Candidates comment on currents events

The four candidates for the three vacancies on the Board of Directors recently were given questions by the Ocean Pines Progress and the Elections Committee on current events in Ocean Pines. The candidates are Elaine Brady, Jeff Heavner, John Latham and Jerry Murphy. Responses appear below.

The Elections Committee and the Board of Directors have opted for paper only ballots in this year’s Board election, with on-line voting likely to return next year if all goes well with the new Washington State vendor handling this year’s election process. Do you support this timeline and hybrid voting - paper and online - in general?

ELAINE BRADY - In full disclosure, I was a member of the Elections Committee through the task of reviewing the 2022 election. I resigned after the task was completed in order to run for the Board.

The decision to do mail only voting for our upcoming election was made during the 2022 election review process by the Election Committee in order to restore confidence in our election process. I supported that decision, along with the decision to find a new online voting vendor which could satisfy the requirements of providing one ballot for each lot, along with the capability of providing a paper ballot for online votes if needed for a recount.

JEFFREY HEAVNER - Our democracy and freedom come with costs and responsibilities. One of the highest costs is projecting security through a strong military. Ours is simply the best and I thank our neighbors and their families who served for your sacrifice!

One of the most important responsibilities is voting for the representatives that govern.

It is in the best interest of the Association to enable a large voter turnout. Ocean Pines has diverse property owners that can bring varying perspectives that can lead to better decision making. Making it easier to vote can improve voter turnout. I support hybrid voting.

JOHN LATHAM - I am glad the Board of Directors decided to do paper only this year to make sure we are comfortable with our new sup- plier partner. I really like the fact that we can get an email confirmation once our ballot is counted. We have never had that option in the past as far as I know.

I will support a hybrid voting option next year if we feel comfortable that we have the right tool. Electronic voting is certainly something that isn’t new to most. It would probably save OPA money in the future as well. Regarding timing, I believe the Election Committee has thought through the process and will have options for owners to drop off their ballot at Police/Admin building and they will be sent via Federal Express. It will still be incumbent on the owners to get their ballot in on time. As in years past, I am sure some will be late and go uncounted.

JERRY MURPHY - Yes, assuming the voting process we are using for this years election goes well, and without the controversy we have seen in past elections. I would support both paper and on line voting for the next election. The Election Committee puts much time and thought in their decisions. Therefore, I believe hybrid voting would be the next logical step for our voting process.

Certain current and former Board members were critical of the manner in which the Elections Committee made decisions with respect to outsourcing this summer’s election. In your view did the Elections Committee handle its responsibilities competently, or do you agree with some or all of the criticism?

JEFFREY HEAVNER - First, Ocean Pines advisory committees do not make decisions, the Board does. Our talented committees have been formed to provide the Board with sound advice based upon the members’ abilities and their research and analysis.

Second, I would not publicly criticize a decision of the Board. While Board members may have differing perspectives, the collective should be perceived as one. If I were to be critical, it would be directed at myself for not successfully asking the right questions to open dialogue on issues that I may have had differing concerns.

Finally, I have previously said that I support the routine update from the committee Chairperson on critical issues. This could end surprise and support transparency.

JOHN LATHAM - It is my understanding that the Elections Committee followed the plan as it was originally outlined. The RFP was issued with a timeline and some of the suppliers didn’t respond at all or in a timely manner. It seems like there may have been a disconnect with the incumbent supplier and what the expectations were (in conjunction with the requirements noted in the RFP).

Not knowing what all of the timelines were for the process, the responsibility resided with the supplier to make sure they are clear on the “ask”. I am sure the elections committee learned something as well.

JERRY MURPHY - Yes, my opinion is the election committee does handle their responsibilities competently. While criticism, especially constructive criticism, are a part of the decision process. I think that our various committees, elections not withstanding, have a good checks and balance with the board of directors in making responsible decisions which are in the best interest of the residents of Ocean Pines.

ELAINE BRADY - I believe the Committee acted responsibly, and with great competency. Tom Piatti and committee member George Alston, who has a background in software coding and development, had the tenacity and expertise to research and ask the right questions in order to properly vet vendors and choose one capable of meeting all the requirements necessary for both mailed-in and online voting.

