Around Ocean Pines
Commentary by Joe Reynolds
9/29/2004
If irony was water the Community Hall at Ocean Pines would have been flooded during the public comments period of the September 21st OPA Board of Directors meeting.
One group of lot owners expressed concern about a proposed marina expansion at the Swim and Racquet Club; another group asked the board to appropriately mark pedestrian access paths to public parks.
Where is the great irony?
OPA has already authorized the expenditure of $25,000 for marina design plans and other expenses to obtain a building permit for a project that could cost over $600,000. Meantime, OPA President Dan Stachurski says the board hasn’t even decided to construct anything. The project would perhaps benefit 90 lot owners, while it will adversely impact surrounding properties and overall community enjoyment of the area.
On the other hand, dismayed over General Manager Dave Ferguson’s intransigence on requests to have pedestrian access paths to public parks appropriately marked, lot owners were forced to ask for board intervention. Marking public access to OPA parks should be a no-brainer. The cost is minimal and access would add to the enjoyment of our open spaces for nearly everyone in the community.
Adding to the irony are Stachurski’s disingenuous comments about concerns expressed by marina opponents. On the topic of whether or not there would be gas pumps at the marina, Stachurski tells anyone willing to listen that no gas service has been approved. What he does not make clear, however, is that the board decided to proceed with preparation of permit application requirements covering all possible uses at the marina -- including gasoline facilities, sewage pump out, security lighting, and a marina building that could contain a store and an attendant.
A day after the board meeting, lot owner and local builder Bill Rakow wrote, “Although I believe Dan when he said no decisions have been made, I tend to believe that it was the intent of the board to build the marina. I believe that we should have gone through the process of getting the input from the community and deciding if we wanted to proceed before spending $25,000 on the design work.”
Another lot owner and builder, Marty Clarke of Caliban Homes, penned this, “I wrote to the board when they first agreed to spend the money. $25,000 spent to see if you can do something you have not yet decided to do????”
Marty Clarke and Bill Rakow are not exactly “NIMBYs” or “naysayers” as one local wag is quick to tag anyone expressing legitimate concerns about OPA projects or how OPA spends lot owner assessment dollars.
OPA needs to do the right thing on park access and the marina. The right thing on the marina project is exactly what Rakow and Clarke suggest –- immediately stop spending any assessment dollars until a decision is made to proceed or not proceed. If the former, proceed only after a detailed explanation of the proposal and adequate opportunity for lot owner input.
On park access,
Joe Reynolds, a 14-year resident of Ocean Pines, is founder of OceanPinesForum.com. Contact Joe at
Uploaded: 10/7/2004
