R C Edition
August 18, 2025
Ocean Pines board certifies election results, elects officers and confirms fire station referendum
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors held a special meeting Aug. 12 to certify the results of the 2025 election and elect officers for the coming year. The session confirmed three incumbents to new three-year terms, validated a referendum to fund a new fire station and set the organizational structure of the board for the next 12 months.
This year’s board election drew four candidates for three available seats. Incumbents Monica Rakowski, Steve Jacobs and Stuart Lackernick all won reelection. Rakowski
Ocean Pines Forum, founded by Joe Reynolds, to close after more than 20 years
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
One of the longest-running sources for local discussion and documentation in Ocean Pines will soon close. According to an announcement from founder and administrator Joe Reynolds, much of the information in this article is based on details he provided about the site’s history and its planned closure.
Reynolds said Ocean Pines Forum will end new postings after more than 20 years of continuous operation. “For over twenty years, OceanPinesForum.com brought news, discussion and commentary related to issues in and around Ocean Pines to members of the Ocean Pines Association,” he said. “For better or worse, all things come to an end.”
After more than 20 years of dedicated service, the Ocean Pines Forum will be retired by its owner Joe Reynolds. See RESULTS page 5
The forum will remain online for an undetermined period as a readonly archive containing more than 300,000 messages along with over 1,000 images, videos and articles— a collection that reflects two decades of local history, debate
and community interaction.
OceanPinesForum.com opened April 27, 2004, and from the start served as both a discussion board for residents and a platform for Reynolds to publish original coverage of OPA business. In August 2004, just months after its launch, the forum produced the first publicly available video of an OPA Annual Meeting. Those early recordings were followed by videos of all OPA board meetings, creating an accessible record for property owners unable to attend in person.
The forum launched “Focus on the Pines,” an online interview program hosted by Jack Barnes, and in 2006, it was named Outstanding Business of the Year by the Ocean Pines Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, it created Citizens for Ocean Pines Equity, which successfully secured 10% of slots revenue for the OPA, funding that continues to generate more than $500,000 annually for the association.
Over time, the forum became a digital gathering place for residents to debate budgets, weigh in on
capital projects and discuss association rules. The exchanges were often spirited and sometimes contentious, but many valued the space as one of the few venues where a range of views could be expressed outside official OPA channels.
Reynolds’ own investigative reporting and commentary added another dimension to the site,
offering documents, analysis and opinion pieces that provided more context than meeting minutes alone. In his closing statement, he thanked those who participated or simply read along over the years, saying their involvement kept the site alive for more than two decades.
The shutdown of the forum
FORUM page 2
OCEAN PINES • WEST OCEAN CITY • BERLIN MD
STUART LAKERNICK
STEVE JACOBS
MONICA RAKOWSKI
RENOVATIONS Home Improvements
FORUM
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comes during a time of change for local media in Ocean Pines. Other publications, such as The Courier and the Bayside Gazette, continue to serve readers with broader coverage areas and different priorities. However, Ocean Pines ROC Edition remains dedicated exclusively to the Ocean Pines community and surrounding areas, independently owned and committed to consistent, in-depth reporting on local issues. As other voices fade or shift focus, that role takes on added importance for residents seeking reliable information.
Even after the final post is made, the forum’s archive will stand as one of the most complete records of OPA governance, community projects and resident opinion from the past twenty years. For newer residents, it offers a chance to see how longstanding debates over amenities, assessments and governance have evolved. For long-time members, it serves as a reminder of how much the community has changed and how much it has stayed the same.
It is not yet known how long the read-only version will remain online. For now, the Ocean Pines Forum continues to operate as it
JOE REYNOLDS
has since 2004, open to readers and preserving the conversations, conflicts and collaborations that have shaped Ocean Pines.
The Ocean Pines community owes Joe Reynolds a sincere thanks for his decades of dedicated and informative service. Through OceanPinesForum.com, he documented local history, encouraged public discussion and provided residents with an open window into association affairs. His work fostered civic engagement and created a record that will remain valuable for years to come. The forum will be missed by many who relied on its dedication, persistence and commitment to keeping the community informed.
Maryland’s bottle-deposit bill slips to 2026 as water bottle filling station mandate takes effect
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
Environmental advocates in the Sierra Club Lower Eastern Shore Group will try again in 2026 to pass a statewide “bottle bill” after the effort stalled in the 2025 General Assembly session. Separately, a distinct bill, which mandates the installation of water bottle filling stations in multiple new buildings and renovations, was signed into law earlier this year, with phasing set for next year.
While unrelated, the two initiatives share similar goals. The stalled bottle bill would have placed a refundable deposit on beverage containers in order to reduce litter and divert them from landfills and incinerators. The other, having been passed, mandates the installation of water bottle refill infrastructure in new buildings. Both aim to displace single-use plastic containers with reusable ones, but each comes with its own costs, logistical challenges and political hurdles.
