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6/19/2009 9:42:32 PM
 
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Section 23: OPA Elections Subject: 2009 Candidates Forum Msg# 679065
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Dan, As I posted earlier I am a strong supporter of Pete Gomsak and therefore I want to respond to your comments in so much as it appears you may not be attending board meetings or watching the videos. Although Mr. Gomsak is certainly more than qualified for a board position, I thought his answers to Candidate Forum questions were based on what I perceived to be his strong belief that the Board is and should be the operational management of Ocean Pines. On that topic, I disagree. On what specific answers do you base your perception? Are you aware that the GM appointed Mr. Gomsak to the 10 Year Plan Task Force specifically because of his understanding and talents in the financial area? Obviously Tom Olson values the advice and support he is getting from Mr. Gomsak and does not perceive the same concerns you feel. In fact I think the GM welcomes Mr. Gomsak's involvement in bringing clarity to the process and being an effective proponent for long term financial planning. We hire and pay significant funds to professionals to operate our homeowners' association. We elect our Board to establish and oversee policy -- not procedure --for those pros to follow and goals for them to aim toward. Wow.......is this a change of heart from your term on the board? The board has a fiduciary responsibility to the membership that goes beyond simply setting policy. They have additional responsibilities including approving the budget, financial and other long term strategic planning and oversight of association investments to name just three areas. He stated that he is convinced that our annual association fees should go up $30 per year continuously -- even though there is no professional OPA management plan for the use of those fees in existence to justify his conviction, for example. You should watch the videos of the board meetings in particular the budget meeting of 1/9/09 where the failures of past boards to properly fund reserve accounts and using reserve account money to fund operations and/or special board projects is discussed. You might also note that by setting the increase at an even amount for the next five years it will prevent massive single year spikes in assessments. This is part of a management plan and if you watch the video you will see the explanation. It was supported by the board including Mr. Unger (watch the 1/9/09 video from the 2:18 time until the end and you will see Mr. Unger agree with and strongly endorse Mr. Gomsak's report from B&F Committee). You might also watch the videos from 12/17/08 and 1/24/09 where the increases are discussed and the approval of the budget with the increases for which Mr. Unger also voted in the affirmative. Ray Unger, though less academically qualified than Gomsak, clearly understands the role and responsibility of the Board based on three years of experience. His primary concern is the health and well being of OPA property owners' investment in Ocean Pines. Witness his recent motion to dump an outrageous 99 year lease offer from Leighton Moore for our bayside property. Which of the board members do you contend do not have as a primary concern the "health and well being of OPA property owners' investment in Ocean Pines?" Are you saying that this is not a primary concern of all the candidates? Let's see, in an election year with at least the vocal public opinion against the idea a candidate for reelection makes a motion not to move forward ======= no brainer! By the way didn't you once want to explore building condo's at the beach property? OPA property owners need to focus on the role of the Board as they decide for whom to vote. We don't need any more Board members who want to be the hands-on management of Ocean Pines. Or, if we really expect unpaid albeit well-meaning and qualified property owners to manage Ocean Pines, we should also vote to reduce, significantly, the paid staff that would simply be duplicating Board management efforts. Dan, as a board member, didn't you ask to be the operational sole "point man" for the failed CC. It seems to me that you were heavily involved in "operational management" and "hands on" far more than the current board has been. I am amazed at your change of heart on this issue. Do you really believe that OPA should ignore the talents and ability of many members and not call on that free experience? I'll give you a good example, the contracts for the failed CC where we paid the contractor too much and are now going to court with SPN. Contrast that with the current CH where Tom Olson deserves all the credit for bringing a team together to do everything from negotiating the contract to managing the project using a board member, OPA association members and OPA employees working as a team. I would also say that Tom has started to use the talents of the community in moving forward on multiple fronts employing talented association members and building a consensus for action. While we are each entitled to our opinions, I "perceive" this has nothing to do with "operational management" and more to do with a different agenda. I certainly hope I am wrong. Ted |
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For reference, the above message is a reply to a message where: Although Mr. Gomsak is certainly more than qualified for a board position, I thought his answers to Candidate Forum questions were based on what I perceived to be his strong belief that the Board is and should be the operational management of Ocean Pines. On that topic, I disagree. We hire and pay significant funds to professionals to operate our homeowners' association. We elect our Board to establish and oversee policy -- not procedure -- for those pros to follow and goals for them to aim toward. I don't think Mr. Gomsak will be able to keep his hands out of the day to day business of OPA. He stated that he is convinced that our annual association fees should go up $30 per year continuously -- even though there is no professional OPA management plan for the use of those fees in existence to justify his conviction, for example. He is, no doubt, quite capable of creating such a management plan, but is that what we want a Board member to do? Perhaps we should be interviewing Mr. Gomsak for the job of general manager, should he decide to step out of his comfortable retirement and our current general manager gets gunned down by the ever-watchful Mr. Oostveen? Ray Unger, though less academically qualified than Gomsak, clearly understands the role and responsibility of the Board based on three years of experience. His primary concern is the health and well being of OPA property owners' investment in Ocean Pines. Witness his recent motion to dump an outrageous 99 year lease offer from Leighton Moore for our bayside property. We agree that young Mr. Thompson, and I stress the young part, is clearly a solid choice. OPA property owners need to focus on the role of the Board as they decide for whom to vote. We don't need any more Board members who want to be the hands-on management of Ocean Pines. Or, if we really expect unpaid albeit well-meaning and qualified property owners to manage Ocean Pines, we should also vote to reduce, significantly, the paid staff that would simply be duplicating Board management efforts. Dan Stachurski |
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OPA Board Meeting - Golf Clubhouse
1/25/2025 - 9: A.M. |
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OPA Board Meeting - Golf Clubhouse
2/22/2025 - 9:00 A.M. |
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OPA Board Meeting - Golf Clubhouse
3/29/2025 - 9:00 A.M. |
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OPA Board Meeting - Golf Clubhouse
4/26/2025 - 9:00 A.M. |
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OPA Board Meeting - Golf Clubhouse
5/24/2025 - 9:00 A.M. |