Time to back the OPA Board on Town Center decision
Commentary by Joe Reynolds
On Wednesday May 25, 2005 the Ocean Pines Board of Directors met in public session and made a final decision on construction of a new Town Center building to meet the community's meeting space requirements. There are four primary aspects of the board decision:

• Construct a new 29,000 square foot building at a cost of approximately $4 million.
• No assessment increase to finance.
• Financing will be accomplished via the sale of OPA-owned commercial property along Route 589 between Taylor Bank and Route 90, as well as home building lots owned by OPA in the subdivision.
• The existing community hall will not be rebuilt and will not be a part of the referendum going out to lot owners, but the board will likely do necessary minimum repairs as necessary to keep the building functional.

The final board decision was the result of board discussion at meetings over the past year, input from lot owners during at  least two Town Hall meetings, and input received directly by board members from lot owners. The board decision was unanimous, with all directors present, after much discussion and debate of the various options.

Decent meeting space is something many community members say they want. The details of the board proposal to meet meeting space requirements and financing the construction as laid out above may not satisfy every lot owner in the community, however it is now time to look past our own individual preferences on how to meet space requirements and do what is best for the entire community of Ocean Pines.

What is best for the entire Ocean Pines community will be your YES vote on the referendum question when you receive it in the mail sometime in the latter part of July.