Gov. Wes Moore signed SB 96 on May 13, 2025. The law mandates the installation of at least one water bottle filling station or a combined filling station and fountain in certain new construction and renovations beginning Oct. 1, 2025. Exceptions and final rules will be set by state agencies.
With the Economic Matters Committee declining to put it up for a vote, the deposit program did not advance this year; however, it did receive support from the Maryland Municipal League as well as the House Environment and Transportation Committee. Additionally, a public opinion poll found that 90% of those surveyed would support a program with a 10-cent deposit if it is financed by beverage producers. Advocates, including the Sierra Club and a coalition of two dozen environmental, civic and faith organizations, say they will use the remainder of 2025 to build public and municipal support before reintroducing the bill next January. Last summer, Sierra Club members met with towns and counties across the lower shore, including the Berlin Town Council, to seek endorsements. That outreach is expected to continue.
The scope of the problem is significant. About 5.5 billion beverage containers are sold in Maryland each year and only 25%
are recycled. More than 4 billion containers, including 2.6 billion plastic bottles, end up as litter, in landfills or are incinerated. In the Anacostia watershed, beverage containers account for more than half the trash collected by volume in trash traps. Plastic bottles break into small particles known as microplastics, which are ingested by fish, seabirds and marine mammals, the same creatures that end up on the dinner plates of people.
Maryland generates nearly 14 million tons of solid waste annually, roughly two-thirds of which are materials that could be recycled or composted, and yet end up as waste. Landfills release methane, a potent greenhouse gas and can contaminate groundwater, while incinerators emit air pollutants and carbon emissions.
In deposit programs, a small, refundable fee, often 5 or 10 cents, is added to beverage containers and refunded when they are brought back for recycling. Ten U.S. states, including California, Michigan, New York and Oregon, operate deposit programs. In states with a 10-cent deposit, recycling rates reach 90%, and overall, deposit states recycle two to three times more containers than those without.
Maryland’s proposal would add a 10- or 15-cent refundable deposit on glass, metal and plastic beverage containers, with deposits returned through reverse vending machines and other convenient redemption options. The program’s goal is to recover at least 90% of containers sold. It would be financed and implemented by a nonprofit, Beverage Container Stewardship Organization, representing beverage producers and overseen by the Maryland Department of the Environment. The program would be self-funded from fees paid by beverage producers, sales of recovered materials, unclaimed deposits and penalties. Of the unclaimed deposits, 10% would go toward grants supporting reusable and refillable container systems.
Supporters say the program would capture an additional 3.6 billion containers annually, including 2.3 billion plastic bottles and raise Maryland’s recycling rate from 25% to more than 90%. They point to the recovery of high-quality materials, such as 47,665 tons of PET plastic, 13,328 tons of aluminum and 159,397 tons of glass each year. Additionally, advocates claim the program
will lead to a reduction of 231,707 metric tons of carbon emissions, the equivalent of removing more than 50,000 cars from the road.
Opponents raise concerns about the costs and logistics for small retailers, who say handling returns would require additional space, staff time and sanitation measures. Beverage producers cite the need for new accounting systems, transport arrangements and fraud prevention. Some local officials warn that removing valuable recyclables from curbside programs could reduce municipal revenue. Others frame the deposit as a hidden tax, even though it is refunded when containers are returned.
The political divide is not absolute, but generally some lawmakers and environmental groups support the measure, while opposition comes from beverage producers, grocery associations and some small-business advocates. Others more often express concerns about mandates, though there is crossover in both directions.
The refill station law takes effect Oct. 1, 2025, well before any deposit program could begin. Supporters of deposits see refill stations as a good step toward reducing single-use bottles but argue they will not recover the billions of containers
already in circulation. Opponents say combining refill stations with public education may be a less burdensome approach for businesses.
Before the next legislative session, advocates will be working to add more town and county endorsements, finalize program design details, such as redemption networks, and address concerns from retailers.
Whether the bottle bill passes in 2026 may depend on whether lawmakers can balance environmental gains with practical solutions for businesses and local governments. In the meantime, Maryland’s water bottle refill station requirement is set to roll out, marking an important step in the state’s broader effort to curb plastic waste.
The Sierra Club Lower Eastern Shore Group is active in Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester Counties. Those interested in learning more can visit https:// www.sierraclub.org/maryland/ lower-eastern-shore.
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
Members of the Maryland Bottle Bill team gather in Ocean City to promote the statewide effort aimed at reducing litter, boosting recycling and protecting Maryland’s coastal environment. Pictured left to right are John Maziuk, Pat Trate, Jacky Grindrod, Debbie Gousha, Lyle Dillion and Cindy Dillion.
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finished with the highest total, followed by Jacobs and Lakernick. The official count is as follows: Rakowski with 1,512 paper and 573 online ballots, for a total of 2,085; Jacobs with 1,393 paper and 542 online ballots, for a total of 1,935; Lakernick with 1,275 paper and 455 online ballots, for a total of 1,730; and challenger Amy Peck with 1,075 paper and 389 online ballots, for a total of 1,464.
In total, 2,824 voted out of roughly 8,500 lot owners, representing a 33% turnout.
