ESVBA offers update on broadband build-out

from March 2023 Ocean Pines Progress

Board rejects ballot review complaint

Non-profit enrolls 189 Captain’s Cove customers so far

By TOM STAUSS

Publisher

Eastern Shore of Virginia Broadband Authority has signed up 189 customers in Captain’s Cove as of Feb. 24, recently completed laying of high speed fiber-optic cable in a swath of the community, and will soon be completing another area that will bring its build-out to 59 percent.

That’s ahead of a two-year plan to make high-speed Internet available to the entire community, said ESVBA Director of Construction Kyle Bundick, who was invited to provide a broadband update during a Feb. 24 Operating Committee meeting.

He said a swath of Captain’s labeled Section 3, not to be confused with a neighborhood in Captain’s Cove also called Section 3, was completed weeks ago, comprising 32 percent of the community.

Contractors began laying cable in a second swath, called Section 4, about 2 and a half weeks ago, Bundick said, adding then when completed Section 4 will result in broadbank availability to 59 percent of Captain’s Cove.

The community is divided up into five sections, with build-out to occur in priority sequence of 3,4,2,5 and 1.

“That is subject to change,” depending on ground conditions, Bundick said.

He asked for patience and also said that phone calls asking about availability to particular streets or home addresses are not helpful.

Homeowners will be notified when broadband is available to them, he said.

Bundick said ESVBA’s contractor that is installing cable has been helped by the winter’s mild weather.

Ron Wolff to host March 13 town hall

Senior General Manager Colby Phillips has announced that Accomack County Board of Supervisors President Ron Wolff will host a town hall meeting in Captain’s Cove on Monday, March 13, at the Marina Club banquet room beginning at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be in-person and accessible via Zoom.

This will be the first meeting hosted by Wolff since last fall. Edward Taylor, District 2 Board of Education member, will also attend the meeting, Phillips said.

A preview of the next county budget to be unveiled later that week is likely, she said.

The announcement of Wolff’s town hall was made during the Feb. 24 Operating Committee meeting.

During the property management team segment of the meeting, Phillips announced that:

• An initial draft of the 2023-24 Captain’s Cove Golf and Yacht Club bud-

Ballot complaint

From Page 48

“It was disappointing to the employees and volunteers who monitored the ballot inspection process that several of the complainants chose to kick and bang on the entry doors to the room. These actions caused other ballot inspectors to report of being intimidated by this group,” the letter said.

The letter to Magrogan indicated that there may be some relief given to the complaints despite the fact that “no violations of any bylaw or rule were cited by the complainants.”

He letter said that the complaint will be referred to the Operating Committee, the CCGYC secretary and property management team “to determine if aspects within the complaint can be developed for adjustments to election and ballot review procedures which are equitable to both Class A and Class B Members, as well as aligned with the VAPOAA statutes and CCGYC organizational documents.” get will be introduced May 19, with in-house departmental reviews scheduled from May 22 to June 1.

The Jan. 23 hearing was recorded, and the meeting audio is available and the complete transcript will be posted on the CCGYC website when it is available.

Budget meetings open to the membership will take place beginning in June, she said.

• Stride and ride days will take place weather permitting the second or third Wednesday of the month through October on the cart paths of the Cove golf course, once play has ended for the day. Walkers and bikers but no motorized vehicles will be allowed on the course during these events, she said.

• Fling golf, an alternative to traditional golf that uses a club-like instrument to “throw” a golf ball rather than hit it, will be coming to Captain’s Cove in the spring. It will be played on the Cove golf course. Lessons will be offered on how to properly “fling” a golf ball. Phillips said the game generally proceeds faster than a regular game of golf.

Since a golf ball is flung rather than hit, it also produces less wear and tear on a golf course, avoiding divots.

Wilder offers tips for speedy ECC approvals

Property owners who would like fast approval of their applications for new homes or modifications to existing homes should avoid submitting incomplete applications, with missing information that requires follow-up to address, General Manager Justin Wilder said during the Feb. 24 Operating Committee meeting.

He said applicants need to supply relevant drawings, photos and other material, inviting property owners intending to submit applications to meet with him before hand to discuss requirements.

Roof repair and replacement is one area where there are few requirements, Wilder said.

He announced that inspections of homes to ensure that fuel tanks are properly screened with lattice or shrubbery will commence May 15, and that the annual bulkhead inspection by boat will also occur in the spring.

Majerus announces new auditing firm

Operating Committee Chair Mark Majerus announced during the committee’s Feb. 24 meeting that the firm of Rosen, Sapperstein and Friedlander of Towson, Md., has been hired to conduct CCGYC’s annual audit, replacing UHY, a large national accounting firm that acquired Trice, Geary Myers (TGM), the Cove’s long-time auditing firm, last year.

Majerus said UHY declined to continue TGM’s business relationship with the CCGYC.

Rosen, Sapperstein and Friedlander is a prominent regional firm handling a wide range of financial services, according to its Website.

Majerus said the annual audit can’t begin until the ongoing forensic audit of the first six months of 2022-23 by CohnResnick is completed. Those six months cover the period when Cove finances were managed by an affiliate of Troon Golf.

The new auditing firm will also handle the Cove’s annual Board of Directors election, Majerus said.

He also announced that:

• The dredge boat that was severely damaged by a recent act of vandalism can be repaired.

“It’s good news,” Majerus said, adding that it means the Cove won’t have to spend a large sum of money buying a new dredge boat.

Repairs will be done by the Cove’s maintenance staff in the spring when this season’s two-month dredging program is completed, he said.

So far, this year’s program has removed 1900 cubic yards of of infill from the canals, he said.

Two weeks were suspended because of a starter failure in the leased dredge boat, but Majerus said another two weeks will be added on beyond the contract’s end date at no addition charge to the Cove.

Majerus said requests for canal dredging beyond that which is already on the map for this season can’t be honored because of the cost involved in relocating equipment.

A Spring Dance for the entire Family!