surveys were done online – suggests Association members are “pretty tech savvy.” Still, he cautioned some are strongly opposed to changing ballot procedures.

Rates safety, infrastructure and community appearance as top priorities “I would walk slowly on that and verall satisfaction, what is while maintenance of infrastructure transparency between the Associa- look at the whole [numbers” he said. most important to property (2.78) and community appearance tion and membership rated at the “Maybe it’s a hybrid approach.”

McGorry said there was only owners, core values, and feed- (3.16) roughly met expectations. top (86.7 percent answering “very back on key issues were top goals for “In general, we’re doing pretty important” or “extremely import- lukewarm support for new or ima recent community survey, accord- good,” he said, adding maintenance ant”), with infrastructure (84.5%) proved amenities and services, with ing to Strategic Planning Commit- of infrastructure had the largest gap and the Board and GM working col- 36.2 percent slightly interested or July 20 OPINION tee Co-Chairperson Bernie McGorry. between importance and level of sat- laboratively (80 percent) rounding extremely interested in improved fession reportedly sets a range of 30 to 70 percent as Clarke points to walking and biking paths, 41.1 perElection Commentary McGorry, in a presentation to the isfaction. out the top three. within acceptable limits for ACC funding. The OPA Club deficits. Clarke cent favoring fitness Page 52 a 50-year-old commuits replacement reserve at thealow end center edition and of the Progr Board of Directors on Dec. 11, said From “We have “The goodcurrently news is,funds transparency by the multitude of candidates. of the “acceptable” range. 38.6 percent favoring should be used for an improved the survey concluded in November nity Supik [and]isthere’s a lot of work to and collaboration don’t cost a lot of seen as a Thompson cheerleader, and For what it’s worth, Thompson reportedly has Let’s look at the tw street of lighting. someone the mold of Peteand Gomsak, board recommended percent the ACC, to be open. An OPA memb and included 1,838 respondents. Of be done inwith drainage roada former money,” McGorry said. “It50 could be funding 2016, (end-of-fis member and current assistant OPA treasurer very achieved over ten years; the recommendation is connext steps for the30, Strategic those, 1,127 or 61.3 percent were maintenance, bridge maintenance just increasing communication ... the “The statement to conclu much aligned with the Terry-Jacobs faction. tained in a document that board majority won’t Planning Committee are to continue not performed well fi Both Gomsak andhe Supik are “That retired accountants, let him release to thethat OPA membership. full-time resident homeowners, [and] bulkheads,” said. [there’s] maybe slight things The statement is both are identified with the notion that OPA reserves A 50 percent funding levelto still require sigdigwould further into athe survey results while 684 (37.2 percent) were part- was the biggest gap ... the difference could be done.” site (under forms and are underfunded, and both are wedded to the idea nificant increase in the lot assessment, over a number then share the detailed survey stateme Operational that the OPA’s levels should be tied to someof also years, and talking aboutand assessment increases is time owners. A majority, 51.9 per- between whatreserve was important and The survey found that 62.5 appearin in a departmen thing called the annual component cost (ACC), a comnever popular, especially during election season. results with the community cent, were female. whether people were satisfied with percent either slightly or strongly annual audited finan putational confection conceived and embraced by the The rationale for keeping the document secret, actown hall, likely in August.

February,” The unaudite accounting profession. to Thompson, thatpublic it is a working document He said the committee was how we’re doing.” agreed that cording traffic on Route 589is is the in “offi cial” ones av Gomsak and Terry tried to persuade Supik to run involved in the updating andMcGorry completion of the OPA’sinput said.

“The this thrilled with the engagement and What that means going forward, a concern, while 64.7 percent either The Yacht Club’s for the board last year, failing to do so, but they sucongoing reserve study. anditself the isplanned town hall response of the community, adding McGorry said, slightly or strongly elec- thesurvey $76,219; a year earlie ceeded this year.is likely a committee That’ssupported absurd, because document comGranted, the year If anyone is the anointed candidate of this particuplete and has been referenced or twofor board willinbeone critical us to finalizing some national polls only include recommendation that Ocean Pines tronic voting for future Board of Dinificant, but a loss i lar faction, it’s Supik in spades. meetings. Property owners paid for that document, our strategic plan recommendation.”

1,000 responses. The Ocean Pines “continue to said invest heavily in infrarectorsand elections and referendums. hefty funded depre Supik has that, as chairman of the Budget and it ought to be released immediately. ing) this past year st Finance Advisory Committee, she is used to navigating Thompson seems willing to release it, but he’s besurvey, he said, nearly doubled the structure.” through the annual l in very roiled waters, forging a consensus in a group ing stymied by some of his board overseers, who in goal for responses.

On at core values, McGorry said all Supik could have with, times, sharply conflicting views. this instance prefer secrecy over disclosure and transhad she indulged in Other candidates over the years haveOPA said that parency.

Perhaps they fear‘Grow that the Thompson recom- grant tennis pro receives the Game’ McGorry said roughly 65 of the four core values listed in the survey most recentl number they, like Supik claims now, can end board factionalmendation could become an election issue, adversely Racquet Center Head particularly Tennis professional Undersurveys were paper copies and the rated highly.

Integrity rated atdespite the the Ocean also seems ism and infighting.

It continues, best ef-Pines affecting certain candidates, Supik, whoTerrySupik (rather than repairin forts(86.4 of those who say they can end it. has beenawarded open in her viewpoint that OPA reserves are Association koffler was recently $876 by the United States Tennis rest were completed online. top percent answering “very nities, with the Coun Factional infighting will probably continue regardunderfunded.

Mid-Atlantic Region.

The grant was given for the efforts Racquet Center He said most of the survey re- important” “extremely importcurrent minority fact less of who isorelected this year.

It goes with the terWhat they don’t seem to realize is that by by keepit’s not certain where ritory. Itfollowed becomes ugly the infighting becomes it secret, it could alsoboth haveattracted the effect new of adversely teaching staffing last summer, which players and enticed spondents were 51-80 years of age, ant”), by when accountability part of the majority personal, such as when one director says he’s going to affecting certain candidates, particularly Supik, even existing players tososeek which is likely similar to the median (82.2 (76.3 strongly biased in the throw percent), a colleaguecollaboration through the wall for the temerity more thantennis if they instruction. had allowed Thompson to release The candidates mo of seeing and issues differently. recommendations, their rationales, to the OPA “The Growhis the Game grant is aand recognition and reward for organizations age of homeowners. percent) sustainability (74 percontinued tenure as Ocean Pines’ ACC has been estimated at roughly membership. that areare offering entry-level tennisunder programs aimed at new andmon, returning McGorry said those polled were cent).

Daly, Ray Unge $14 million, which could mean that OPA reserves Supik also has come fire from former board Those who like th underfunded by $10 million if 100 percent funding of member Clarke public statements grant to the effect Underkoffler said.for “Ither was a competitive that organizations happy with the community as a On top issues and challenges fac- players,” tions. Perhaps too m the ACC is the goal. that the OPA and the Ocean Pines Yacht Club is doing had to promeet specific criteria to receive the award.” whole, with 95.2 percent either ing Actually, the community, survey tion season. – Tom St it doesn’tthe have to be;found the accounting well financially. somewhat satisfied, very satisfied, or extremely satisfied being a property owner.

“You hear things on social media The O but, overall, Ocean Pines residents of n are very satisfied and they’re very lishe It is c likely to recommend Ocean Pines to Ocea others,” he said. “My overall takeLette away is ... Ocean Pines residents are sions Lette very happy, in general.” sive Additionally, he said 83 percent numb were likely to recommend Ocean Pines as a place to live.

McGorry said homeowners singled out three issues as most important to them. He said 95.2 percent percent said safety is either very important or extremely important, while 94.2 percent said the same about maintenance of infrastructure, and 89.8 percent said the same about community appearance Leaf Removal * Snow Removal * Aerating * Landscaping and aesthetics.

C Mulching * Shrub Maintenance * Power Washing As for how Ocean Pines is currently handling those issues, McGorry said safety rated “slightly above expectations” (3.83 out of 5),

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Another critique of golf course irrigation proposal surfaces Daly pushes back, says board support offered so far is not the final word

By ROTA L. KNOTT Contributing Writer et another property owner during a Dec. 11 meeting encouraged the Board of Directors to reject a proposal to dispose of treated wastewater by spray irrigating the Ocean Pines golf course.

Dave Tanner told the board during Public Comments that the plan will cost property owners an additional $1 million in interest on the estimated $3.4 million project cost and said the project isn’t necessary because the golf course irrigation system does not need to be replaced.

Director Frank Daly took issue with Tanner’s comments. “I don’t know where the numbers are coming from but I can assure everybody

Y

in this community sitting here as a director I have seen absolutely no numbers beyond the initial numbers that were given to us by the county,” he said, adding the only information the board has is that which has been shared with the community at Town Hall meetings.

Daly said the county, which operates the water and wastewater systems in Ocean Pines, has asked if the board would support the concept of disposing of treated effluent by spray irrigating the golf course.

“We have said based on the information we have received at this point in time we will do it. There are a lot of questions still to be answered,” he said.

Tanner said the cost of the proposal to Ocean Pines property owners is particularly disturbing. “I heard a

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lot about oh it’s only going to be this much per customer because other stuff’s dropping off or the county’s paying for it,” he said. “The county is not paying for it. We are paying for it.”

He was adamant that the cost will not be $3.4 million but rather $4.4 million once interest on the bond to cover the project cost is included.

He said that $4.4 million will be paid by the association members via their water bill. “So instead of paying for it through our assessment we are going to have it on our water bill for the next 15 years. $4.4 million for an irrigation system that we do not need,” he said. “To burden the association with this I think is ridiculous.”

Tanner argued that even though it is a county project the final decision is up to the board. “It is going through the board. If the board approves this, the county’s gonna do it,” he said. “But if the board doesn’t approve it then no, we’re not gonna have to pay $4.4 million.”

Daly responded that it is a county project, not an Ocean Pines project.

“We did not ask the county for this and we’re dealing with it exactly as that. So we have to deal with the easement issues,” he said. “When we act on it, you as a homeowner will know to the penny what it will cost you. And when we would do this work if we had to do it on our own.”

Tanner said the OPA can simply continue to repair the golf course ir-

OCEAN PINES rigation system as it has done in the past. “We’re talking about throwing all that money that we spent on the repairs out to put in a whole new system. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

He added that there will not be any savings for the water and wastewater department by sending its effluent to the golf course instead of disposing it through the outfall because it will still have to be treated.

“It’s otherwise going in the river,” he said, adding it would cost $500,000 just to run the lines to send the effluent to the pond on the golf course for holding until it can be sprayed.

Tanner said Ocean Pines has a very efficient wastewater plant and pays some of the highest rates in the state for it. “We should be very proud that the water that goes into the river is very clean,” he said.

Among Tanner’s other concerns were that spray irrigating the golf course would actually put more nutrients into the river. He said the golf course uses herbicides and pesticides that will be picked up in the spray which will still make its way to the river.