Alongside the director election, property owners were asked to decide on a referendum to authorize up to $3.7 million in community funding toward a new South Station for the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department. The measure passed by a wide margin, with 2,145 in favor and 537 opposed. Of those, 1,559 paper and 586 online ballots, for a total of 2,145, supported the measure, while 389 paper and 148 online ballots, for a total of 537, opposed it.
The current South Station, constructed in the 1980s, has been described as inadequate for today’s operations. The building has been plagued with leaks, drainage issues,
mold and is not large enough to accommodate both volunteer and career personnel. The new facility is expected to modernize operations and provide the department with space and resources to meet longterm needs.
Funding will primarily come from both the association and the fire department. At public hearings earlier this summer, Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department officials outlined $1.7 million already secured through grants and bonds, along with $750,000 from fundraising and reserves. The balance will be provided through the $3.7 million with possible cost variance of up to 10% approved by homeowners in the referendum. During those hearings, OPA officials said the contribution could add as much as $50 to the annual homeowner assessment, though no final figure has been set.
Work on the new station is scheduled to begin in October, with construction expected to take about 65 weeks. The project represents one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in recent years for Ocean Pines.
At the Aug. 12 meeting, the board also set officer positions for the coming year. John Latham was elected president, Rick Farr vice president, Jeff Heavner secretary
OCEAN PINES ASSOCIATION
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Regular Meeting Schedule 2025-2026
September 20, 2025
October 25, 2025
November 22, 2025
December 20, 2025
January 24, 2026
February 28, 2026
March 28, 2026
April 25, 2026
May 30, 2026
June 27, 2026
July 25, 2026
The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors convenes for a special meeting to certify the 2025 election results and vote on new board officer assignments. Starting from left and going up and around the table are Steve Jacobs, Treasurer Monica Rakowski, Vice President Rick Farr, President John Latham, Elaine Brady, Secretary Jeff Heavner, Stuart Lakernick (online) and OPA Attorney Bruce Bright.
and Rakowski treasurer. Assistant roles went to Linda Martin as assistant secretary and Mark Swift as assistant treasurer.
The board voted to retain UHY LLP as its auditors and the law firm Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P.A. as legal counsel. Doug Parks was appointed parliamentarian, with one dissenting vote.
With election results now
certified, officers chosen and the reelection of three incumbents, the group will maintain the same makeup as the previous year. As for Ocean Pines, the focus will now turn to carrying out the construction of the new firehouse while continuing to manage day-to-day governance for more than 8,500 property owners.
ROC Edition Screenshot
Ocean Pines Annual Meeting falls short of quorum, but community progress stays on track
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
For the third consecutive year, the Ocean Pines Association’s Annual Meeting was gaveled in but could not officially proceed because of a lack of quorum.
Association bylaws require that at least 100 property owners be present in person or by proxy for business to move forward. This year, as in 2023 and 2024, the number fell short. The result meant no votes could be taken on community matters and no motions or questions from the floor were permitted. With no quorum, there was no unfinished business or new business considered, leaving the meeting largely informational in nature.
Stuart Lakernick, then board president, delivered a detailed list of accomplishments that included construction of a new Racquet Sports Center building and renovation of courts with refreshed landscaping, Touch of Italy’s launch as the community’s restaurateur and interior and exterior upgrades at the Beach Club, Yacht Club and North Gate. These upgrades added cherry trees, sunflowers, expanded holiday
decorations and additional palm trees throughout the community.
Other highlights included an electric sign expansion at the Yacht Club and South Gate, construction of a Veterans Memorial Pavilion, renovation of the driving range building and installation of new bocce ball courts. Accessibility upgrades at parks, a scheduled rain enclosure at the dog park and a new gym floor in the community center were also noted. The police department grew to 13 full-time officers, lifeguards were fully staffed at all pools and aggressive efforts to collect unpaid assessments were reported. Communications and outreach expanded, including the launch of the PinesCast podcast hosted by Tony Russo.
General Manager John Viola then presented the association’s financial progress. His remarks focused on where Ocean Pines had been, where it stands today and where it is headed. Homeowners were reminded that in 2017, the association faced an operating deficit of roughly $1.6 million, assessments at an all-time high of $996 and unfunded projects in drainage, bulkheads and roads. At that time, all amenities were operating at a loss.
By contrast, at the close of fiscal year 2024-25, Ocean Pines had an operating surplus of $3.1 million. Assessments were reduced to $875 last year and $850 this year, both lower than any year since 2013. Homeowners have saved roughly $200 in assessments over the past five years, about $40 per year, while the association continued funding safety measures and infrastructure. Amenities continue to show improvement over prior years.
Viola said these changes were achieved by controlling expenses while reinvesting in community needs. Robust programs for drainage, bulkheads and road resurfacing are now in place, with major construction initiatives on the horizon. Projects in progress include Phase III of the golf course irrigation system, construction of the new South Station firehouse and continued mailbox replacements. A new reserve study is scheduled for the fall. Leadership described the association’s financial position as balanced—not overextended, but flexible enough to keep investing in community priorities.