Ice cream social

The Drawbridge Diners held an ice cream social in the cul-desac on Drawbridge Road in Ocean Pines on Saturday, June 3. Although the weather was chilly and windy, 34 neighbors attended.

Candidates comment

From Page 35

The current Board has not acted on a proposed section-by-section vote to amend restrictive covenants in older sections of Ocean Pines to give the OPA more tools to enforce county law regarding short-term rentals. Among the options - a proposal to give the OPA the power to levy fines on those found to be in violation of short-term rental rules. Do you agree or disagree with those directors -- an apparent majority -- who oppose proceeding with this “referendum” to change the DRs? Reasons?

JOHN LATHAM - This seems to be a hot topic every summer when we see an increase in rental property usage. I would support allowing OPA to be able to enforce STR’s to make sure rentals are properly licensed. The county already has restrictions defined and its incumbent on OPA to inform residents of these requirements. The enforcement on the other hand could be prove to be difficult to manage. If we have the authority, we can use it as needed. We already have many other CPI issues that we are trying to manage, and I believe we have less than two people working on enforcement. I would also consider feedback from the ARC committee as they see many of the violations, although they may be unrelated to STRs.

JEFFREY HEAVNER - OP has declaration of restrictions to protect our lifestyle and property values. It is wrong to run a short-term (28days or less) rental business without obtaining the proper county and OP permits. The permits help to ensure the safety of the renters and neighbors. This is property owner transparency. Rules are put into place to set rational governing of things for concern for common good and community care. Rules are typically accompanied by penalties if not followed.

I have always felt a strong allegiance to rules. My parents instilled a strong set of ethics. On July 6 th , 1979, I began to hold myself to even higher standards of honor, expressed in the U.S. Naval Academy honor concept and I continue to live by them today. I do not lie, cheat, or steal. I have integrity and stand for what is right. I embrace fairness in all actions. I respect the property of others.

JERRY MURPHY - Short term rentals are important to many home owners in Ocean Pines. Some owners buy houses expecting to offset their mortgage and expenses through rental income, while some day in the future having a house for retirement. While this is understandable, the landlords do have the responsibility to their neighbors and other residents surrounding their property. There are currently rules in place which must be followed. Concerning short term rentals, they should be dealt with on a case by case basis.

ELAINE BRADY - The county regulates short-term rentals and has measures in place to enforce violations, including those in Ocean Pines, I see no need to add another layer of enforcement.

At the May Board meeting, OPA President Doug Parks and other directors discussed the possibility of amending governing documents to give the OPA the authority to levy fines in the older sections of Ocean Pines for alleged violations of these documents. What is your attitude in general toward the OPA having this authority in both the newer sections of Ocean Pines that already allow it and the older sections? Do you also support adding to the governing documents the ability to suspend amenity use for those who violate decorum or other rules of behavior at our amenities (the core issue in the recent Janasek litigation)?

JERRY MURPHY - Many of the governing documents are outdated, some were written and have not been amended over 15 years. We are no longer a community of 500 houses, but are approaching 8,500 houses. It is the homeowners responsibility to maintain their property in good condition. Those who violate that responsibility should be dealt with on a case by case basis. The board of directors should not be involved suspending the use of amenities for association member behavior. This is an operations issue, rules and policy should be established by our attorney and general manager to be put into policy with our amenities.

ELAINE BRADY - These are two separate issues.

On fines: Enacting fines in neighborhoods where it is allowed may help expedite the process of cleaning up run down properties. However, OPA should limit those to neighborhoods that do not have a secondary HOA which already institute fines to keep properties in check. As our community continues to age the problem of unkempt properties may become a larger issue than it already is, and changes to the DRs should be considered in those areas which cannot enact fines if other measures are not working.

On suspending amenities: I don’t feel it is necessary. Operations personnel already have the tools and authority to maintain the peaceful enjoyment of our amenities. On-site managers can make a decision to remove (or have removed) any unruly member or guest as an incident occurs. Additionally, OPA managers and/or our General Manager have the ability to refuse alcohol service at our bars to anyone who causes continuous disorderly behavior.