He was also worried about potential contamination of the ground water, arguing the aquifer from which Ocean Pines draws its water runs underneath the golf course. “That’s where our water’s coming from,” he said. “It’s only 70 feet down.”

He said the number of days that county would be able to spray irrigate the golf course each year would be limited and therefore any supposed benefit to the proposal is limited.

He said the state prohibits spray irrigation during winter months, during any non-growing season, and in the spring the course floods. u

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January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 23

“So we’re only talking about a pretty small window of time that the wastewater could even be used here. And it’s for like about 2 percent of the volume that goes out of the wastewater plant now into the river. So for 2 percent of clean water being sent over into the river which is good, it gets very diluted. It’s safe.

We’re spending $4.4 million or asking the county to spend $4.4 million on our behalf. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Tanner argued that the OPA doesn’t need a new irrigation system for the golf course.

He pointed to a 2019 video in which the director of golf said there were no plans in the near future for upgrades to the irrigation system, just routine maintenance every year.

“If we really did need to put in a new sprinkler system we would save $1 million right off the bat if Ocean Pines did it. Because there’s not gonna be a bond taken out by the county and us be charged back for it.

“And that interest on that bond is gonna amount to $1 million,” he said. “So there’s $1 million in savings right away for us if it’s done through Ocean Pines or we just continue to investing in maintaining the system, which this past year has not been much,” he continued.

General Manager John Viola clarified that the 2019 update from the golf manager was presented to quell rumors of a pending large expenditure for an irrigation system at that time.

“It does take a lot of maintenance,” he said, adding that the irrigation system is included in a replacement reserve study that was just updated.

“The irrigation system actually comes up for replacement over I think it’s the next five years,” he said.

In fact it’s included in the proposed 2022-23 capital budget at a first-year cost of $600,000.

Tanner said the project should be subject to a $1 million cap on the board’s spending authority and would need to be voted on in a referendum of property owners.

“The membership here overwhelmingly supported limiting the board’s authority to spend more than $1 million. I think that gives you a feel for what the membership feels about large expenditures,” he said.

“If you’re going to spend $4.4 million then I think it should go to referendum. I wouldn’t recommend dou

Fisher Marine awarded new bulkhead contract Board approves expenditure for final phase of Bainbridge Park project

By TOM STAUSS Publisher isher Marine of Chincoteague, Va., has become the Ocean Pines Association’s go-to bulkhead replacement contractor, snagging the next tranche of replacement work scheduled for spring of 2022. The company had the lion’s share of replacement work this past year, and shared it with other local companies in the years prior to that.

On the recommendation of General Manager John Viola, the Board of Directors unanimously approved at the Dec. 11 monthly board meeting a new contract worth $850,000 to Fisher.

To lock in the construction price of $425 per linear foot, Viola prior to the meeting had authorized a down-payment of $85,000 to Fisher. It could have been awkward had the board decided not to go with Fisher as the contractor for this coming year’s program, but the board was in no mood to accept a higher bid from another local contractor.

Viola said plans are for 2,000 linear feet of bulkhead to be replaced this coming year.

The contractor will replace bulkheading in Pintail Park and is also scheduled to replace bulkheading on odd-numbers lots on Pintail Drive North, one through 19.

Viola said the 2,000 linear feet of replacement is less than in recent years, made possible because some emergency replacement was needed this past year that might otherwise have occurred in 2022-23.

Because the scheduled bulkhead replacement in 2022-23 is considerably less in linear feet than this year’s, Viola said there is sufficient funding in the bulkhead reserve to handle it even with the increase in linear foot cost in the new Fisher contract.

Fisher’s most recent bulkhead work was done at a cost of $360 per linear foot. Last year’s contract called for 3300 linear feet of bulkheading at an approved cost of $1.182 million. Additional emergency work was done this fall for the same linear foot rate.

In another capital expenditure approved during the Dec. 11 meeting, the board approved a $297,000 expenditure for the Bainbridge Park drainage project related to the need to relocate utilities.

Linda Martin, the Public Works Department’s Office Manager, told the board that Worcester County Public Works initially provided an estimate of $76,230 to relocate underground utilities necessitated by the enlargement of the pond and related improvements.

But in addition to that $76,000, she said the project included another $50,000 in material cost for new piping and another $170,000 on top of that for pipe installation, bringing the total cost to $297,000.

Martin said the materials should arrive on site within three weeks of the Dec. 11 meeting.

This final phase of the Bainbridge Pond project is expected to be completed by early spring, she said.

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24 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022 Golf course irrigation From Page 23 ing that because it’s gonna obviously get rejected. You know it’s gonna get rejected,” he said.

Daly didn’t respond to Tanner’s prediction of the outcome should a referendum occur.

But he said the project is not subject to the Ocean Pines Association’s limits on board spending authority, so no referendum is necessary.

He said it is no different than negotiating an easement with Comcast or Mediacom for those companies to provide service within Ocean Pines.

The county simply wants access to spray irrigate the golf course.

“I will assure everybody in this community that before this director votes on it we will have from an engineering firm an estimate as to when we will have to replace the current irrigation system and what it will cost,” Daly said.

“When we do that, we will compare that based on what it will cost every homeowner in this association, all 8,452 of them, what it will cost if we do it on our own as a onetime shot or piecemeal versus what it will cost every homeowner in this association if the county does it.”

OCEAN PINES

Perrone says Assateague Room better site for new hybrid audio-video system

By ROTA L. KNOTT Contributing Writer roperty owners may soon be able to view Ocean Pines Association meetings via a live feed again but the Board of Directors hasn’t yet decided from where the meetings will be broadcast, with some lobbying for the Assateague Room at the Community Center and others for the golf clubhouse meeting room.

“Ocean Pines homeowners include many part-time owners and full-time working homeowners who cannot always attend in-person meetings,” said Director Amy Peck, who brought the issue up for discussion during a Dec. 11 board meeting. “We still try to have meetings on Saturdays and Wednesday evenings, but using a live-hybrid approach would allow people at home to still call in and have remote public input.”

Peck supported upgrading the technology in the golf clubhouse meeting room to provide a audiovisual system that would be capable of live broadcasting the board meetings because it would be less costly than the Assateague Room. “I think we can come up with a friendly system for the community and a cost-efficient way to do this if we just concentrate on this room,” she said of the clubhouse space, which was where the Dec. 11 board meeting was held.

OPA President Larry Perrone offered a different opinion, saying the Assateague Room was the better location even though it would require more extensive system upgrades and be costlier as a result.

“If we’re gonna go ahead and set this up my preference would be to have it done at the Assateague Room,” he said, adding “If we’re going to invest the money to do live meetings I think we should be looking at the Assateague Room.”

Prior to the board discussion, General Manager John Viola during his monthly report said staff was evaluating the potential for installing a hybrid audio system to either the golf clubhouse meeting room or the Assateague room, with funding to be included in the proposed fiscal year 2022-23 budget.

He said staff has contacted their preferred vendor, Mid-South Audio, which already installed a successful hybrid meeting system in the board room at the Administration Building, for estimates on installing a system at one of the other two locations. u

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OCEAN PINES

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 25

Decorating the Pines

Audi-visual system

Members of the Ocean Pines Garden Club gathered on the Monday following Thanksgiving to create and hang holiday decorations during their annual “Decorating the Pines” event. The members created over 50 swags and wreaths that were then distributed and installed by “unsung heroes” (usually husbands) throughout neighborhood entrances in the Pines.

In addition, garden club members “fluffed” the stop sign swags and Public Works employees hung them. The Ocean Pines Garden Club generally meets the second Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. in the Ocean Pines Community Center.

ply “Yes, correct.”

Director Doug Parks asked about the potential for using the community access cable channel to broadcast meetings as the OPA had done in the past. “We used to broadcast the meetings over the community channel years ago,” he said. “At the very least we should look into it and just see if it’s something that’s feasible or at least find out.”

Parks said he thinks a hybrid

W

ar

meeting using Microsoft Teams to provide community access and input would be a good solution.

“I’m all for this. I really do think it would be beneficial to have the ability to have a live meeting streamed online and the ability to interact with membership,” he said.

Only Peck and Perrone among the directors commented on their preferred venue for the new equipment.

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would be less since the projector and screen are already available there.

She said staff could even offer tutorials for property owners to show them how to login to the live meetings and offer public comments.

“One of the reasons we haven’t done this in the past is… we have not had a dedicated meeting space that allows a lot of people to attend and call in,” Peck said.

But now that the OPA is already making improvements to the clubhouse meeting room by enclosing it, she suggested that a next step would be to install the audio-visual equipment.

“We’ve talked about this a couple times. My concern about using this room for the occasions when we do have a large board meeting, the annual meeting for example, we’ve had annual meetings that filled up the Assateague Room,” Perrone said, arguing that the clubhouse meeting room is not big enough for some meetings.

“This is a great place to have meetings but it’s a smaller space and generally it’s acceptable,” he added.

Perrone said that acoustics are the biggest challenge, and that is why the OPA stopped broadcasting live meetings as it had done previously.

The acoustics in the Assateague room would be better than at the clubhouse and he said he would support making the improvements at that location.

“Acoustics need to be dealt with in this building overall not just for Board meetings,” he said of the golf clubhouse.

“I think the Assateague Room, John, was going to be another $15,000 because we needed to put the video equipment in correct?”

Peck asked Viola. He responded sim-

gs

From Page 24 “We do in the board room have a hybrid video audio system where we can have everything videoed and the association [members] can see everything as we do it,” Viola said.

“We used it for the budget process last year and I thought it was great.

So, the question comes up can we do this in a big room, a room like this so that we can have the video live.”

The project would include MidSouth Audio installing a custom table with built in microphones, installing cameras, and integrating audio system to work with Microsoft Teams software. The estimated cost was $15,000 for the clubhouse meeting room because a projector and screen are already installed at that location.

“Obviously in this room, the clubhouse room, we have it. So, for this room if we were to do it we’re estimating somewhere in that ballpark of $15,000,” Viola said.

The estimated cost for the Assateague Room was more, $15,000 plus the cost of a projector and screen. “The Assateague room we would need to include the projector and screen,” Viola said, estimating that would cost an additional $10,000 to $15,000, for a total project cost of up to $30,000.

Viola said there would be additional costs at the golf clubhouse meeting room also in order to improve the acoustics. Those changes will be made regardless of the audio-visual set-up though. Plans to enclose the meeting room with glass doors are already in the works. Improving the acoustics using panels could cost another $4,000 to $8,000 for the clubhouse meeting room, he said.

“We will continue [working] on this. Obviously because it’s $15,000 plus, unless I get it under, it would need board approval,” Viola told the directors.

Peck wanted to move more swiftly with the project so live meetings can be broadcast. “An important goal for me as I serve on the Board is to increase community involvement,” Peck said.

She said a recent homeowner survey showed that homeowners want a say in the community and “one of the challenges they wanted us to address was transparency and having live meetings would help with that.”