Even after depreciation, Ocean Pines is projected to finish the fiscal
year nearly $1 million ahead of budget.
Still, the failure to reach quorum underscored ongoing concerns about homeowner engagement. For three consecutive years, turnout has been insufficient to allow the Annual Meeting to serve its intended purpose as the community’s primary open forum. Without quorum, members lost the opportunity to raise issues directly to the board or to act on motions. Leadership said they will continue exploring ways to boost attendance, including expanded outreach, digital reminders and improved scheduling.
With the meeting adjourned, attention now shifts to the Board of Directors election and the ongoing referendum on the new South Station. Both will require significant homeowner participation, and officials again urged residents to remain informed and engaged.
For now, Ocean Pines faces the same reality it has for the past three years: an Annual Meeting that informs but cannot act, a reminder of both the opportunities and challenges of self-governance in a large homeowners association.
Haunted house crew receives 2025 Sam Wilkinson Volunteer Award
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
The Ocean Pines Recreation and Parks Department presented the 2025 Sam Wilkinson Volunteer Award on Aug. 9 to the group of residents responsible for organizing and running the annual haunted house, recognizing their teamwork and dedication in creating one of the community’s most popular events.
The award was established in 2003 in memory of eight-year-old Sam Wilkinson, an Ocean Pines soccer player who died in a drowning accident in Ocean City. Each year, the recognition goes to volunteers who give their time and effort to improve the community’s recreation programs.
The haunted house crew has grown over the years to become a fixture of Halloween in Ocean Pines, known for its elaborate displays and imaginative designs. Organizers start working months ahead of time and officials say the event has grown better and more polished each year.
The team includes several core members who devote countless hours to planning, construction and
creativity. Timmy Cooper, described as the driving force behind the project, helps lead and organize ideas. Erica Henry brings artistic energy with activities for children and face painting. Christy Cooper coordinates the effort as project manager, keeping schedules and details on track. Brooks Henry handles construction and electrical work, while three additional volunteers provide the muscle needed to bring the project to life. Together, they transform the attraction into a centerpiece of the Halloween season.
Until now, the haunted house has been held inside the Ocean Pines Community Center. This year it will move to the loop at the community boat ramp, where organizers plan to build a new tradition that takes advantage of the outdoor space. The change is expected to allow for larger crowds, fresh ideas and a more expansive experience for families.
Recreation and Parks staff said the recognition reflects the countless hours the team has dedicated to the project. For nearly three months each year they meet regularly, troubleshoot challenges and continue
refining their approach. What began as a small local attraction has now become one of the most anticipated fall events in the neighborhood.
The Sam Wilkinson Award carries with it more than recognition. Each year, the honoree is presented with a copy of History of Ocean Pines, Maryland by Bud Rogner, given by the Ocean Pines Historic Work Group and this year presented by board member Elaine Brady. A plaque featuring past winners is also displayed inside the community center. Over the years the award has gone to individuals who coached sports, launched programs and devoted their time to improving recreational opportunities. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines/Ocean City was among the groups previously honored, recognized for their broad and consistent volunteer service.
This year’s selection reflects how community traditions increasingly rely on teams of people working together rather than one person carrying the load. The haunted house has grown into a complex project requiring construction, creativity and management, making
it an ideal example of group volunteerism.
The memory of Sam Wilkinson remains central to the award. By honoring those who give their time so that local children and families can share positive experiences, the award ensures that his spirit is carried forward.
The upcoming move to the boat ramp marks a new era for the event. Organizers believe the open space will not only allow for larger, more elaborate displays, but also help create a tradition that future volunteers can continue to build on. The recognition of the haunted house crew underscores that their work is about more than one night of fun. It represents the values of service, teamwork and dedication that keep Ocean Pines’ community life strong.
The group’s name will now join the list of past recipients on the community center’s award plaque. When families gather this October to enjoy the new haunted house at the boat ramp, they will be taking part in a tradition that exists only because volunteers have given their time, energy and creativity to make it happen.
Ocean Pines compliance report shows drop in CPI Violations
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
The latest report from the Ocean Pines Association shows a decline in compliance violations, with the July list totaling eight pages, down from 11 pages in June. The decrease is notable for a community that has seen a sharp rise in enforcement over the past year and a half.
The Compliance, Permits and Inspections (CPI) Department issues monthly violation lists covering infractions ranging from property maintenance and architectural guideline breaches to unpermitted structures and landscaping issues. Each month’s list is shared with the community as part of OPA’s ongoing enforcement of association rules.
While an eight-page report may not sound small, the reduction from July’s 11 pages represents dozens of cases that either have been resolved or were not cited again. According to officials, these lists include only active violations that remain open at the time of publication. Once corrected, homeowners are removed from the monthly report.
The decline comes after a period when the length of the lists,
sometimes running 12 or more pages, became a point of concern and debate in the community. Some residents argued that aggressive enforcement was necessary to maintain property values and ensure compliance with association standards. Others voiced frustration, claiming that violations were sometimes inconsistently applied or overly focused on newly enforced issues.
