Advocacy groups Advocacy groups join forces to reverse join forces to reverse petition decision petition decision
September 2019 2019 September
If Ocean Pines Association If Ocean Pines attorney Association directors thought Jerdirectors thought attorney Jeremy Tucker’s legal justification emy justification for Tucker’s rejecting legal a petition on a for rejecting a petition on a proposal to reduce the board’s proposal reduce thewould board’s spendingtoauthority be spending authority would be the final word on the matter, the wordfrom on the the final message twomatter, Ocean the message from two Pines advocacy groups Ocean is: Not Pines advocacy groups is: Not so fast. so fast. Tucker’s legal opinion seems legalthe opinion seems toTucker’s have had unintended to have had the unintended consequences of forging a new consequences of forging a new political alliance. It brought political alliance. It brought to life former Director Marty to life former Marty Clarke’s STOPDirector organization in Clarke’s STOP organization in support of former Director Slosupport of formerSTART Director Slobodan Trendic’s organibodan Trendic’s START organization. ~Page 5 zation. ~Page 5
Directors reject Directors reject Tuttle proposal Tuttle proposal on referendum on referendum
On the heels of a memOn the heelsdrive of atomember-led petition slash ber-led petition drive to spendslash the Board of Directors the of Directors ing Board authority, DirectorspendSteve ing authority, Director Steve Tuttle posed an alternative Tuttle posed have an alternative that would maintained that would have maintained the percentage basis for that the percentage basis forit that calculation but reduced from calculation but reduced it from 20 to 12 percent. Saying the 20 to 12ispercent. Saying change unnecessary andthe the change unnecessary the andpetithe reasonsissurrounding reasons surrounding tion drive go deeper the thanpetidoltion drive go deeper than dollars, his fellow directors rejectlars, hisproposal fellow directors ed the in a 6-1 rejectvote. ed the proposal in a ~ 6-1Page vote.11
Saying creation of a New Sayingreserve creation of may a New Capital fund reCapital reserve fund may result in a pool of money that sult in be a subject pool of to money that would the whims would be subject to the whims of future boards, his fellow ofdirector future boards, his colleagues gave Larry Perrone’s gave Larry Perrone’s proposal proposal a lukewarm recepation lukewarm reception during an Aug. 31during Board an 31 Board of Directors of Aug. Directors meeting. But it’s meeting. But a it’s by no means by no means dead issue. a dead issue. ~ Page 17 ~ Page 17
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THE OCEAN OCEAN PINES PINES JOURNAL JOURNAL OF OF NEWS NEWS && COMMENTARY COMMENTARY THE
COVER STORY STORY COVER
OPA, Comcast formally agree to contract for Internet, cable television services OPA to receive no-charge video outlets, free Wi-Fi at key locations By TOM STAUSS Publisher
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he Ocean Pines Association negotiated some valuable free services from Comcast as part of a tenyear agreement under which the cable television, Internet and telephone service provider acquires a license to build a broadband, fiber optic system throughout Ocean Pines. The OPA’s Board of Directors approved the contract unanimously in a Sept. 9 special meeting, with both parties expected to sign the documents with no further tweaks from lawyers. It’s a non-exclusive agreement, meaning the OPA is free to negotiate similar arrange-
ments with other providers. The agreement sets the table for the first competitive cable television/Internet environment in the history of Ocean Pines. Mediacom, the long-time cable television provider in Ocean Pines that also provides Internet and telephone services to its product offerings, will no longer have a monopoly once Comcast builds out its Ocean Pines system, an investment that is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars. Indeed, Comcast might have a technological advantage, since it presumably will be installing state-of-theart fiber optic cable and new headend and hubs using To Page 31
OPA releases copy of Mediacom contract
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Perrone withdraws Perrone withdraws motion for creating motion for creating New Capital reserve New Capital reserve
www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress www.issuu.com/oceanpinesprogress
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olding back a right-of-way contract with Mediacom for release pending finalization of a similar agreement with Mediacom’s new Ocean Pines competitor, Comcast, the Ocean Pines Association made a copy available to the Progress on Sept. 11, the day after the Comcast contract was approved by the OPA Board of Directors. The release of the signed Mediacom contract was authorized by OPA President Doug Parks. The two contracts are similar but differ in two areas. In both cases, the companies are obligated to pay the OPA 1.6 percent of gross revenues, payable in quarterly installments. Mediacom’s contract is for five years, with a five-year extension negotiable at the beginning of the fourth year of the contract. Monthly extensions are possible. The Comcast term is for ten years, with a five-year extension also negotiable at the beginning of the fourth year of the contract. Monthly extensions are also possible. Comcast has offered to supply free basic tier television service to up 25 outlets in Ocean Pines buildings, as well as free wireless Internet, or Wi-Fi, at locations to be determined but which presumably will be at all OPA amenities. To Page 32 Mediacom’s contract does not offer these free services to the OPA. To Page 31
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