She argued that the clubhouse meeting room is the better location because the cost of improvements

26 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

T

Matt Ortt Companies looking for host families for J-1 program students

he Matt Ortt Companies are asking Ocean Pines homeowners to consider hosting a J-1 student for 16 weeks this summer.

The federal J-1 visa is for university students from all over the world who are approved to participate in work-and-travel exchange visitor programs.

In exchange for serving as a host, J-1 students are prepared to pay a reasonable rent based on the season and depending on the quality of the house and distance to work. The average going rate is $2,200 to $2,500.

Ralph DeAngelus, co-founder of the Matt Ortt Companies that runs Ocean Pines’ food and beverage programs, said the J-1 student workforce is essential to summer oper-

D

ations. Students generally work in the service industry and many help to staff local restaurants.

“Because of the housing shortage for college students and J-1students in the summertime, mainly in Ocean City, J-1 programs are being drastically slashed,” DeAngelus said.

“Many of the houses that in the past were used for students have all since been remodeled and are going out to Airbnb, because people can make more money that way,” he added.

DeAngelus said students that stay in Ocean Pines will be assigned to work at a Matt Ortt Companies controlled Association facility, as a Matt Ortt Companies employee.

“The students that get housing from Ocean Pines residents will

then sign a contract with Matt Ortt Companies to work at an Ocean Pines facility currently managed by the company. They could work at the Yacht Club or the Beach Club, or the Clubhouse Grille. So, by taking in a student, you’re helping Ocean Pines operations,” he said.

Landlords must provide a private bedroom for one or two J-1 students, along with a shared bathroom.

“Their stay would be for 16 weeks from the day of occupancy to their end work dates,” DeAngelus said.

“The J-1 students will be between the ages of 18-28 years of age from many countries around the world, such as the Dominican Republic, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Lithuania, Slovakia, Jamaica, Romania and possibly more.

OCEAN PINES Landlords can’t specify which country they want to take in a student from, but they can specify whether they want to host a male or a female.”

DeAngelus added that Landlords can choose to house a J-1 student for free if they wish.

However, he added, “these students are prepared to pay a fair rental fee. There is an income potential for empty nesters and families wishing to supply their children a great cultural experience, not to mention you will be helping your community and making a ream come true for a young foreign person,” he said.

The deadline to inquire is Jan. 15.

DeAngelus said all applicants must go through a screening process, and host applicants are required to submit to a walk-through.

J-1 students will arrive fully vaccinated and will be covid tested, before and after flights, he said.

For more information, contact DeAngelus at 410-726-4747 or J-1 Program Director-Ocean City, Maryland Anne Marie Conestabile at 443-664-6519 ext. 1039.

Clubhouse workers receive ‘Heartsaver Hero’ award

ave Van Gasbeck, president of the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department, on Dec. 30 presented the American Heart Association’s Heartsaver Hero Award to Rob Ruszin and Judie Scotti.

Ruszin and Scotti helped save a life on Oct. 31 at the Ocean Pines Clubhouse Bar and Grille.

When a customer had a heart attack, their quick use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) resuscitated the man. He was later transported by EMS to Tidal Health in Salisbury, and he reportedly recovered.

An American Heart Association study showed that cardiac arrest victims who received a shock from a publicly available AED had far greater chance of survival and being discharged from the hospital (66.5%) than those who did not (43%).

Van Gasbeck said he applied for the Heartsaver Hero Award shortly after Oct. 31 and was hoping it would arrive in conjunction with the November recognition by the Worcester County Commissioners.

Maryland Del. Wayne Hartman and Sen. Mary Beth Carozza also previously presented Ruszin and Scotti with commendations on behalf of the state.

“You are both truly heroes,” Van Gasbeck said. “You did an amazing job. You just jumped into it, and we can’t tell you how much we appreciate what you’ve done and how much we actually recognize, being in the business, how important it is the work you’ve done.

“You all are both fantastic,” he added.

Scotti was modest in accepting the award, saying, “it’s something that [anyone] would do.”

“As a as a human being, if you can help somebody, then that’s what you’re supposed to do,” she said. “Rob did an amazing job and, for me to help facilitate what I can do, then that was great … but I give credit to Rob.” Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department Dave Van Gasbeck presented the American “I was just there and knew Heart Association’s Heartsaver Hero Award to Rob Ruszin and Judie Scotti on Thursday, where [the AED] was,” Ruszin Dec. 30, at the Golf Clubhouse. Pictured left to right are Doug Parks, representing the said. “Everyone that was there Ocean Pines Association’s Board of Directors; Scotti, Van Gasbeck, Ruskin, and Carol Rose, representing state Sen. Mary Beth Carozza. … helped out.” ed. “Do yourself a favor and protect “It was a big effort for everyone vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It’s really important,” he said. yourself and your loved ones by getthat was here,” Scotti said. “So, it’s not it’s not just awards for us. It’s “We are taking more and more pa- ting vaccinated and, with the high tients – and sick patients – on a dai- amount of positivity now in Worcesawards for them too.”

Following the award presenta- ly basis. And virtually every patient ter County 20.58%, wear masks tion, Van Gasbeck took the opportu- that we brought in, in the last cou- when you feel it is appropriate,” he nity to encourage local people to get ple of months, has been unvaccinat- added.

OCEAN PINES

Ocean Pines commissioners continue to oppose $15 million sports complex

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 27

Narrow majority approves inclusion in capital improvement plan

By ROTA L. KNOTT Contributing Writer n a split vote, the Worcester County Commissioners on Dec. 7 adopted a five-year capital improvement plan that includes more then $15 million in spending for a proposed sports complex.

Despite the vocal objections of the two commissioners representing Ocean Pines and the silent objection of a third, the majority forced the CIP through the approvals process with the sports complex included.

The CIP provides a framework for the county’s capital spending for the next five years, 2023-2027, and includes a total of more than $201 million in funding for projects. Com-

I

missioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting were joined in opposing the CIP, with the sports complex included, by Commissioner Ted Elder.

The trio also wanted a proposed public safety building yanked from the CIP before its approval. Instead, a majority comprising Commissioners Joe Mitrecic, Bud Church, Diana Purnell, and Josh Nordstrom voted to move the plan forward.

“I think there’s still a lot of unanswered questions,” Bertino said of the proposed sports complex project.

He queried county staff regarding the availability of Program Open Space and private funds to support the project, asked if the county has staff qualified to manage such a

project, and wanted to know why Ocean City couldn’t do the project on its own. He was also adamant that more attention needs to be paid to economic development for the southern portion of the county.

“This is one of the largest economic development projects that the county has undertaken in many, many years. If what we’ve been told is true, this is going to be a boon to the area,” Bertino said. “I question that. I’m not subscribing to that. But if that is the case and we have, I believe, not provided enough emphasis to the southern part of this county.

This could be a huge undertaking and given the challenges that exist below Newark,... the results that we

would see in the southern part of the county would be asset and a boon for an area that for so long has not gotten the attention I believe that it deserves.”

Still, Bertino said, he doesn’t think the county should be involved in the project.

“That’s not to say that I would agree with the project. I don’t think government money should be involved in this at all but I think that we have been myopic in our approach to just seeking the northern part of the county,” he said.

If Ocean City leadership wants a sports complex, they could move forward with such a project without the county becoming involved, he said.

“Recognizing that Ocean City feels that this is a very important project, and I don’t discount that, why do they need us? Why can’t they just do it themselves?” he asked.

No one had an answer.

Bertino asked about the availability of grant funding through the Department of Natural Resources u

OCEAN PINES BRIEFS State approves permit for pickleball courts

After lengthy delay, the State of Maryland issued a permit for four new pickleball courts at the Manklin Meadows racquet sports complex, General Manager John Viola announced at the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting.

The OPA received the permit on Dec. 8, and staff has sent out a bid package to four contractors, Viola said.

The intent is to complete the installation before the summer season, he added.

At the October meeting of the board, Viola had said that there were three issues with the state permit, including one that was just a typographical error. The OPA’s consultants, Vista Design Group, worked to address the issues and apparently succeeded.

One potentially challenging problem was the possibility that that 68 square feet of wetlands mitigation would be required. Viola said the mitigation could be accomplished on-site at the racquet sports center or the OPA may elect to complete the mitigation at another location if there is not adequate space on-site to do so. He did not disclose the alternative site.

Viola told the Progress in a Dec. 23 text message that it turned out no mitigation is required.

The third issue Vista Design Group worked on involved a bioswale, which serves to eliminate or reduce nontidal wetland impacts. The bioswale is a landscape element designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water instead of using piping.

Viola said earlier this year when the courts were approved that the addition of the new courts will likely bring the racquet sports complex to near build-out.

He said staff worked with Worcester County officials to garner approval for the new courts in the designated locations, but there isn’t much more the OPA can do on that site.

The new pickleball courts are being added next to existing courts on the site at the request of members of the pickleball membership, which often has to wait for court availability.

The four new courts occupy roughly the same space as a full tennis court.

Board approves new committee members

The Board of Directors unanimously approved two new members to the Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee during the Dec. 11 monthly meeting. William Barnard and Ray Foreman will be serving their first term on the committee, of three year’s duration.

Farmers Market to announce awards Jan. 8

Behind the name “Ocean Pines Farmers and Artisans Market” are a dedicated group of merchants, volunteers, community partners and market leadership that brings the marketplace to the public each week of the year.

After 10 successful years, the market continues to be an essential part of the local food and handmade product system in Worcester County, offering the community a central place to gather and shop for those local products.

On Jan.8, the market will recognize individuals, groups and businesses that contributed to the market’s success with the 2022 Ocean Pines Farmers and Artisans Market Achievement Awards.

The Ocean Pines Market will recognize with honors a legacy merchant, an outstanding marketplace leader, and a dedicated marketplace volunteer.

Awards will also be bestowed in several other categories, including Best Marketplace Storefront and Outstanding Social Media Promotion.

“It’s always incredible to see how much love and labor our merchants put into their market businesses,” Assistant Market Manager John Chandler said. “We want to recognize these efforts that make the Ocean Pines market one of the most unique public markets in this region.”

Other award categories will include Artisan of the Year, Green Market Merchant of the Year, Peddler Merchant of the Year, and overall Market Merchant of the Year. “To the average marketgoer, it might seem like the market just sort of happens. We can assure you that this is not the case,” Market Manager David Bean said. “We couldn’t function without our entire market team, and we want to give them a big thank you with these honors.”

Bean said 120 merchants participated in the Ocean Pines Farmers and Artisans Market this year. The market will accept new merchant applications, starting in February.

28 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022 Sports complex From Page 27 to support the project. “Is Program Open Space money available for that or not? Or is there something in between? Because my understanding was, from our last meeting, that the answer was no. But in subsequent conversations with staff the answer was yes,” he said. “So can someone provide us with an answer to that please?”

Weston Young, county administrator, said there may be POS funding available for the project but he isn’t sure how much and if it could be used for this type of effort.