Among the more common violations reported each month are overgrown lawns, exterior structures built without approval, fences not in compliance with community standards and homes in disrepair. In some cases, violations reflect seasonal or environmental challenges, such as yard debris, leaf accumulation or storm damage.
The process for addressing a violation typically begins with a notice sent to the property owner. Homeowners are then given time to correct the issue or request a hearing before the board of directors. Those hearings are relatively rare but do occur when homeowners dispute whether an infraction is valid or claim that enforcement has been unfair.
The reduction in pages this month could signal a combination of factors. Some homeowners may be responding more quickly to notices, while others may be proactively maintaining their properties after seeing the increased attention to enforcement. It is also possible that seasonal issues played a role in past month’s higher numbers.
For Ocean Pines residents, the monthly violation lists serve as both a record of enforcement and a reminder of community standards. By reviewing the types of infractions most frequently cited, homeowners can better understand what areas of compliance are being prioritized. That knowledge can help property owners avoid finding themselves on future reports.
The CPI’s work has also been closely tied to the ongoing discussion about fairness and transparency in OPA governance. Earlier this summer, debates about compliance dominated parts of the annual meeting and fueled online discussions about whether the system encourages consistency or unfair targeting. The smaller July list may temporarily ease those tensions, though community members
continue to watch closely how violations are handled.
The association has emphasized that enforcement is not intended to be punitive, but to help Ocean Pines preserve its character, curb appeal and property values. Still, the length of the violation lists has been viewed by some as a form of public shaming, fueling debate about whether the process should be revised. To address concerns, the published reports now include only the property’s lot and block number rather than the full street address.
For now, the eight-page list represents a shift in tone after several months of larger reports. Whether the trend continues into the fall remains to be seen. The list for August will be released at the end of this month and will provide the next indicator of whether compliance cases continue to decline or if the July drop proves to be temporary.
Ocean Pines homeowners can view the current list through the OPA website at https://tinyurl.com/5cpz7eat.
In today’s fast-moving information cycle, speed is often valued more than accuracy. Headlines are rushed out to be the first to grab attention, social media posts go viral before anyone checks the facts and opinion is frequently dressed up as reporting.
At ROC Edition, we believe our community deserves something better, something more dependable. That’s why our standard is and will always be, research first, facts always and a commitment to keeping our readers informed rather than inflamed.
Accuracy begins with patience. It’s tempting to push out information the moment it appears, but facts have to be confirmed before they’re published. That means digging into source material, verifying records, cross-checking statements and ensuring the information is put into proper context. We believe that when our readers see a story in ROC Edition, they should have confidence that it is grounded in documentation, not speculation.
We also believe information should be shared, not hoarded. Communities function best when residents have access to the same facts, whether it’s about local governance, upcoming events or policy changes that could affect their daily lives. Too often, valuable information stays in the hands of a few gatekeepers. ROC exists to change that, making public records accessible, translating complex issues into plain language and connecting residents with reliable sources they can trust.
But sharing information is not enough on its own. In an era where online platforms can either connect or divide, it is crucial to ensure the conversation around that information is healthy. We’ve all seen Facebook groups, forums and other digital spaces where discussions degrade into ad hominem attacks or unverified rumors. These environments can erode trust and polarize communities. ROC’s mission is to counter that trend by modeling
a different standard, one where facts lead the conversation and respect frames the debate.
That doesn’t mean avoiding hard truths. On the contrary, sometimes facts are uncomfortable. They can challenge established narratives, expose wrongdoing or highlight failures in leadership. But credibility isn’t built on comfort; it’s built on honesty. We will not soften facts to please one side, nor will we amplify claims we cannot verify just because they generate clicks.
We know that our work won’t always be popular with everyone. Facts can upset those who prefer a certain narrative, and thorough reporting can frustrate those who would rather see us publish quickly than accurately. But our responsibility is to the truth, not to appeasing factions.
At ROC, we measure success not by the number of shares a story gets, but by the trust it earns. Our readers should come away from every article feeling more informed, more connected and more confident in their ability to form their own conclusions. That’s the standard we set for ourselves, and it’s the one we will continue to uphold as our community grows and changes.
In a world where misinformation spreads in seconds, truth takes work. We’re here to do that work for you, for our neighbors and for the community we all share.
Sherrie Clifford Publisher, ROC Edition
Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
The perception gap between social media groups and online forums
In many communities, social media and online forums have evolved into competing arenas for information, debate and influence, each with its own culture, pace and audience. The divide between them is more than just a difference in format; it shapes how issues are framed, how quickly narratives spread and how residents perceive one another. While both can connect neighbors and amplify important information, they can just as easily deepen divisions, spread misinformation and turn public discussion into a contest of loyalty rather than a search for truth.