JOHN LATHAM - I happen to live in a section (Marina Village) where we can levy our own fines. As President of this HOA, we rarely ever need to issue a fine as we are fortunate to have a group of homeowners that understand that we have rules and regulations that need to be followed. If OPA determined that one of our homeowners had a violation, our HOA would support helping to close out any issues. My thought is that the new sections with tighter rules and regulations, won’t want to loosen what they have worked hard to establish. The governing documents only allow the BOD to suspend use of amenities if a resident has not paid their assessment or if a resident has a continuing CPI violation. The issue of suspending the use of amenities is an operation issue that must be handled by the GM and his team. The last time the Board majority tried to extend its authority to suspend amenity use, we were sued and lost the case.

JEFFREY HEAVNER - My wife and I have lived in six different states and one foreign country because of work relocation. We chose to retire in OP due to the Maryland moderate climate and the lifestyle of the community. I am also a native of Maryland. Our community is so beautiful and of course, I want to see it kept that way.

Our rules should have penalties for violators. However, these rules

To Page 38

Candidates comment

From Page 36 need to be consistently applied in a prompt and cost-effective manner. As far as patron behavior and decorum at our amenities are concerned, this is an issue for OP operations and the General Manager. The rules and regulations of our amenities are posted on the OP website.

The Board this past year resisted calls by the Justice for Gavin group to name the Ocean Pines skateboard park after an Ocean Pines teenager who died in a tragic traffic accident. There is no published or approved criteria in Ocean Pines for naming amenities after deceased Ocean Pines Association members -such as a substantial contribution for the improvement of the amenity by a foundation or the family of the deceased. Can you envision any naming criteria that you would support? Or in your view would it be better if the OPA steered clear of establishing such criteria?

ELAINE BRADY - I don’t feel the Board should name, or sell naming rights for our facilities and amenities. There are many other suitable options for those who wish to honor a loved one.

Additionally, as a practical matter, there are only a limited number of facilities and amenities, and set- ting a precedent of naming a facility or amenity puts the board in the position of subjectively determining the worthiness of any such request in the future, which is truly unfair to any grieving family.

JOHN LATHAM - I don’t believe we need to establish formal criteria to name our amenities. I would fully support that OPA continue to have flexibility to make a decision on a “one off” basis as they have in the past.

JEFFREY HEAVNER - My heart broke as a parent when I learned that Gavin Knupp lost his life on July 11th, 2022, in a tragic hit and run on Grays Corner Road. The Gavin family and friends had a disappointing experience with the

Association in their quest to honor Gavin’s life with a memorial in the community.

In the spriit of transparency, the investigation to set up an amenity naming architecture may be beneficial.

In the absence of an architecture, decision consistency may not be able to be achieved and perhaps contribute to frustration. The answer may be that the Association does not name or rename amenities in the name of individuals. Rules and policies that are applied to all in the same manner can help protect and bring clarity.

JERRY MURPHY - I support justice for Gavin, I support justice for everyone. At this time, I don’t see a need to name amenities after deceased association members. We are a 54-year-old community. I am sure that many residents throughout the years have devoted many countless days and much effort to make Ocean Pines the safe and desirable community that we have today.

Currently, I feel it would be better if the association does not get involved with the naming of amenities. Presentation of recognition awards, or plaques, might be a better avenue to pursue.

Planning for a new or rehabbed Southside firehouse is proceeding, with some hope that fund-raising efforts will produce significant resources to pay for what is expected to be a multi-million project. If fund-raising efforts do not produce the desired revenues, what would you propose as the means for paying for this facility? Would borrowing the funds in the current interest rate environment be something you could or would support, or would you prefer restricting the funding source to the annual OPA lot assessment and/or replacement reserves?

JOHN LATHAM - As I have previously stated, I am a full supporter of our Fire/EMS (and Police) services and I think they are very important to our community. Safety was cited as the highest rated issue for our owners in a recent survey of OPA members.

In my communications with owners, most all are in support of continued and improved Fire/EMS services. Having said that, as a community, we need to be thoughtful and planful in the manner in

Candidates comment

From Page 38 which we would consider funding the project. In addition to current fundraising, I would want to make sure we have exhausted every avenue regarding grant money. As far as borrowing money, I would need a lot more data to evaluate if that would make any sense.

I understand OPA doesn’t own the Fire department building, so not sure if some kind of swop deal for the real estate property would be an option. Regarding our assessment, we budgeted $126 of each assessment in 2022-23, and $119 in our current year 2023-24. I would be wide open to hear additional ideas from the Fire/EMS leadership team.