“There is Program Open Space available for acquisition. Now, it limits what you can do with the property because Program Open Space acquisition money comes with strings,” he said. “Depending on what percent of the Program Open Space could go towards covering, say land acquisition, you could have a lot of strings for a little amount of money depending on what the property value is and depending on what Program Open Space is willing to pay.”

Bertino said last year the commissioners were told that by tapping into POA grant funds for about $1.2 million in county funding it could build a $12 million facility. “Is that still a reality?” he said.

Young hesitated and then said that “we would have to confirm.

I don’t think the money that we thought was there for Program Open Space was there.”

The commissioners were also told was that there were two businesses in Worcester County that would provide upwards of $3 million toward the purchase, development or management of the proposed new sports complex, according to Bertino. “Is that still on the table?” he asked.

Again, Young, couldn’t answer.

He said there were private entities that had offered to make the 10 percent match to POS that would have been required to receive that state funding. “We’ve not followed up with them. We’re not at that stage. So, I’m not certain if the offer still stands,” he said.

Bertino wanted to know who within the county government system is going to be directing, leading, and coordinating the county’s efforts to bring the project to fruition if the commissioners decide to move forward with it.

“Who’s gonna be responsible for it?” he asked.

WORCESTER COUNTY

Bond funds pay to replace grating

With excess funds remaining from a 2019 bond issue, the Worcester County Commissioners have agreed to use some of the money to replace deteriorating grating at the Ocean Pines wastewater treatment plant.

Dallas Baker, public works director, said the excess funds come from cost under runs in bond-funded projects the plant’s Operations Center and in the painting of the north water tower. Additionally, he said the county reduced the scope of the belt filter press project which was eliminated because it was significantly more expensive than budgeted.

In discussions with operations personnel, Baker said problems with deteriorated grating over at Flow Equalization Tank Number 1 were identified. That unit is more than 40 years old and over the years, there have been small portions of the grating repaired and replaced using operating funds. However, there is still a significant amount of grating in need of replacement.

The commissioners approved a proposal from Harrington Manufacturing, a manufacturer of FRP Grating, for the replacement at a cost of $34,416.60 to cover the areas currently deteriorated and $75,29846 to cover the entire tank. The operating staff believes replacing the badly deteriorated portions would serve the needs for a long time, Baker said. The grating will be fabricated to size minimal assistance would be needed for the installation.

Grants funds mobile library

Using an American Recovery Program Act grant, Worcester County will purchase a vehicle for a mobile library that will allow it to deliver services to community members who cannot easily visit a branch.

Jennifer Ranck, library director, requested approval to move forward with the project during a Dec. 7 Worcester County Commissioners’ meeting. She said the library was awarded a $100,000 ARPA grant by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Maryland State Library. Additionally, a county fiscal year 2021 budget encumbrance of $75,000 was approved to help fund the vehicle.

Ranck presented a quote for the vehicle from TechOps Specialty Vehicles, of Stevensville, Md., for $157,907.41. “Due to the shortage of vehicles, we are hoping to move forward on this project to secure the best product at the best price,” Ranck said of the project.

She requested the commissioners’ approval to waive the formal bid process and accept the quote. The commissioners voted unanimously to approve the contract award.

Young said it would likely fall under the recreation and parks department.

Bertino wanted to know if that department staff has the necessary expertise.

“They’re managing our other facilities. We would have to look at what staff capabilities are at that point…”

Young said. “It really comes down to what are we doing with the property? If it’s just fields, that’s easy to maintain with our parks crews.” But anything more than fields, like an indoor arena, would require other arrangements, he said.

“The answer is we don’t know,” Bertino said.

Young responded that the county hasn’t officially settled on a property for such a project and the property will determine what the county can do on it.

Bunting said the county shouldn’t even be thinking about building a sports complex when one is already under construction nearby in Delaware. “Twenty-two minutes from my doorstep there’s a complex up in Georgetown. There’s fields. They’re currently getting ready to build a 46,000 square foot indoor arena. I think it would be foolish for us to construct anything, have a sports complex that close. I can be there in 22 minutes from my front steps,” he said.

He said Worcester County should not be constructing a facility that will have to compete with ones nearby, like that being built in Georgetown. “I don’t think we should be going into competition. The complex up in Delaware from what I read is privately operated and funded. I just don’t think it should be in our plan,” he said.

Vince Gisriel, former Ocean City councilman, was the only person to speak during the county’s hearing on the CIP. He, too, took particular issue with the inclusion of a sports complex.

“I’m opposed to that,” he said, adding, “There [are] certain forces in this community, in this county, and in my town that are driving this and that’s very disturbing to me.”

He said both a 2017 study of the need for a sports complex, and an update completed at the request of Ocean City in 2019 show a declining need for such facilities. He said the original study pointed out that it would take three to five years for a sports complex to become a stable operation and even then it would need a 25 percent government subsidy. “That’s not getting into the cost to building the facility and the acquisition of land,” he said.

Gisriel said the study also showed that the Mid-Atlantic Region is already over-saturated with these fa-

First Shore Federal promotes Robinson The board of directors of First Shore Federal Savings and Loan Association recently elected Thomas O. Robinson assistant vice president of manufactured housing loans and mortgage originations. He has been with First Shore Federal for seven years following nearly two decades of service with local and national lending institutions on the Eastern Shore. With First Shore Federal, he has le continued development of the association’s manufactured housing loan program. He is a veteran of the United States Marines, serving in Lebanon in October 1983 during the terrorist attack on the Marine barracks and later as a member of the Maryland National Guard during the 9/11 crisis at the Pentagon. He and his wife Jennifer live in Salisbury, have five children and two grandchildren. First Shore Federal is headquartered in Salisbury, had assets of more than $340 million with seven offices across the Lower Shore of Delmarva, including Ocean Pines.

OPA FINANCES

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 29

Proposed budget From Page 1 er associations to boost their reserve levels. How this legislation might affect Ocean Pines is unknown.

The proposed budget includes an average of three percent merit raises for employees, which are not guaranteed.

Another headwind identified by Viola was mark to market pressures, which occur when a position can’t be filled at minimum wage, resulting in additional cost when an individual is hired at a higher wage.

Tailwinds in budget preparation include improved performance in the amenities and a large operating fund surplus, Viola said.

He later told the Progress that by the end of the current fiscal year, the

operating fund surplus would be in the neighborhood of $2 million, an increase of about $1 million yearover-year.

Viola had hoped to use some of this surplus to help finance a decrease in the base lot assessment in 2022-23 up to $50, which would have reduced the operating fund surplus by about $420,000.

But a robust assessment decrease would only happen if the Board of Directors decides to redirect a portion of the expected operating fund surplus for assessment reduction.

At the Dec. 11 board meeting, OPA President Larry Perrone seemed to indicate that the operating surplus would be needed to bolster the replacement reserve in anticipation of possible adverse state

2021-22 ESTIMATED/2022-23 DRAFT BUDGET COMPARISON

TOTAL EXPENDITURES Source: 2022-23 OPA Budget (proposed)

15,468,371 16,993,895 16,833.994

(159,952)

legislation affecting HOA reserves.

[See separate article in this edition of the Progress for details.]

For the first time, the draft budget’s summary sheet called Estimate/Budget Comparison includes bulkhead spending in addition to departmental and asset replacement spending.

Previous versions of this summary schedule dating back to the previous finance director omitted bulkhead spending from this schedule, under-reporting total proposed OPA spending for the pending fiscal year.

Departmental spending in the draft 2022-23 budget would significantly increase over budgeted and estimated spending this year.

The proposed increase is $932,299.

About a third of that is related to a proposed $319,074 increase in fire and emergency medical services.

Some of that requested increase is to provide for four full-time paramedics, two per crew, 24 hours per day, seven days a week. It’s less than that now during some shifts, and that can cause an issue when one crew is already out on a call.

About $254,00 of the requested increase falls into the compensation and related cost category, with more than $100,000 in salary and wage increases year-over-year. Other increases show up in Medicare and FICA expenses, insurance deductions, pension benefits, worker’s compensation expenses, and EMS training.

Other increases are proposed in operating and apparatus replacement expenses, bringing the total request to $1.038 million, up from this year’s estimated $744,950.

The Matt Ortt Companies are budgeting for a 10 percent reduction in revenues at the Yacht Club and Beach Club. Ralph DeAngelus, a founding partner of the OPA’s food and beverage contractor, said last year’s May and June numbers were inflated by a huge post-covid increase in business.

“No one thinks that restaurants in the Ocean City area are going to see that happen again,” he said.

In contrast, DeAngelus’ proposed budget for the Clubhouse Grille, the food and beverage service at the Ocean Pines golf course, would see a revenue increase to $298,012, an increase from the $236,148 in estimated revenues this year. Revenue had been budgeted at $153,830 this year.

Golf operations, projected for a $40,000 surplus relative to budget this year but a slight operating loss, is proposed for a break-even budget,

on revenues of $1,236,568, up from this year’s estimate of $1,172,862.

While there are no proposed changes in membership dues for Aquatics, tennis, platform tennis, pickleball, and beach parking, increases are proposed for golf and marina boat slips. The golf increases are $100 across all categories.

Family golf memberships would increase from $2,400 to $2,500, individual from $1,500 to $1,600, family afternoon from $1,650 to $1,750, and individual afternoon from $950 to $1,050.

Individual cart packages would increase from $1,400 to $1,500, and from $2,100 to $2200 for families.

Cart fees for members would increase from $22 to $25 for 18 holes and from $12 to $15 for 9 holes, with guests of members paying the same.

For non-members, combined cart and green fees for 18 holes would increase from $54 to $59, with no increase in rates for owners and guests after 12 or twilight, after 3 p.m. These rates would stay at $49 and $39, respectively.

Nine-hole green and cart fees remain unchanged, at $35 for owners and guests, $30 for owners and guests after 12, and $30 after 3 p.m.

Marina boat slips at the Yacht Club would increase in cost from $1,872 to $1,947 for boats 25 feet or less, from $2,548 to $2,649 for boats 26 to 39 feet, and $3,594 to $3,738 for boats 40 to 44 feet and liveaboards.

Slips at the Swim and Racquet Club would increase from $1,352 to $1,406.

Non-member fees for daily use of Ocean Pines pools and racquet sport facilities, and to play the Ocean Pines golf course, would mostly increase. Tennis daily fees would drop by $2.

Ocean Pines Association members and Ocean Pines renters, adults 18 and older, would pay $10 for daily pool use, up from the current $8.

Children 5 to 17 would pay $8, up from the current $6. The entry fee for non-swimmers remains at $3; an adult or guardian continues to be a requirement for children 1 to 4.

Non-resident adult pool users would pay $15, up from the current $12, and children 5 to 17 would pay $13, up from the current $10. The non-swimmer rate would remain at $5.

For tennis, pickleball and platform tennis, the daily rate would be $8, up from $6 this year for pickleball and platform but down from $10 for tennis.