Facebook groups now function as the digital town square in countless neighborhoods, offering near-instant posting, rapid discussion and the ability to reach hundreds of residents in hours. But the tone, purpose and credibility of these groups can vary dramatically. Some are well-moderated, fact-focused and built on community service. Others operate with looser rules, selective moderation or personal agendas, using posts to attack reputations,
push narratives or fuel disputes.
This stark contrast creates what many residents see as a “perception gap” between platforms. Online forums, the older, slower-paced cousins of Facebook, tend to preserve discussions in orderly threads, making it easier to track context and revisit past debates. Social media moves faster, but with speed comes risk: Misinformation can spread widely before it is corrected, and personal attacks can escalate quickly.
Neither platform is immune to bias or selective rule enforcement. Forum users sometimes criticize Facebook groups while quietly monitoring them for content to discuss in their own space. Likewise, Facebook group members may share screenshots of posts to highlight perceived attitudes or alliances. Despite public claims of ignoring each other, both sides often rely on the other for information and material.
Supporters of Facebook groups point to their reach, speed and usefulness for urgent updates, lost-and-found notices or breaking
community news. Critics note the difficulty of separating fact from spin and preventing heated disagreements from turning into harassment. Advocates for forums highlight their structure, accountability through archived threads and smaller, more focused audiences. Detractors point out that forums can still harbor bias, cliques and one-sided moderation.
The underlying reality, longtime observers say, is that technology changes but human behavior does not. From AOL chat rooms and Friendster to Myspace and today’s platforms, each generation of online space can be used for connection or division. The difference lies in the culture set by its leaders and the standards enforced for members.
In healthy communities, residents use multiple channels, comparing information, checking facts and engaging respectfully across different platforms. But when
small, loyal groups form around untrustworthy leaders or manipulative personalities, the conversation can be distorted. These groups may maintain a public appearance of civility while allowing or encouraging side networks to spread misinformation, target critics and shape perceptions.
The warning from community veterans is clear: Be careful who you associate with and know who you are dealing with. Whether on Facebook, a forum or another platform entirely, the health of a community’s conversation depends on transparency, accountability and the willingness of its members to challenge falsehoods, even when doing so is uncomfortable.
Sherrie Clifford Publisher, ROC Edition
Lower Eastern Shore Group urges Maryland residents to support the bottle bill
Dear Editor:
I am Cindy Dillon, the Zero Waste Lead for the Lower Eastern Shore Group of the Maryland Sierra Club. I am writing to you in order to highlight the extensive problem of litter and plastic pollution on the Eastern Shore and to offer a solution. Of the 5.5 billion beverage containers (metal, glass and plastic) sold each year in Maryland, more than 4 billion are left in the environment, along roadsides, in waterways and on our beaches. Plastic beverage containers break up into smaller pieces that pose health risks to
marine life and land animals, as well as humans.
The passage of the Maryland Bottle Bill, which will be reintroduced in the Maryland General Assembly’s 2026 session, would go a long way toward decreasing the littering of these beverage containers. A small deposit would be added to the price of beverages and would be refunded when the containers are returned. Think of it as purchasing the beverage and renting the containers. Bottle bills already exist in ten states and have proven to be highly effective. When containers can be redeemed for cash,
fewer are littered or likely to remain littered. The Maryland Bottle Bill is an updated, improved version of its predecessors.
We will need Maryland residents to help get this bill passed into law by contacting their Maryland State Senators, State Delegates and Gov. Moore and requesting their support of the bottle bill. Find your representatives using this link and then click on “lookup”: mgaleg.maryland.gov/ mgawebsite/members/district.
As a responsible constituent, please take the time to voice your support of the Maryland Bottle Bill to your legislators. It’s not too
soon, and the stakes are huge. Each year passage of this bill is delayed, at least another 4 billion beverage containers will be left to spoil our otherwise beautiful Maryland environment.
Yours sincerely, Cindy Dillon, Ocean Pines Zero Waste Lead Lower Eastern Shore Group of the MD Sierra Club
Homegrown talent STANDING Room Only
I was enjoying dinner at the Atlantic Hotel in Berlin a couple of weeks ago when I ran into an old friend from the other side of the bridge, ‘Baltimore’. I hadn’t seen Mike since we served a short stint working together after college. He moved on into the insurance business and became moderately successful selling and managing within a nationally-branded company.
Alas, he tells me, at a time when he was married, had two children and a mortgage, he was laid off from the management position and desk job that became too comfortable and ‘secure’ to grow another way. What to do now? Mike tells me that to keep his unemployment check from moving at too rapid a pace, he began to take courses at the community college near his home, studies that combined finance and real-estate law.
FROM HEAD TO HAMMER
One day, Mike was entering the school for his class when he noticed another classroom of people, hammers in hand, pounding on wooden beams to erect a house wall. In the classroom were male and female students learning the craftsmanship of building with
wood, nails, hammers and a large plethora of other building materials. While missing his college classes, he watched, mystified by the precise craft on display. The longer he watched, the more he wanted to be a part of the activity. So, he enrolled in the woodworking class.