JEFFREY HEAVNER - The Board should be focused on the large issues that can improve the welfare of a broad segment of the population that keep OP safe, attractive, enjoyable and affordable. Safety is one of these issues. I appreciate the protection we receive from the OP police department and the fire/emergency medial services.

Before any position is taken on funding, more information is needed on fund-raising efforts to action the fire/emergency medical services strategic plan, developed from the DMA Reserve, Inc. survey. All initiatives should continue to support our strong financial position. I continue to advocate for short updates on these large issues at regular Board meetings to promote transparency.

JERRY MURPHY - Safety should always first and foremost in our community. I would support all options possible in our effort to bring the Southside Firehouse up to the best current standards possible.

Grants, public and private funding, should be our first consideration. If we fall short of funds, other options will have to be considered.

ELAINE BRADY - I believe we have to support all efforts of both our Police and Fire Departments that ensure the continued safety of our community. If the current plan for the Southside firehouse falls short all options should be considered to provide the necessary funds, and should be based on the most viable financial recourse at that time.

What do you think are the most significant issues facing the Association in the next two or three years and what solutions would you offer?

JEFFREY HEAVNER - Ocean Pines is a vibrant community that competes with the best. I call it the “Land of Pleasant Living.” The association will always have significant internal and external issues to face to continuously improve our infrastructure (police, fire, roads, bulkheads), amenities, marketing and public relations, public works, and recreation and parks.

Improvement is vital to lead this community forward into the next 50-years. Issues like police staffing, aging fire trucks, aging beach club, community aesthetics, road projects outside of the Pines. The list is continuing and is long.

The cornerstone of my success at ExxonMobil was leading departments forward by focusing on the execution of both yearly and longer-range strategic plans. The plans identified the significant issues and their solutions. Departments discussed progress at leadership (board) meetings.

Our success was dependent on working together. I recommend that each of the thirteen advisory com- mittees and general manager develop, maintain, and report the progress of strategic plans.

This approach builds teams and transparency. I also recommend adopting the practice of scheduling time during board meetings where one or two committees reviews the highlights of their plans. Get more individuals involved and talking. I believe this would create more community interest.

JERRY MURPHY - The issues that appear to be of most concern currently, are drainage and bulkheads. While some recent improvements are underway, there is still work and decisions to be made. I would suggest a plan that would take into consideration the environmental and conservation challenges we face today.

Safety of the Community, Police Recruitment and the Southside Fire Station Development are issues that must stay on the front burner for funding, both public and private.

ELAINE BRADY - Our community is now 55 years old and there is a need to expedite the process of rundown properties to protect property values. Neighborhoods which have a secondary HOA have managed to do so with fines. Reasonably enacted, it could help to resolve issues with unkempt properties after warnings are ignored, along with encouraging owners to address needed repairs in a timelier manner.

The Beach Club, which is one of our oldest most valuable assets, is in need of a renovation and to be brought up to current ADA accessible standards so all of our property owners can enjoy this wonderful amenity.

Drainage will always be an on-going issue and we should continue to look for grants through local environmental partners who can help mitigate drainage problems, along with erosion to our shorelines, as we have with the Bainbridge and Jenkins Point projects.

Keeping our community safe by supporting the needs of our Police and Fire Departments.

Working with our county and state representatives for essential needs, including a cell tower capable of providing reliable cell service to areas in the ‘dead zone’, and ramping up improvements to Rt. 589 as commercial growth continues to expand along that corridor.

JOHN LATHAM - I believe some of the most significant issues that OPA will face in the next couple years are:

Making sure that we stay aligned with our 5-year strategic plan that includes maintenance of our infrastructure and appearance (roads, drainage, bulkheads, DMA Reserve plan). I would support the current plan as I have spent quite a bit of time reviewing the plans for each of these areas. I believe we are heading in the right direction. I would not want to see the community delay these projects that are so important to our future.

I want to see OPA continue the trend with our financial condition as the last three years have been positive and we have had the opportunity to lower our assessments. It’s important to our community and was identified as being important to our homeowners in our recent community survey. Continuing to listen to the owners will be paramount.

We need to stay close to decisions that surround our community (route 90 dualization/ traffic on 589). They both could have significant impact on our community. Safety is important to our community, and we need to continue to support police and fire/ EMS.

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