30 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

Proposed budget projects $2.85 million in capital spending Golf course irrigation at $600,000 included, but may not be spent depending on decision about county-funded system

By TOM STAUSS Publisher he proposed budget for 202223 unveiled just before Christmas estimates $1.68 million in non-bulkhead capital spending for the year, of which $924,515 is for replacement capital funded out of the Replacement Reserve and $6,000 is for new capital -- $6000 for a supplemental HVAC system at the Sports Core pool.

The difference between the $1.68 million and the $924,515 in replacement spending is for drainage and roads, which does not appear on the capital spending summary page in the budget book. General Manager John Viola said that might be remedied before the budget is approved for next year.

In addition to $1.68 million in capital spending, funded out of the replacement, roads, drainage and new capital reserves, the proposed budget for next year includes an

T

additional $1.17 million for bulkhead repair and replacement. That’s funded out of the bulkhead reserve, whose primary revenue source is the assessment differential paid by waterfront owners in Ocean Pines.

A portion of the base lot assessment also goes to the bulkhead reserve to cover costs associated with common area bulkhead, such as bulkheading on canals that run through the Ocean Pines golf course.

When combined with bulkhead repair and replacement, total capital spending in the proposed budget is $2.85 million.

The capital budget includes $350,000 for road resurfacing, funded out of the roads reserve whose revenue source is local casino impact funds, and $400,000 for drainage improvements, funded from the lot assessment.

Viola said he also is proposing the allocation to the drainage reserve any revenues from casino funds that

exceed $350,000. That would require board action, as current policy is to allocate all of the casino money to roads. Viola has said that the casino money is adequate to handle about three miles of road resurfacing per year at a per mile rate ranging from $90 to $100.

The most expensive item in the proposed capital budget for the year is $600,000 for golf course irrigation, which might not be spent if the county and Ocean Pines Association agree on a county funded replacement, Viola said. The recently completed DMA reserve study estimated replacement costs at $3 million, or five years at $600,000 per year.

Other items in the golf capital budget include $75,000 for a sprayer and $35,000 for a front deck mower.

At the Yacht Club, miscellaneous catering equipment is estimated at $29,000. Other capital items at the Yacht Club include $6,111 for outdoor bar stools, $5,381 for outdoor

OPA FINANCES dining chairs, $3,440 for outdoor dining tables, $2,768 for Adironack chairs, and $2,500 for a drink rail extension at the outdoor tiki bar.

The proposed capital budget includes $10,000 for a dump truck trailer (Public Works) and $25,000 for stone at White Horse Park near the police station.

Aquatics has 12 items in the proposed capital budget, including an estimated $28,300 for a new roof at the Swim and Racquet Club poolhouse and $25,000 for new pool furniture.

Other items include $6,593 for handicap stairs and $4,317 for a handicap chair at the Swim and Racquet Club.

There are five items at the Beach Club slated for replacement, including $7,500 for a flat-top grill, $4,500 in kitchen equipment, $4,000 each for a replacement Ansul system and beer cooler, and $3,500 for an ice machine.

Last year the Board of Directors reallocated a portion of the funds collected for the replacement reserve -- a calculation based on the full funding of depreciation of OPA assets -- to the new capital reserve.

This reallocation to the New Capital is not included in the draft budget. The directors could decide to add it in.

Perrone: New law might require more reserves OPA President says he’s not sure legislation will be introduced or passed, but he wants to prepare for the worst

By TOM STAUSS Publisher lthough it’s not certain that the Maryland General Assembly will pass legislation in 2022 that would require homeowner associations in the state to boost their reserves, the possibility that it might happen has prompted OPA President Larry Perrone to propose an increase in the Ocean Pines Association’s replacement reserve.

During the Board of Directors’ Dec. 11 monthly meeting, Perrone said the General Assembly in the 2021 regular session failed to pass legislation that would have required state HOAs to boost their reserves. He said the same or similar legislation might be introduced again in the new session that begins this month.

Perrone said it isn’t known what new legislation would specify as an minimum acceptable level of funding for an HOA’s reserves, but he suggested that a formula could be devised that would force the OPA to hold $8 million to $9 million in reserve.

The OPA’s replacement reserve as of Nov. 30 contained about $5 million. Combined, all five of the OPA reserve funds contained about $7.8 million on Nov. 30. With budgeted outflows from the reserves for the remainder of the fiscal year, the latest projection is for an all-reserve balance of $5.4 million on April 30, with $4.7 million in the replacement reserve. That’s well short of the $8 million to $9 million worst case scenario hypothesized by Perrone.

“I don’t know that the legislation will be introduced,” he acknowledged, adding that “it’s possible.”

A

Even if it was introduced and enacted into law, Perrone said it likely wouldn’t go into effect until 2023 at the earliest, but he suggested that the OPA should be prepared for the worst and fund an increase in its replacement reserve in the 2022-23 budget that’s due for adoption in February. He did not call for an assessment increase.

Viola told the Progress that one way to increase the reserves without raising the lot assessment is to shift $1 million out of the operating fund into the replacement reserve, or other reserves as desired. That would be in addition to budgeted revenues collected in funded depreciation, which is projected to bring in $1.68 million in new revenue next year in lot assessments dollars.

A vote by the Board of Directors would be required to make the shift.

Currently, Viola told the Progress, there’s a $1.1 million surplus in the operating fund, with another $1 million expected by the conclusion of the 2021-22 fiscal year on April 30 likely to be added. That would leave the operating fund flush with revenue to allow for a transfer of a portion of the projected $2 million operating fund surplus to any of the reserves.

Viola earlier in the budget process had anticipated returning a portion of the expected operating fund surplus to property owners in the form of an assessment decrease of up to $50, but that didn’t show up in his proposed 2022-23 budget. Instead the proposed assessment decrease is $1.

It would be up to the Board of Directors to decide whether to return a portion of the cumulative surplus in the form of a lower assessment. A $50 decrease would reduce the operating fund by $422,600.

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 31

OPA FINANCES

OPA records another surplus Year-date-to operating fund positive variance rises to $1.4 million

By TOM STAUSS Publisher ne of these months the streak of seemingly unending operating surpluses is bound to turn to deficit. But it didn’t happen in November, a month that historically isn’t that great financially for the Ocean Pines Association.

The November financial results were contained in a report to the Board of Directors and General Manager John Viola by Controller/Director of Finances Steve Phillips and posted on the OPA Web site the week before Christmas.

It was a respectable gift-wrapped package, with the OPA recording an operating fund variance of $41,570. Revenues were over budget by $57,854 and expenses were over budget by $7,002.

New capital expenditures exceeded budget by $9,282.

The solid monthly results in turn jacked up the year-to-date positive variance to budget. As of Nov. 30, the operating surplus had soared to $1.413 million.

Cumulative revenues were ahead of budget by $1.28 million and total expenses under budget by $151,561. New capital expenditures were over budget by $19,554.

Through November, all amenities except for tennis were operating in the black, and all but platform tennis were ahead of budget.

For the month, pickleball, platform tennis and beach parking recorded operating surpluses, while tennis, aquatics, golf, the Clubhouse Grille, Beach Club and the Yacht Club were in the red, as is typical for this time of year.

Pickleball, platform tennis, the Beach Club, beach parking and marinas were ahead of budget, while tennis, aquatics, the Clubhouse Grille, and the Yacht Club were under budget for the month.

The Yacht Club, though still substantially ahead of budget for the year and sitting on an operating surplus just short of $500,000, recorded a $70,291 loss for November and was behind budget by $47,645.

That reflected an accounting adjustment that began in October, when the OPA began “accruing” for profit-sharing bonuses that the Matt Ortt Companies will be receiving this year under its contract for reaching and exceeding budget goals.

For the year through November, the Yacht Club was in the black by $488,818 and was ahead of budget by $151,018.

A year ago through November, the Yacht Club’s net earnings were $270,073.

Golf’s operating deficit for the month was $37,221, but that was ahead of budget by $20,457.

For the year through November, golf produced $492,161 in net earnings and exceeded budget by $292,276. A year ago through November, golf had recorded an operating surplus of $152,793. The year-over-year improvement was $47,000.

The Clubhouse Grille lost $4,932 in November and missed its budget by $12,057. But for the year

O

OPA NET OPERATING BY DEPARTMENT - NOVEMBER 2021

Source: Ocean Pines Association Department of Finance

through November, the operating surplus was $60,819, ahead of budget by $33,450. A year ago through November, the net surplus was $54,829.

That’s a $6,000 year-over-year improvement.

Aquatics continues to be the amenity with the most dramatic year-over-year improvement.

In November, Aquatics lost $38,119 and was behind budget by $6,573.

For the year through November, however, Aquatics recorded a $149,695 surplus and exceeded budget by $197,837. A year ago through November, Aquatics was in the red by $139,613.

That’s a $289,308 year-over-year turn-around.

The Beach Club, beach parking and marinas were not open during November and recorded nominal surpluses for the month.

For the year through November, these three amenities were substantially in the black for the year and well ahead of budget, earning their reputations as OPA “cash cows,” especially marina and beach parking.

Beach parking for the year has earned $442,189, marinas $254,012, and the Beach Club $160,196.

Beach parking through November was ahead of budget $54,926. Marinas were ahead of budget by $42,616, and the Beach Club was ahead of budget by $45,334.

Beach parking’s year-over-year improvement through November was about $141,000, while the Beach Club improved by about $45,000.

Marinas, on the other hand, slipped somewhat year-over-year, off the November 2020 mark by about $17,000.

Racquet sports when combined continue to be showing an operating surplus through Novem-

ber, with pickleball the star performer financially. Pickleball recorded a $2,966 surplus, ahead of budget by $3,080.

For the year, pickleball is in the black by $58,435, ahead of budget by $30,597. A year ago through November, the net was $17,697. The year-over-year improvement was about $41,000.

Tennis lost $9,802 during November, missing budget by $7,693. For the year, tennis has slipped into the red by $9,070, but that’s still ahead of budget by $4,772. A year ago through November, tennis had recorded a $34,449 deficit.

The year-over-year improvement was more than $25,000.

Platform tennis recorded a $2,511 surplus in November, ahead of budget by $3,949.

For the year through November, the operating surplus was $3,848, behind budget by $1,322.

The year-over-year improvement was about $12,000.

Parks and Recreation, funded in part by class and event fees and lot assessments, had an excellent month relative to budget. With a $35,403 operating deficit, this department was ahead of budget in November by $34,817 and for the year is ahead of budget by $48,074.

All assessment-financed departments are ahead of budget through November, led by Public Works’ positive variance of $175,796.

Status of reserves -- OPA reserves as of Nov. 30 had a balance of $7.14 million, down from $7.48 million at the end of October.

The replacement reserve had a balance of $4.97 million, while bulkheads and waterways stood at $1.16 million, roads at $8,438, drainage at $791,832 and new capital at $254,711.

