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R C Edition OCEAN PINES • WEST OCEAN CITY • BERLIN MD
April 15, 2025
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER
Volume 2, Issue 8
Ocean Pines elections remain under scrutiny as vendor selection looms By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher As the Ocean Pines Association heads into the 2025 Board of Directors election season, questions about transparency, vendor selection and election integrity continue to mount. A request for proposals (RFP) has reportedly drawn five bids, including one from ACE Printing, a Berlin-based company that previously handled local elections for decades without incident. The past four election cycles, from 2021 through 2024, have each been fraught with issues ranging from procedural errors to mounting public distrust. In one case, a legal complaint challenged a candidate’s eligibility and required court intervention. What was once a routine community process has now become a recurring flashpoint over governance, oversight and communication within the association. The 2022 election marked a pivotal shift in board control and introduced electronic voting for the first time. Though introduced as a modernization effort, the rollout quickly raised red flags among residents. Homeowners questioned the security of electronic submissions, the treatment of multi-lot owner ballots and the possibility of duplicate voting. A paper ballot recount became necessary, further eroding public trust. That same year, the entire Elections Committee resigned without public explanation. In 2023, the association abruptly replaced ACE Printing with a vendor based in the West Coast, again without offering a clear reason. That year’s election cycle was marred by missed deadlines that forced the annual meeting to be postponed. Residents questioned why an out-ofstate vendor, unfamiliar with local processes, was selected at all. The 2024 election introduced yet another vendor, MK Election Services in Pennsylvania. Instead of improving public confidence, the change fueled more controversy when hundreds of ballots were found uncounted in a room and
later had to be added to the tally. Though the final results were certified, many homeowners were left with doubts about the integrity of the process. Now in 2025, the Elections Committee has received five vendor bids. Among them is ACE Printing, whose past performance in Ocean Pines has led many residents to view it as the most reliable and costeffective option. ACE submitted one of the more competitively priced bids. Still, concerns persist. Constant vendor changes are seen by many as a recipe for recurring errors and escalating distrust. The Elections Committee, which is comprised of volunteer members, is tasked with overseeing the selection process and ensuring secure vote tabulation. But some residents have expressed doubts that the committee has the
expertise to vet modern online voting systems, manage complex logistics or software customizations that may be required for the process. With the RFP process underway, the community is watching closely to see whether the association will return to a trusted local provider, stick with MK Elections or bring in yet another outside firm. The legal challenges go back to 2021, when a candidate’s home ownership status was brought into question. That case ended in a court
ruling favoring the candidate and served as a reminder that even basic eligibility requirements had become contentious. With the 2025 Board of Directors election fast approaching, time is running short. A vendor must be selected, the system tested and a reliable process put in place. Whether transparency will be restored or whether this year becomes the latest in a long string of election controversies remains to be seen.
County Commissioners to discuss proposed water and wastewater rate hike at April 23 Ocean Pines Library meeting By Giovanni Guido Staff Writer Worcester County Commissioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting have scheduled a meeting at the Ocean Pines Library on Wednesday, April 23 at 6 p.m. to discuss the water and wastewater rate increases that were proposed by the county. The commissioners have previously stated at meetings with the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors that if the increases are approved, residents of Ocean Pines could end up paying much more than their fair share. They have encouraged both the board members and Ocean Pines residents to attend meetings in order to speak out against the rate increases. According to Bertino, years of financial mismanagement by the county has led to a projected $2.1 million shortfall for fiscal year 2025, with $116,699 attributed to Ocean Pines. Under the proposed
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
draft repayment plan, the shortfall would be divided equally among the 11 water and wastewater service areas throughout the county. Ocean Pines is currently serviced by one of these 11 service areas. If this draft is passed, Ocean Pines residents will see an increase of approximately $32 per quarter, compared to the $1 to $3 increase if calculated
solely on Ocean Pines’ share of the shortfall. County staff will be attending the meeting to provide further information and answer any questions the attendees have about the proposed rate increases. The handout presented by the commissioners from the March 29 meeting is included on pages 16-19.