Your analysis does not jive with what Jim Crabill (sp?) explained to me was the County Public Works policy in terms of road cuts made by the Public Works Department in the course of providing water and sewer service for new homes.

I asked Crabill specifically if the permit fees paid by the contractor/owner included dollars to fully complete the road cut, temporary repairs and the final hot patch. Crabill said the fees included this. Thus, the Ocean Pines Association should not be expending any monies in connection with road patching for utility connections for new home construction. Currently the temporary patching is done by Public Works and the final hot patch is done by a private contractor under contract with the County. Based on what Crabill said, The Ocean Pines Association should not enter this picture at all, and if OPA is spending money on interim patching of road cuts for utility connection of new homes, then OPA may well be expending our tax dollars improperly. Crabill even said that if Ocean Pines was out patching and repairing road cuts done for utility connections to new homes, he knew nothing about it!

Point is, Joe, based on my conversation with Crabill, it appears we have OPA crews doing patching that is the obligation of the County. It may well be something as simplistic that the OPA just goes out and makes repairs when called by someone, without considering the patches are County responsibility.

OK. Just spoke with Dave Ferguson. Dave confirmed that the patching is the County responsibility. He said he is completely frustrated by the County's inability to do the final patching in a timely manner, saying no hot, final patching has been done by the County for 2 years! This is absolutely contrary to Crabill's statement to me that there was a contract to do hot patching twice a year.

My question now is, why hasn't this Board or prior Boards made this a major public issue so the ratepayers of Ocean Pines are well informed on the issue.

After speaking with Crabill and Ferguson it appears quite clear that Ocean Pines taxpayers are footing the bill to one extent or another when the responsibility lies totally with the County.