32 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS

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January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 33

CAPTAIN’S COVE

CURRENTS

State grant to expedite build-out of high-speed Internet in Captain’s Cove ESVBA modifies application to accommodate Charter/Spectrum but receives full $12.3 million requested

By TOM STAUSS Publisher ord in mid-December that the Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority will receive $12.3 million in Virginia Telecommunications Initiative (VATI) funding to bring high-speed Internet to under-served areas of

W

Accomack and Northampton counties delivered an early Christmas present to Captain’s Cove.

Expectations had been that a decision by Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) would not come before the end of December or perhaps early in January of this year, but that

was upended by an announcement from the office of Governor Ralph Northam, a native of Accomack County, that Virginia had allocated more than $722 million to provide universal broadband infrastructure in 70 localities, intended to close 90 percent of Virginia’s digital divide.

Accomack and Northampton

counties were one of those 70 localities receiving a VATI award and funding in conjunction with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

Robert Bridgman, executive director Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority, said in an exclusive interview that the grant could be arriving relatively soon and that laying of so-called “dark fiber optic cable” could begin as soon as February in Captain’s Cove.

“The good news is we’ve already done the engineering for Captain’s Cove and can start laying cable soon after the funds are received,” he said.

ESVBA has divided the project of laying fiber optic cable in Captain’s Cove into five phases, he added, which could result in the hiring of multiple contractors to expedite the work.

Normally, he said, ESVBA would u

Junior lifeguards

Captain’s Cove in late December hosted a class of junior lifeguards.

Harper Freeman is seated on the bottom stoop and Rylee Giddings is in the chair. Shown in the front row left to right are Will Otwell, Kenzie Purdy, Gavin Zubko, Locklyn Giddings, Kayla Ross, John Dolan, and Gabby Purdy.

Shown in the back row left to right are Emma Dolan, Instructor Laney McDaniel, Instructor Sadie Kauffman, and Captain’s Cove Program Manager Flynn Kleinfeller.

34 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS

The VATI grant in addition to another $3.3 million in other revenue sources will make fiber broadband available to 11,091 unserved or under-served locations in the two-county region, Bridgham said, which is about 3,000 fewer homes and businesses than ESVBA had specified in its original request for VATI funding.

ESVBA modified its original application to serve a potential of 14,000 homes and businesses in response to a challenge from a national broadband provider, Charter/Spectrum, which contended that it had high speed Internet services available to 3,000 homes or businesses in the two-county area, Bridgham said.

A second challenge by Nu-Beam, a satellite provider, was withdrawn prior to the announcement awarding the grants.

As it turned out, DHCD effectively ruled in favor of Charter/Spectrum’s challenge to the ESVBA’s grant request, but it has no practical effect in limiting ESVBA’s ability to lay cable anywhere in the two coun-

VATI grant From Page 33 be hiring only one contractor.

Bridgham said ESVBA would be working with the Captain’s Cove association’s Technology Committee to facilitate a scope of work for laying fiber in a phased approach.

Obtaining sufficient materials when the United States is experiencing supply chain issues shouldn’t be a problem for ESVBA, Bridgham said, because his public, non-profit company or authority has a supply relationship with an India-based manufacturer that is building facilities in the United States. U.S.-based manufacturers have established relationships with large Internet and telephone companies, leaving smaller entities like ESVBA scrambling for off-shore alternatives.

The good news is that ESVBA has ample supplies of fiber optic cable and other materials needed to begin work as soon as funding arrives and contractors are hired, Bridgham said.

ties, Bridgham said.

That’s largely because Charter/ Spectrum didn’t disclose where it has lain fiber, making it impossible to carve out areas where only Charter/Spectrum could in theory provide service.

The reduction in “passes” from 14,000 to 11,000 homes or businesses did not affect the dollar amount of ESVBA’s grant request nor what Virginia decided to award, Bridgham said.

“As a priority community for service, Captain’s Cove won’t be affected at all by our amended application,” he added, and it’s not clear that any other community will be, either.

ESVBA has a head-start over Charter/Spectrum in providing service to customers in Accomack and Northhampton counties, and the grant award should help maintain that lead. ESVBA has already laid fiber from one end of Captain’s Corridor to the other, and the build-out that will be financed by the VATI grant will bring fiber down all the

side streets.

Bridgham said that fiber will be laid underground or using utility poles, as was done in the case of Captain’s Corridor. Utility poles aren’t available in some parts of the Cove, meaning that ESVBA’s will have to carefully navigate a maze of underground utilities already in place.

Bridgham said ESVBA is close to completing an easement agreement with CCG Note, the Cove’s declarant/developer, that would allow ESVBA to cross over or store equipment on land owned by CCG Note.

LLC. Lawyers are negotiating terms, which Bridgman said involves CCG Note donating the easements in exchange for a tax benefit. A key component of the agreement is attaching a value to the donation.

Charter/Spectrum has yet to negotiate an easement agreement with CCG Note, and the glacial pace has been frustrating to its investors.

But that leaves ESVBA in the lead in the race to provide high u

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CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS speed Internet to Captain’s Cove homeowners.

But assuming that an easement agreement is reached at some point, there could be competition in Captain’s Cove for broadband customers.

Bridgham said that even if ESVBA had not received the VATI funding, Captain’s Cove remains at or near the top of the priority list for service and ESVBA would have found a way to proceed with buildout.

It would not have happened as quickly, he said.

Once dark cable is available in a particular neighborhood, ESVBA will run fiber to homes from the trunkline and will schedule an interior equipment installation, a process that can take up to 48 hours.

Once complete customers will begin to receive high speed Internet service, with the first bill arriving within 30 days.

Programming options abound once a broadband connection is available.

In the press release announcing statewide VATI grants, Northam said they will advance Virginia 90 percent to the goal of achieving universal access to broadband and high-speed Internet, placing Virginia on track to being one of the first states successfully charting a path to universal access to broadband.

The progress results from a combination of state, federal, local, and private-sector investments that Virginia has accelerated over the past four years. Northam said “the pandemic highlighted the need for swift and bold action to extend highspeed Internet across Virginia,” and he thanked the partners who made this progress possible.

“Broadband access impacts every facet of our daily lives, from education to business to health care,” he added. “It’s a necessity for navigating today’s digital world, and this new funding will close Virginia’s digital divide with universal broadband by 2024.”

Virginia has taken dramatic steps on broadband since Governor Northam took office in 2018, as Virginia’s first rural Governor in a generation. He set out a clear goal: achieve universal access to broadband within 10 years. The goal was bold, as Virginia’s broadband program was investing just $4 million a year and 660,000 Virginians did not have access to high-speed internet.

Since then, Virginia has invested To Page 37

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 35

36 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS

Captain’s Cove Community Bulletin Board LIFEGUARD CERTIFICATION Jan. 7th, 8th and 9th Times: Jan. 7th ~ 5 - 9 pm Jan. 8th & 9th ~ 9 am to 5 pm • Cove Residents & Members: $50 • Non-Cove Residents: $100 • Must be 15 by the end of class Sign Up at the Marina Club front desk by emailing marinaclub@captscove.com or by calling 757-824-3465

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January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 37

CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS

CCG Note undeterred by limited opposition to townhome development, Hearn says Developers insist they have no interest in building low income, subsidized housing

By TOM STAUSS Publisher CG Note investor Tim Hearn told a group of Captain’s Cove residents who attended an in-person and Zoom informational meeting on the proposed Hastings/ Mariner townhome project on Dec. 10 that the opposition of “maybe a dozen” Cove residents would not deter him and his partners from proceeding with efforts to obtain Accomack County approval for the project.

The development as proposed will consist of 142 townhomes and a retail center of approximately 10,000 square feet. The project is located on a 24.41-acre parcel south of State Line Road, Virginia Route 679), at the east entrance to Captain’s Cove.

The Accomack County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider a proposed village development district overlay on the existing R-1zoned parcel at its regularly scheduled monthly meeting Jan. 12.

CCG Note had voluntarily withdrawn its appointment with the commission in December to allow it to complete some additional studies, including the all-important traffic study, before asking the commission to review and act on its overlay district request.

Access to the development will be via State Line Road and Captain’s Corridor.

The overlay district will allow a mix of commercial and townhouse

C

residential development not normally allowed in an R-1 zone.

Hearn and his CCG Note partner, Jim Silfee, fielded a series of questions about the project.

Both Hearn and Silfee are Captain’s Cove association board members who have said they would not participate in any board discussions about the project, leaving any decisions to the three directors without any business ties to CCG Note.

CCG Note is the developer/declarant of Captain’s Cove that owns about 1,250 building lots in the community.

First out of the box was a resident who claimed that there’s “huge opposition” to the project among residents of Captain’s Cove.

Hearn disputed that, saying that there are “maybe a dozen people who say it’s fatally flawed.” He said he was inclined to “discount the views” of people reflexively opposed to the project, some of whom took that position after they learned that it was CCG Note or its affiliates that is buying and developing the site.

Hearn said the resident had misconstrued a statement he had made at the Captain’s Cove annual meeting in which he said he and his

partners would abandon the project before getting into a “battle with the community” over the project.

He said CCG Note would not engage in such a battle and made it clear that there is little likelihood that the investors will abandon the project.

“We’ve not had anything but positive feedback from county officials (about the project),” Hearn said, and it’s county officials, ultimately the Board of Supervisors, who will decide whether to approve the overlay district application.

Later in the meeting, Hearn repeated that CCG Note was not going to get into a battle with opponents of the project.

“I understand that there will be people who don’t want any development (on the parcel). But somebody’s going to develop it,” and existing zoning allows uses that might not be to the liking of Cove residents, he said, including the possibility of someone who “would bring in 100 short-term rentals.”

Hearn said that he and his partners have no interest “in doing anything that’s going to hurt our 1,250 lots.”

Of the $30 million projected cost

of the development, about $20 million would be financed, probably through an insurance company but possibly through a bank. About of the third of cost would “come from private equity,” Hearn said.

CCG Note performed a market analysis of the proposed project in early 2021, even before Rocket Labs had announced its intentions to locate a new facility across from NASA’s Wallop’s Island launch facility.

The market analysis confirmed the need for a townhome project with units renting from $1,500 to $2,000 per month. “We also heard from the county officials [who say] there’s a desperate need for this kind of housing” in the county, Silfee said.

The target market will be higher income people who don’t want the maintenance of a single-family home and who are “rotating into” the NASA facility for a few years, some of them not bringing families or “some who have yet started families,” Hearn said. “There’s just not a lot of supply for single-family rentals in the county.”

Aqua Virginia would provide water and wastewater treatment services for the project, adding to the 400 to 500 homes in Captain’s Cove that are already receiving sewer services from Aqua Virginia.

Hearn said Aqua is nowhere close to reaching existing treatment capacity and has additional land in Sections 14 and 15 available for fuTo Page 39

VATI grant From Page 35

more than $846 million to connect more than 429,000 Virginia homes, businesses, and community anchors to broadband service. Governor Northam recently announced that Virginia has received a record number of local and private sector applications to leverage state broadband investments, putting the Commonwealth on track to become one of the first states to achieve universal broadband access by 2024.

