October 2021
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THE OCEAN PINES JOURNAL OF NEWS & COMMENTARY
COVER STORY
Farr vs. OPA eligibility case drags on, more hearings pending in coming months Judge asks opposing counsel to propose schedule By TOM STAUSS Publisher nyone hoping for a quick decision on the Richard Farr vs. OPA candidate eligibility case in a court hearing Sept. 27 in Snow Hill came away disappointed. Judge Sidney Campen denied Farr’s motion for a preliminary injunction, in which the plaintiff was asking for a ruling on his eligibility as a candidate in this summer’s board election. He did not rule on the Ocean Pines Association’s counter motion to dismiss. According to information posted on the state court system’s case look-up, Judge Campen ordered that all returned ballots in the election “be kept, maintained and preserved” by the OPA “and it is further ordered that the entire ballot shall be preserved insofar as ballots in favor of the Plaintiff may be relevant in the final determination of this matter.” During the 45-minute hearing, Judge Campen directed opposing counsel to propose a process to move the case forward. The initial step would be for a discovery hearing, followed by a hearing on Farr’s amended com-
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plaint and the OPA’s motion to dismiss. There is no indication on when the case might be resolved, but it could easily last several months. OPA attorney Anthony Dwyer mentioned that he had no interest in fast-tracking the case. Judge Campen did not, as he had in comments at an Aug. 31 preliminary hearing, urge the OPA to count the bal- Judge Campen lots pending further proceedings. In a statement following the hearing, Farr attorney Bruce Bright said that “as we thought, the Court did not and could not yet make any final ruling based on where we are procedurally in the case. The OPA Board apparently was hoping for disposition of this case in their favor today, but as we expected, that wasn’t going to occur. We will now have an opportunity for some limited discovery after the defendants file an answer that complies with the Maryland Rules which they didn’t do previously.” Farr’s amended complaint filed in mid-September To Page 31
Class action dropped in Farr vs. OPA litigation ~ Page 30
Directors endorse proposed golf course spray irrigation
The Board of Directors on Sept. 15 conceptually endorsed a Worcester County proposal to install a new irrigation system that would spray treated wastewater or effluent on the Ocean Pines golf course. The unanimous 7-0 vote in favor of sending the county an endorsement letter allows the county to proceed with planning for a county bond issue to raise funds for the project, but is less than an absolute commitment by the OPA to give the county an easement to install and maintain an irrigation system on Ocean Pines Association-owned golf course property. ~ Page 3
Viola says dredging program to resume
With permits caught up in the COVID-19 conundrum of the last two years, the Ocean Pines Association hasn’t been able to do any dredging of its canals. That long-delayed dredging could soon get under way as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expected to soon issue permits for seven properties, John Viola said during his Sept. 15 general manager’s report to the Board of Directors. ~ Page 10
Board approves six marina boat slips
At the Board of Directors’ Sept. 15 monthly meeting, the board approved General Manager John Viola’s request for six new temporary use boat slips at the Yacht Club. Viola said that the boat slips, or t-docks as he likes to call them, recently were given permit approval by the Army Corps of Engineers. ~ Page 14