I was quoting the appraised value from OPA's consultant as of last August.

You are absolutely correct in that research should be done at the source.

It appears a great deal has been going on with the property in question. First, let's set the stage a bit. Director Marty Clarke and others have been saying how OPA benefits to the tune of $35,000 by having Seacrets pay the taxes.

Your web search of the tax records is correct -- appraised value is $1.3 million. I was appraised at $3 million. On appeal after the latest county appraisals last year it was reduced to $1.959 million, virtually the same as what OPA's consultant said it was worth. The $1.959 million appraisal was then re-appealed, or whatever the process is called.

On re appeal the appraised value was reduced to $1.3 million, and that's where it currently stands, as you indicated.

Here's the kicker -- OPA's much touted benefit of $75,000 isn't even close. The last tax paid on the property cost Seacrets $10,566. (county -- see note and added message about $5000 for OC tax)

Thus, the actual benefit to OPA for the new Seacrets lease totals about $50,000, not $75,000. Perhaps Marty Clarke was not aware of the tax reduction. If so, it makes one wonder if the rest of the board and others involved in the new lease negotiation were unaware of the reduction.

You will note that with all the discussion in the last few days, not a single person involved in the lease negotiations even mentioned the reduction of assessed value from $3 million to $1.3 million, or the reduced overall benefit of the lease to OPA by $25,000.

If this information is not known to those negotiating the lease, it is very troubling. If the information is known to those negotiating the lease, the question is why wasn't a reassessment of the property of such magnitude made public to the association members.

Think about it -- is it better for the lease negotiators to leave association members thinking OPA benefits to the tune of $35,000 or only to the tune of $10,000?

BIG NOTE -- thanks to a reminder by Marty Clarke the above does not include any taxes collected by Ocean City. Thus the total taxes paid will be more than $10,000. I'll try and check that out, but the total benefit to OPA in terms of the lease will still be well below the $75,000 touted by some in OPA.