In this application year, VATI received 57 applications from 84 localities that partnered with 25 internet service providers, requesting more than $943 million in funding.

The latest iteration of the project’s site plan, showing a 10,000 square foot commercial building in addition to townhomes..

38 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS

Captain’s Cove Community Bulletin Board

CAPTAIN’S COVE CURRENTS Townhome project

From Page 37 ture use in a Rapid Infiltration Program if needed.

The project is not an “affordable housing” project in the way that term is usually understood, Hearn said. CCG Note will not be making units available for subsidized housing vouchers. He said he would be willing “to put that in writing” to ease the concerns of residents who fear the worst.

He said any such subsidized housing in the county would need to be located much closer to places of employment than the Hastings/ Mariner property.

The proposed project with about five units per acre is no more concentrated in density than Captain’s Cove, which ranges from about 5 units per acre to about seven.

With units ranging in size from 1050 to 1500 square feet, the proposed townhouses will be larger than the 720 square foot minimum allowed in Captain’s Cove, Hearn said.

The project will be built in phases, with the first phase containing about 70 townhouse units at an estimated cost of $15 million to $20 million. “We’ll deliver on the second batch when the first phase is completed,” Hearn said.

In response to a question about what happens if the project fails, or faces economic headwinds, Hearn said that CCG Note can carry loans even in a downturn and that financing will be not greater than a “50 percent loan to value.” He said he and his partners know that a market can turn south, but that even if that happens “NASA and Rocket Labs... are not going away.”

If it turns out “we’re dead wrong” in assessing the need for high end rental units, “units could be converted to sales. If we had to punt, we could,” Silfee said.

The benefit to Captain’s Cove of having a townhouse development as a neighbor is that its residents could use the Cove amenities that are open to the public, Hearn said.

He repeated comments from earlier presentations to the effect that he doubted Cove residents would support the development becoming part of Captain’s Cove.

If it turns out that there’s a “rush” on Cove amenities as a result of nearby townhouses, then Hearn said the Cove board has the right to limit these amenities to residents or to limit the times when amenities

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 39

Study says proposed townhouses won’t adversely affect area traffic

A

151-page traffic study or, as it’s sometimes called, a traffic impact analysis, has been conducted by The Traffic Group, a Baltimore engineering firm, for the proposed mixed-use development on the Hastings/ Mariner property at the back entrance to Captain’s Cove.

The traffic study is considered a key element of the approval process in Accomack County. It will be considered along with other documentation when the Planning Commission meets Jan. 12, to consider the application for a Village Development District overlay. The planning commission forwards a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on the overlay request.

Although the study includes many pages of charts and traffic count information, the conclusions of the study are contained in three simple sentences.

“All of the study intersections are operating and are projected to operate at acceptable Levels of Service. No off-site improvements are therefore required,” the study concludes. “The site access on State Line Road will be constructed in accordance with VDOT’s Road Design Manual.”

VDOT is the acronym for Virginia Department of Transportation.

The development will consist of 142 townhomes and a retail center of approximately 10,000 sq ft. The project is located on a 24.41-acre parcel south of State Line Road, (Virginia Route 679).

Access to the development will be via State Line Road and Captain’s Corridor. The existing zoning is Residential with a proposed Village Development District Overlay.

are open to the public.

Hearn said in response to a suggestion that he doubted that Captain’s Cove governing documents would permit the Cove association to engage in a joint venture with a private equity firm like CCG Note to develop the property.

“I’m not sure CCGYC (Captain’s Cove Golf and Yacht Club, the formal name of the Cove property owners association) is allowed to be in a speculative real estate development,” Hearn said.

He also said that CCG Note would be willing to work “collaboratively”

with the Cove association to develop a formal lighting plan for the project, as a way of mitigating any disruption to residents of Jolly Roger Drive whose homes back to the proposed townhouses. A buffer of conifer trees are already in the plans to screen the project from neighboring homes.

MANAGER’S MEETING NOTES: At the Dec. 20 in-person and Zoom managers meeting: • Community manager Colby Phillips said the water at the Marina Club’s indoor pool had recently been tested, and would be tested again by Jimmy Gibbons, the Captain’s Cove maintenance director. The pool is slated for possible drainage in February, she said. • Two new classes are scheduled for January, an aqua exercise class in the pool and a chair exercise class out of the pool, Phillips. said Also scheduled is a lifeguard certification class.

• Launch of the Captain’s Cove new Website is very close, Communications manager Justin Wilder reported. Data transfer from the old Tops software platform to AppFolio, the new platform is under way, with staff training on the new site scheduled for Jan. 5. Wilder said that D3 Corp has completed a new member forum, and that the Website is complete except that the new events module was malfunctioning and in need of a fix.

“Once that is worked out, the site is ready to go live,” he said. That should happen sometime this month.

• Food and Beverage Manager Jeff Landry announced that culinary seminars will begin in January, with chocolate the subject of the first seminar. Additional seminars will follow in February, March and April. An oyster roast is on the schedule for Jan. 29.

• Security director John Costello reported that there hadn’t been a raccoon setting in 22 days, but before that 17 raccoons suspected of having rabies had to be put down. It turns out none had rabies, but some had distemper. “People have to stop putting food outdoors” for raccoons or other wild critters, Costello said.

• Maintenance Director Jimmy Giddings reported that a roof leak had recently been fixed at the Marina Club and that crews had started “pumping dirt” and

dredging will be done as soon as possible.

• Captain’s Cove association President Tim Hearn clarified policy on when a waterfront owner is required to pay the $200 waterfront assessment. It’s only levied on properties that abut a canal that requires dredging, Hearn said. Even if boaters ply waters at the mouth of a canal and not the canal itself, property owners along that canal are not exempt from paying the $200 assessment, he said, adding that property owners can sit down with Cove personnel to determine whether a lot is exempt from the waterfront assessment.

• Phillips announced that there will be a community-wide survey of roads to determine whether there are issues that need to be addressed. Roads will be graded on a scale of seven to ten to determine which roads are higher priority for fixes. A plan will be drafted to govern the order that repairs will be made, • A survey of bulkheading in the Cove will be conducted to preemptively determine where problems exist, Phillips said. Each year a report will be generated so issues can be addressed quickly rather than wait for complaints from neighbors to trigger remediation.

• Officials from the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation gave a presentation on efforts to bring STEM (science, technology, engineering and science) centers to all the elementary and middle schools in Accomack and Northampton counties. The centers don’t require a special designated classroom, but donations are being sought to provide 3D printers and Chromebooks to access the program’s content. Already $210,000 has been raised for the first seven STEM centers in the two counties, with another $200,000 needed to establish centers at the remaining six schools. Donations can be made through the ripkenfoundation.org Website.

40 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

OPINION

COMMENTARY

Viola resignation seems ... peculiar

L

Is there hope for a phoenix-like resurrection?

et’s itemize the ways in which the resignation of John Viola presumably for a “well-deserved” retirement seems peculiar.

It’s so odd, so unconvincing, that a question needs to be asked: Is it real? Can it be reversed?

Is it possible that Viola’s contract can be extended?

Here are a random collection of “dots” that can be connected however one chooses.

And let’s be clear, connecting seemingly random dots is speculative and the conclusions from the exercise are unproven, not to be confused with fact.

For the record, Viola isn’t saying anything substantive about his abrupt resignation in early December, announced in a terse statement by Ocean Pines Association President Larry Perrone.

Perrone’s statement referred to that well-deserved retirement, which was an oddity right out of the gate.

In many conversations over the last year or so, Viola seemed willing to consider if not welcome an opportunity to extend his successful reign as the OPA’s GM. He hadn’t been making any public or private pronouncements that he was anxious or preparing to retire. Sure, there was talk that he was looking forward to his wife’s retirement from teaching and trips they might take together.

All of which would be possible with Viola remaining as GM. There was every expectation that he and the board would be engaged in discussions to extend his contract, which was due to expire on June 1 of 2022.

Instead, he announced his departure date for the end of February, after the expected conclusion of the 2022-23 budget cycle. That was a second oddity. Why not coast toward a soft retirement at the end of May, allowing more time for the board to find a replacement?

Three months is adequate notice, to be sure, and his employment contract does allow for early termination by either party with proper notice.

But when it happens three months sooner than the end date of the contract, it raises a number of questions, including this one: Why the apparent hurry to head for the exits?

Viola offers no explanation, and makes clear he’d rather not talk about it. But he advises media inquisitors on where they might go for answers. “Ask Larry,” he says, referring to Perrone.

This is another oddity. If retirement scenario is the only explanation for why he’s leaving, why suggest that Larry Perrone might be able or willing to shed more light on the matter? While impossible to verify or quantify, there’s the hint of snark in Viola’s oft-repeated mantra of Ask Larry.

Perrone, predictably, isn’t saying anything of substance, either. He’s not returned or answered a Progress phone call but did respond to an in-

quiry from oceanpinesforum.com’s Joe Reynolds.

“He retired,” Perrone told Reynolds. End of story? Hardly. It teases that there’s more to this story than anyone is letting on.

At the Dec. 11 Board of Directors meeting, not long after Viola’s resignation was announced, Perrone’s silence on Viola’s pending departure was deafening. No mention at all. This is another oddity. They’re beginning to pile up.

If Viola’s pending exit is just a routine retirement, and Perrone and the board truly appreciate Viola’s service to the OPA and his record of accomplishment, wouldn’t it deserve just a tiny bit of acknowledgment at the first opportunity to do so in a public setting? One would think.

The announcement of Viola’s resignation said the OPA was moving on efforts to find a replacement, but was very sparse on details. It turns out that a few employment notices have been placed in trade publications, including one published by the Community Association Institute.

Another oddity: The announcement that Executive Assistant Michelle Bennett was leaving at the end of December. The announcement, and a subsequent statement by Bennett, said she was taking a job with a family business in the area that would make use of her accounting skills.

The announcement came a few days after the Viola announcement, although staff apparently learned of it at the same time that Viola’s exit was disclosed in an email at the end of a work day.

What this suggests is that she had skills that, for whatever reason, the OPA had not found a way to use. One infers she wanted more than the OPA could deliver. Did that cause some friction between Viola and Bennett in the waning days of their collaboration? It’s possible. Creative differences are hardly unusual in the corporate world.

Was there a connection between the timing of Bennett’s departure and Viola’s announcement?

Maybe not, but we’ll probably never know.

It’s high on the oddity scale nonetheless.

And here’s the final oddity, perhaps the grandest of them all.

The Board of Directors conducted a performance review of Viola this past November, similar to what was done in November of 2020.

Within days of that performance review came the announcement that Viola was parting company with the OPA. Coincidence?

There’s been a cloak of silence over the results of that performance review, unlike what occurred in November and December of 2020.

It’s a startling contrast.

According to Progress reporting at that time, it was clear that the Board of Directors was pleased with Viola’s job performance a year ago.

According to Viola, the board bestowed upon

him a “four out of five rating”in that review.

Viola set up that rating scale, and it’s reportedly tough if not impossible to ace.

