At the board meeting on March 12, 2015 the OPA Board of Directors approved a budget for the coming fiscal year. Of perhaps primary interest to association members is an increased annual assessment of about $12.

From a political standpoint, Tom Terry once again assumed control of the OPA Board of Directors, with Director Pat Reneau allowing Terry to do so by throwing Dave Stevens, Marty Clarke and Jack Collins under the bus.

OPA president Stevens started the budget discussion and then allowed it to drone on and on with little or no direction. On the other hand, Tom Terry came prepared. He eventually interrupted the confusing discussion, and unlike Stevens or any of the supposed majority, made a motion. His motion was, he said, to approve what he referenced as the "Plan B" budget, one he had developed with Pat Renaud.

After a brief discussion, the question was called. Terry, Renaud, O'Hare, and Cordwell voted for the Terry/Renaud budget; Stevens, Clarke and Collins voted against. Collins said he saw no need for an assessment increase. Yet again OPA president Stevens was shot down by a member of his own supposed majority, and this time on what is arguably the most important vote the board makes each year.

It seems the budget still contains a provision to take $45,000 or so of Beach Club parking profit and assign it to the Aquatics budget to offset increasing losses there. Creative accounting desired by the GM. The budget also provides for a capital expenditure of $500,000 for a new police station, but there are no final or even preliminary plans for the structure.

The final approved budget also included a bump up in the projected golf operation loss to $100,000 rather than the original loss projected by the outgoing  Casper of only $14,000, a number everyone thought was ridiculously low.

On the other hand, the newly approved budget retains a real laugher -- the board apparently believes, via its approval of the budget, that the Yacht Club will make an operational profit of around $60,000 in the coming year. This would be of historical significance should it happen. Last year the board budgeted the Yacht Club to break even; it looks to actually lose $200,000 or more.

Overall, this latest budget review process has to rank as one of the worst ever, both in terms of the board review and the review by the Budget & Finance Committee.

Of all the plans considered by the Board of Directors, the one most worthy of consideration and careful refinement was perhaps the plan submitted by Director Marty Clarke. Clarke was looking to reduce the assessment by $30 or so. It was not meant to be, possibly due to Clarke's firebrand approach to board politics.

Both directors Clarke and O'Hare, going off the board this year, say they are not running again. That's bad news for Stevens and Collins, who will now need to see candidates supporting their views win both seats in the upcoming board election. They now know they cannot count on Renaud.

The odds of Tom Terry, or a Terry supporter, again becoming OPA president next year just increased dramatically.

Interestingly, Renaud, primary architect of Terry's return to power during the budget process, is quoted in the latest edition of the Bayside Gazette describing his purpose in running for the board last year. "I was concerned by the apparent takeover of the board by the general manager [and] we were trying to get the control back to the board – that’s what Dave [Stevens] and I talked about. We were looking to see that the general manager didn’t have more control than he should have, and I think that’s come about. I think we have accomplished that pretty much. Some people would say too much, but I don't think so,” Renaud said

Quoting again from the Bayside Gazette article, "Renaud said that kind of due process [referencing control of GM] was not in place when Tom Terry presided over the board, prior to Stevens." 

Renaud appears oblivious to the certainty that with Clarke out of the equation, and Terry possibly once again in control of a board majority next August, any and all efforts Renaud and Stevens made to "get the control back to the board" will have been for naught. With Clarke out of the way, it would not be surprising to see O'Hare run again.  There are also rumors the chair of the Budget & Finance Committee may run for election to the board and some say she is an even stronger supporter of the GM than Terry.

The Bayside Gazette article says Renaud is "enjoying role as swing vote." The only person enjoying it more is Tom Terry. The former board president played the swing-vote notion like a Stradivarius. Terry understands board politics, especially longer term board politics. Renaud basks in the moment.