HISTORY BEGINS
“The rest is history,” says Mike. He had absorbed the technological knowledge obtained from our mutual university and combined it with both the information learned from two years of community college and the skills acquired from his hands-on activity in the college’s workshops. After those two years of extracurricular handiwork, he started a home improvement construction firm, employing members of his former community college’s carpentry classes.
“I learned that some of the 40 people happily laboring in these craftsman-like classes had been in the same situation that I was: They were educated and unemployed,” Mike said.
Advancing this endeavour, he moved the company into a high-rise office and added a home-building firm along with a division that handles apartment construction.
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By Roger Marino
And with the growth of his company, Mike employed enthusiastic personnel who began learning their craft at the hands-on, community college level.
Mike’s degreed craftspeople are now happily involved with the planning, creation and development of construction projects in three states, adding on to universities, hospitals, retirement villages while also growing multiple unit housing developments and nursing homes in environments they cherish. And above it all, members of his group cashing a healthier paycheck in a long-term employment environment than they could ever envision during their previous employment.
“I soon realized,” said Mike, “that there was plenty of talent in the neighborhood. Many people educated on the college level have lost their jobs, or became tired of the routine level of desk-jockeying. They want the opportunity to express themselves in other ways.”
Mike emphasized, “There are men and women who have obtained a college or associate level of education who want to exercise their mind and body talents away from the desk. I found it to be true for me and now have 38 employees with degrees, drawing blueprints, hammering wooden 2x4’s, plowing basement holes, putting on roofs, laying driveways, planting yards, lighting the outside of homes. And they love it.” He smiles, “We have 100 construction craftspeople on our payroll. Many who have taken classes at the community college level. Why do we look to other areas of labor employment when there are hundreds of homegrown, educated craft persons sitting right here in our local classrooms.”
REVERSE RECRUITMENT
Mike developed a unique human resource technique of developing talent from a reverse source. He searched for those with a degree who were out of work, tired of laborious desk jobs and wanted a chance to learn something new. They need to possess some hands-on talent and be willing to trade a desk job for nails and shingles on a roof. They
needed to be willing to learn the art of hanging a shield over their face to operate a flaming welding torch.
It seemed odd to me when Mike first explained his new career points. Only until he detailed the opportunities the pipe-wrenching venture offered adventure-seeking career individuals did I start to understand. Every craftsperson with a college degree and trade school training is in line for a management position in his firm. All are eligible to own a piece of the firm. After a short period of training most have the ability and education to take on every division of the academic and technical business. And, thankfully, the beat will continue to go on with or without managerial oversight by my friend Mike.
Why look for expensive, out-ofstate companies to plan and engineer the growth of our roads, bridges, overpasses, highways and byways, schools and government buildings in our own back yards? We know that we are growing faster than ever before, thus allowing us to grow our local industry. Let’s develop our in-house talent by utilizing the minds and hands within our own stop signs.
Do you have a college or associate degree? Tired of your desk job? Looking for work and another opportunity? Do you like to work with your hands and want more in life? There must be another Mike in the neighborhood of our community college, eager to enlist and train your academic and technical skills with an encouraging welcome to join a growing enterprise.
I’ll stop by the Atlantic Hotel in a couple of days, and maybe I will meet another entrepreneur with an educated thirst for spreading the knowledge and wealth in area development. If the restaurant is void of that person, then strike up the managerial talents of the management, engineering and technical schools within our community and grow our own Mike to develop that homegrown talent
ROC Life
Bottle bill history comes full circle as Maryland weighs deposit law
By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher
Do you remember when a soda bottle wasn’t just something you tossed in the trash? For many of us, especially those who grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, returning bottles for a deposit was as normal as buying the drink in the first place. It was a small loop in everyday life: You bought a cold cola in a heavy glass bottle, paid a few extra cents as a deposit and when the bottle was empty, you carried it back to the store. The clerk would hand you your nickels or dimes and the bottle would make its way back to a bottling plant, be cleaned, refilled and sent out again.
That cycle was so ingrained that it’s easy to forget when and why it faded from the American landscape.
In the years after World War II, the U.S. was in love with convenience. Manufacturing advances and aggressive marketing brought a flood of lighter, disposable glass bottles, aluminum cans and eventually plastic. Beverage companies embraced the “throwaway” culture, seeing an opportunity to
sell more containers without having to deal with the cost and logistics of cleaning and reusing them. The old refillable system, with its sturdy bottles that could make dozens of trips, slowly lost ground.
Industry-backed groups, such as Keep America Beautiful, launched in 1953, promoted anti-litter messages. But these campaigns steered clear of pushing for bottle deposits. The focus was on individual responsibility rather than on the companies making single-use packaging. By the late 1960s, the bottle-return habit had nearly disappeared in most states.
Vermont was the first to push back. In 1953, the state passed a law banning beer and ale in non-returnable bottles. It was a bold move at the time, aimed at protecting the environment and supporting local brewers who still used refillable bottles. But the ban expired in 1957 when lawmakers declined to renew it. That short-lived effort was a preview of battles to come.