Four out of five might be the best a mere mortal can achieve. It was sufficient to give him both a three percent raise and a $5,000 bonus.

Contrast that transparency and apparent good feeling with the cloak of silence over this year’s performance review.

Was Viola given another four-star rating and offered another raise or at least a bonus in appreciation for a job well done?

So far, no one’s talking, and perhaps it will remain that way. Normally it would be Perrone and Vice-President Colette Horn who would deliver the verdict on Viola’s performance review in a private meeting, normally held on Mondays of each week in which they’re scheduled.

If another superlative rating, or a raise or bonus was part of that conversation, it would probably be known in the community by now. Viola has been very transparent about his compensation package in his years as temporary and then “permanent” GM. That he hasn’t been this year speaks volumes.

Does this mean that the Viola’s performance evaluation was poor? Not necessarily. It easily could have contained a recap of the many positive accomplishments this past year, along with a few demerits, as if to confirm Viola is has been a very good general manager, not a candidate for sainthood. But maybe there was no proffer of a bonus or a raise as a reward for a job well done.

And that might have been hurtful, one could say. It could be the judgment of a board majority that Viola’s salary and other perks -- he’s notably not taken advantage of OPA health insurance benefits -- have already topped out at the $165,000 or so range.

Again, of course, this is all speculation, filling the void caused by a lack of transparency.

Which then leads to following: Is it possible that Viola’s announced departure can be reversed, that there is still some way to keep him in the fold?

That, of course, would be up to the board and Viola to pursue.

Retaining Viola would be a popular move, and the directors ought to pursue it if there’s even a hint of interest by Viola.

Maybe Viola has topped out on the salary and benefits, but a modest one-off bonus given last year’s financial results and this year’s encore performance of a million dollar operating surplus would be justified.

The OPA has tried hiring from the outside before, with unsatisfactory results.

Viola is a proven success, and he knows Ocean Pines and its nooks and crannies as well as, if not better, than anyone around. ~ Tom Stauss

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 41

OPINION

So much for that assessment decrease

I

t was aspirational, not promised, so Ocean Pines Association members needn’t be too surprised that General Manager John Viola’s final draft budget delivers an essentially flat budget with respect to the assessments that will be mailed out in a few months.

The draft budget posted on the OPA Web site just before Christmas technically delivered on Viola’s aspiration for an assessment decrease.

It’s $1 less, not that there’s any particular reason to believe that the Board of Directors will actually approve such a pittance in the end.

It’s more likely that it will be rounded up to the same $996 that we paid in 2021.

What happened to what Viola had said could be a decrease as high as $50?

Larry Perrone happened.

He is harboring fear that the Maryland General Assembly will introduce and pass legislation this coming year to force homeowner associations to substantially increase their reserve funds.

He wants the OPA to be prepared for the worst and to begin infusing our reserves with additional funds in anticipation of what might happen, but just as easily might not.

The Ocean Pines Progress is a journal of news and commentary published monthly throughout the year. It is circulated in Ocean Pines and Captain’s Cove, Va. 127 Nottingham Lane Ocean Pines, Md 21811 PUBLISHER-EDITOR Tom Stauss stausstom@gmail.com 443-359-7527 ADVERTISING SALES Frank Bottone frankbottone@gmail.com 410-430-3660 CONTRIBUTING WRITER Rota Knott 443-880-3953

LIFE IN THE PINES An excursion through the curious by-ways and cul-de-sacs of Worcester County’s most densely populated community

By TOM STAUSS/Publisher Legislation to require HOAs to increase their reserves was introduced this past year and failed to pass, and a similar failed scenario could unfold again this year.

Perrone to his credit acknowledges that, and concedes that details of the prospective legislation are unknown; there’s not been any calculation based on language in last year’s failed legislation that might shed light on how much in additional reserve holdings might be required.

But Perrone suggests that the legislation if it passes and is signed into law might require the OPA to carry $8 million to $9 million in its reserves. We don’t know if there’s any basis in fact for that guesstimate.

During the pending discussions on the budget, Perrone might do us all a favor and provide details on how he reached that worst case scenario.

The OPA’s replacement reserve as of Nov. 30 contained about $5 million. Combined, all five of the OPA reserve funds contained about $7.8 million on Nov. 30. With budgeted outflows from the reserves for the remainder of the fiscal year, the latest projection is for an all-reserve balance of $5.4 million on April 30, with $4.7 million in the replacement reserve.

But with budgeted inflows into the reserves as of May 1, that endof-year balance will grow dramatically as it always has, courtesy of assessments dutifully paid by OPA members throughout the year.

Viola’s draft budget for 2022-23 shows a new infusion of $2.68 million that will show up in the operating fund on May 1. In round numbers, that’s a balance of $8 million, in the range of Perrone’s worst case scenario.

Obviously it matters a lot the time of year when the reserve snapshot is taken.

Who’s to say that an HOA’s reserve levels at the beginning of a fiscal year wouldn’t meet any onerous provision in this theoretical legislation? No one can know.

“I don’t know that the legislation will be introduced,” Perrone ac-

knowledged at the board’s December meeting, adding that “it’s possible.”

But is it probable? Does the mere possibility of something happening justify acting out of fear?

Perrone also concedes that even if the legislation in its most pernicious form passes sometime this year, it wouldn’t go into effect until at least next year, giving HOAs across the state time to adjust to its onerous provisions.

Any mandated increases in reserve minimums could be spread out over many years, lest HOAs across the state find themselves at loggerheads with state regulators.

Indeed, that’s a reason why this alleged legislation might never come to pass. As it stands, there is no state agency set up currently that could enforce this alleged legislation’s reserve requirements.

That alone might be sufficient to sink it before it gets out of committee.

If the OPA as the state’s second largest HOA and other HOAs across the state protest loudly enough, will Perrone’s worst fears about onerous legislation come to pass?

Perrone is thinking negatively here, seemingly oblivious to the power of positive thinking and collective action.

He’s not always like that, but in this case he seems to be giving into fear.

How about thinking optimistically and thinking of ways to foil this legislative folly before it makes it too far through the legislative process?

Surely there are local legislators who could be contacted for assistance, and surely a coalition of HOAs in the state could be formed to apply appropriate pressure.

Would that Perrone, instead of singing the blues about worst case scenarios, instead pledge his best efforts to fight this maybe-maybe not legislation in Annapolis. Should he still be thinking about running for a second three-year term on the board this summer, he might consider a more pugilistic posture toward this possible legislation rather than kowtowing to worst case scenarios.

If there’s any good news in what Perrone is saying, it’s that no additional assessments would be needed this year to supplement the reserves over what is already collected from OPA members, assuming his colleagues agree the reserves need to be boosted, and maybe that’s not a sure thing.

Viola confirmed that the alternative to an assessment increase could be to transfer $1 million out of the OPA’s operating fund into the OPA’s reserve funds.

It appears this idea is not included in the proposed budget for 202223.

Such a transfer under OPA rules would require a super-majority of directors to accomplish.

There are sufficient funds in the operating fund to allow this accounting legerdemain -- that’s a fancy word for trickery -- to occur.

As of this past April 30, the operating fund was flush with about $1.1 million, according to Viola, and he says this year’s projected operating surplus should boost that by another million dollars that would show up on the operating fund balance this coming April 30.

An operating reserve of more than $2 million could be used to return a modest assessment decrease of, say, $50 to property owners. And still leave plenty for contingencies, including worst case scenarios delivered to the OPA by the General Assembly.

Returning a slice of the accumulated surplus is what Viola intended to do before he was so rudely interrupted by Perrone. Maybe he’d still like to.

Maybe this is a factor in Viola’s recent announced resignation. Perhaps he doesn’t really agree with the rationale for diverting operating fund surpluses to supplement the replacement reserve, instead preferring to give some of that surplus back to OPA members, who produced it (along with an assist from federal Payroll Protection Plan funding) and operational savings through good management by Viola and his department heads.

Or may be thinks some should go to OPA members and some could go toward the reserves. Unfortunately but understandably, he isn’t saying.

Perhaps we’ll gain some clarity on that point in the coming budget discussions.

42 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022

T

ORGANIZATIONS

Craft Club announces annual donations

he Pine’eer Craft Club of Ocean Pines recently announced annual donations of $5,800 to several Ocean Pines departments and community groups.

Since forming in 1974, the club has given more than $175,000 to the Ocean Pines community. This year, Club President Sharon Puser said funds were distributed to the Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks, Police and Public Works departments, along with the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department, Ocean Pines Library, Neighborhood Watch, and the Worcester County Veterans Memorial Foundation.

Puser said profits from craft fairs and from the Artisan Gift Shop went toward the donations. Additional money was raised this year during “Desserts in the Park” events that coincided with summer “Concerts in the Park.”

“This was the first time we tried that, and that went over well. Our members baked, and then we sold the goodies at the concerts,” Puser said, adding the events would continue next summer.

“The purpose of our club is basically to give back to the community,” Puser continued. “Through our cre-

Craft Club members assembled for some holiday cheer last year.

ativity – making crafts and selling crafts – it means a lot to us to be able to support our local groups.”

During a recent holiday and installation luncheon, Puser said a new club member was surprised to find out how much the group has donated.

“She said, ‘Now I’m even more proud to be a member!’” Puser said.

“She knew we gave money back, but she never realized how much.”

Puser said the club is always looking for new members. Regular Pine&#39;eer Craft Club meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month, starting at 10 a.m. in the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway.

“People can come in any time, and we love to have new members come and help us,” she said.

“For January, we’re doing a project for Meals on Wheels, so we would

love to have some extra help!”

The Artisan Gift Shop, in White Horse Park next to the Farmer&#39;s Market and across from the Administration Building on 239 Ocean Parkway, is open Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information on the shop or the Pine’eer Craft Club, contact Puser at 410-208-3032 or opcraftclub@aol.com.

Award-winning anglers

The Ocean Pines Anglers Club presented awards for 2021 Angler Of The Year at the club’s December meeting. Angler awards coordinator Tim Mullin kept the records throughout the year and presented certificates and cash awards for 14 categories of fish. Winners shown left to right are Frank Tortella, fresh water trout 15”, spot 9 1/8”; Scott Carstairs, striped bass 28”, croaker 12 3/4”; Bob Woodward, flounder 23”, Ken Thompson [accepting for son Adam Thompson], red drum 27”; Budd Heim, sheepshead 16”. Not in photo: Greg Donahue, bluefish 15”, weakfish [trout] 22 1/2”; Steve Stein, tuna 49.6”; Kevin Welkner, tautog 16 1/2”; Jim McWinney, black sea bass 16”.

Kiwanis donation

The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City held its Annual Toy Drive in November. Pictured, left to right are Worcester Gold Director Nicholas Cranford and Kiwanis Toy Drive Chair Dave Landis in front of toys that were donated by Kiwanis and other local organizations.

January 2022 Ocean Pines PROGRESS 43

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44 Ocean Pines PROGRESS January 2022