8/31/2005

OPA names Glenn Duffy President of Board
By Bob Lassahn

On August 26 the Ocean Pines Association (OPA) Board of Directors assembled to select their officers for the coming year. Five of the seven board members were present for the meeting held in the Board Room of the OPA Administration Building.

President Dan Stachurski opened the meeting and presided over the business of the board pending the election of a new president. OPA Attorney Joe Moore administered the oath of office to newly elected board member Reid Sterrett, who was accompanied by his wife Robin and son John, prior to commencing the business of the board.

Mr. Stachurski nominated Glenn Duffy as the next OPA Board president and with no other names placed into nomination Mr. Duffy officially assumed the office. Mr. Duffy, upon assuming his new position, nominated Mr. Stachurski as vice president. Mr. Stachurski was not challenged for the position. Retired board member Skip Carey formerly occupied the office.

The board then embarked on the process of selecting a new treasurer to replace retired board member Tom Sandusky and Mr. Duffy nominated Reid Sterrett. Board member George Coleburn challenged by placing his own name into nomination (permitted under the rules) and provided a brief summary of his qualifications. The nominations were then closed and the ballots cast. The final count was four votes for Mr. Sterrett and one vote for Mr. Coleburn.

Heather Cook, who served during the previous year as board secretary, was nominated for the position by Mr. Duffy and was not challenged. She will retain her office for the coming year.

Mr. Duffy also made the following nominations that were unanimously approved by the board: assistant treasurer, OPA General Manager Dave Ferguson; recording/assistant secretary, Phyllis East; legal counsel, Joseph Moore; auditors, the firm of Trice, Geary and Myers; timekeeper, Phyllis East; and parliamentarian, Reid Sterrett.

Mr. Duffy made one additional appointment when he named Mr. Stachurski as the point man/liaison for construction of the new town center authorized by the recent referendum.

The board approved a schedule of regular meetings through July 2006 with locations to be announced. The first meeting is scheduled for September 14 and all meetings will occur on Wednesday mornings. Mr. Coleburn asked that the schedule beyond September remain open in recognition of the schedules of absent board members but Mr. Duffy countered that the schedule is subject to change if the need should arise.

Mr. Sterrett asked that some meetings be scheduled for evenings or Saturdays to accommodate non-resident owners but several board members disagreed, recalling that this has been tried and never resulted in a significant change in attendance. It was also suggested by Mr. Stachurski that the three to four “town meetings” the board may schedule would likely occur during evenings and/or Saturday. When the question was called the board approved the schedule with Mr. Coleburn abstaining.

The public comments portion of the meeting was reserved largely for compliments to the board members, in particular from Ms. Cook to Mr. Stachurski for his service as president during the last three years. Former board member Skip Carey made an appearance to thank Ms. Cook for her work with the grass roots committee that pressed through the town center referendum and presented her with an “OP” sweater letter for her role as a cheerleader.

Two individuals did place issues before the board for consideration. Ted Markiewicz, representing the Manklin Creek Group read a statement calling upon the board to work with them on the environmental improvement of Manklin Creek and Nancy Weber called the board’s attention to a garage under construction at 61 Ocean Parkway that is a source of controversy.

With regard to absentee board members, Mark Venit was out of town on business and Janet Kelley was in Maine visiting with her father who recently underwent hip replacement surgery.

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