The modern “bottle bill” era began in the early 1970s. In 1971, Oregon passed the nation’s first statewide beverage container deposit
law. It required a 5-cent deposit on beer and soft drink containers, redeemable when empties were returned. The law took effect in 1972 and was a direct answer to growing roadside litter, which surveys found was dominated by disposable beverage containers.
Oregon’s success got noticed. Vermont came back to the issue in 1972, this time passing a permanent deposit law that took effect in 1973. These early wins showed that deposits worked, redemption rates soared, litter dropped and reuse became part of the state culture again.
The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a wave of adoptions. Maine passed its law in 1976, taking effect in 1978. That same year, Michigan’s voter-approved 10-cent deposit law, still the highest in the nation, went into effect. Iowa followed with a 5-cent law in 1979 and Connecticut joined in 1980. Massachusetts and New York rolled theirs out in 1983. California’s deposit system began in 1987 and Hawaii became the newest member of the bottle bill club in 2005.
For a while, momentum slowed.
Industry opposition was fierce and national proposals failed in Congress. Delaware, which had adopted a bottle bill in 1982, repealed it in 2010, replacing it with a non-refundable recycling fee on beverage containers. The result? The number of active states remained at ten.
In every bottle bill state, the process is similar. When you buy a beverage, you pay a deposit—usually 5 or 10 cents. When the container is empty, you bring it to a redemption center or back to a retailer, often feeding it into a reverse vending machine that scans the barcode and sorts the container. You get your deposit back and the container is recycled or, in some cases, refilled. Unclaimed deposits—the money from containers that are never returned—go either to the state to fund environmental programs or back to distributors to support the redemption system.
The results speak for themselves. Bottle bill states consistently see redemption rates above 60%, with some like Michigan regularly topping 85%. Litter studies in
BOTTLE BILL HISTORY page 15
BOTTLE BILL HISTORY
Continued from page 13
these states show steep declines in beverage container waste compared to states without deposits.
Today, those ten active bottle bill states are California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Vermont. Guam also has a deposit system. And Maryland may be next in line.
Maryland could get another chance to join the bottle bill ranks in 2026, if legislation is reintroduced for consideration. The Maryland Beverage Container Recycling Refund and Litter Reduction Program was first brought forward in 2025 but did not advance to passage. If a similar proposal is introduced and approved, it would represent Maryland’s first modern deposit-return system, a milestone in a state that has never had a bottle bill on its books. Modeled in part on successful programs in ten other states, the proposal called for a 10-cent deposit on beverage containers up to 24 ounces and 15 cents on larger ones. Consumers would be able to reclaim their deposit through multiple return options, including traditional in-store drop-off, reverse vending machines that automatically sort and credit refunds and bag-drop programs designed for convenience. To ensure strong participation, the measure also included a performance trigger. Beginning in 2032, deposit amounts would increase if redemption rates failed to reach
90%, mirroring strategies used in other bottle bill states to keep return rates high.
Supporters argue the law could dramatically cut litter in cities, waterways and along roadsides, boost recycling rates and create jobs in handling and processing. Critics worry about costs to retailers, space for redemption machines and impacts on curbside recycling programs.
For older Marylanders, though, the idea may feel more like coming full circle. The proposed system isn’t so different from what many grew up with in the 1950s and 1960s, except today’s bottles and cans are more varied in material and size and the logistics are handled by specialized recycling networks instead of local bottling plants.
The nostalgia factor is real. In deposit states, returning bottles is still a weekly or monthly ritual for many families. Kids learn early that empties have value, and community groups often collect containers as fundraisers. In Michigan, the 10-cent deposit is enough to keep redemption rates among the highest in the world. In Oregon, a recent expansion to a dime deposit after decades at a nickel brought redemption rates back up toward their original high levels.
Maryland’s plan would take a modern approach. Technology can track containers from the point of sale to redemption, ensuring deposits are returned only for containers sold in-state. Bag-drop stations could allow residents to skip the machine line altogether, with
The results speak for themselves. Bottle bill states consistently see redemption rates above 60%, with some like Michigan regularly topping 85%. Litter studies in these states show steep declines in beverage container waste compared to states without deposits.
refunds sent to their bank account or mobile payment app. And unlike the neighborhood stores of the 1950s, big grocery chains and standalone redemption centers would carry most of the load.
If Maryland passes its bottle bill, it will be joining a club of states that have proven for decades that the model works. Whether the law succeeds will depend on its design as well as on public buy-in. Deposit-return systems are most effective when people view them not as a burden, but as a natural part of buying and consuming beverages, the same way they did half a century ago.
So, do you remember? Do you remember carrying a wooden crate of empty soda bottles back to the store, hearing them clink together and watching the shopkeeper count them one by one? Do you remember the reward of a pocketful of nickels and the sense that nothing went to waste? Maryland may soon be asking its residents to remember and to bring that habit back with a modern twist.
For those who grew up with bottle deposits, it’s not a new idea at all. It’s a return to a practice that was once as familiar as the taste of the drink itself.
