July 2018
www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress
443-359-7527
THE OCEAN PINES JOURNAL OF NEWS & COMMENTARY COVER STORY
OPA BOARD ELECTION
Three candidates favor, or lean in favor of reducing lot assessments next year Diller, Daly, Tuttle on record as opposing this year’s $30 increase By TOM STAUSS Publisher ne candidate attending a candidates forum in late June declared his intent to reduce lot assessments next year, one candidate who didn’t make the event says she agrees, and a third candidate is leaning toward that goal if it can be justified with “some greater efficiency in operations and management.” The candidates who are on the record as supporting or who are open to a reduction is assessments are Frank Daly, Esther Diller and Steve Tuttle, all of whom expressed opposition to this year’s $30 increase. Another candidate, Ted Moroney, said during the June 27 candidates forum at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club’s upper level ballroom that he wouldn’t “promise” to reduce assessments. Indeed, his record as an appointed director this past year suggests that he is likely to conclude that assessment increases are necessary to deal with unmet needs in Ocean Pines. As a director, he voted to raise the assessment $9 more than the $30 adopted as part of the 2018-19 budget this past February. In a flier distributed at the forum, Daly said one goal as a director would be “to use my experience and conservative financial approach to upgrade (OPA) busi-
O
Left to right: Frank Daly Esther Diller Steve Tuttle
ness practices, budget and operations management with the specific objective of lowering your assessment. Implementing these practices will enable (the OPA) to address our community needs effectively without needlessly inflating our assessments and stockpiling money.” In the same candidate summary sheet Diller, who was unable to attend the forum, she said she would as a director “manage assessments -- they are ten per cent too high -- hold staff accountable for our money, and bring in professionals (to manage the association).” Tuttle, whose candidate statement at the forum did not mention assessments, said in a follow-up email to the Progress that he has expressed his opposition in other election materials to “increasing assessments unless it can be clearly supported and explained in a To Page 45
Calls for reductions in lot assessment are ‘ridiculous, foolhardy and a touch crazy,’ Paula Gray contends In a July 7 email to the Progress, Board of Directors candidate Paula Gray is taking on candidates who would like to reduce lot assessments next year. “As a good business practice, budgets should balance. To promise no increase, or as a way to get votes, a reduction in our basic assessments, would be ridiculous, foolhardy, and a touch crazy at this time,” she said. She said her position would be “a solid year (this year!) of watching, adjusting, and updating current spending and income. “The military calls it a stand-down, an examination of current practices, an evaluation of effectiveness and/or appropriateness, and an honest assessment of what next year would bring,” she said. The $921 assessment in place last year cost property owners $17.72 per week to support Ocean Pines, she said. “The $30 increase this year was 58 cents per week. If your assessment gets reduced by $100, you save $1.92 per week,” she added, “but at what cost to your standard of living?” Gray said that is “where one stares wide-eyed and says ‘really’,” adding that the “current focus for the coming year should be on what expectations are, where plans are focused and what the forensic audit brings out.”
Brett Hill files amended lawsuit for inclusion on this year’s ballot, suffers initial setback ~ Page 44
Abi’s DINER
Paula Gray
SEAFOOD • PASTA • STEAK • BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Dine In & Carry-Out • Available for Party Groups • 410-973-2139 10514 RaceTrack Road, Suite H, Ocean Pines, MD 21811 • www.abisdinermd.com
Like Us On