It was probably inevitable. Open warfare is now rampant among factions of two Facebook groups, each purporting to operate in the best interests of Ocean Pines. Accusations are flying around like seagulls at Thrashers in August. The irony of it all is thicker than week-old Jello.

Group One began over a year ago, as reported in Ocean City Today in a March 12, 2021 article. Greg Ellison, author of the article, noted that Esther Diller and Colby Phillips were the Facebook site's administrators at that time. Ellison also wrote, "Diller, a former director whose husband, Stuart Lakernick, is a candidate for the board in this year’s election, stressed the importance of civic involvement." Diller also said a goal of the group was to solicit board candidates and the long game is maintaining focus to foster community inclusiveness, not to stoke divisions."

Diller's group apparently did produce two candidates in the last year's election -- Stuart Lakernick and Rick Farr. Farr and Lakernick never claimed to run as a team, perhaps even denied it. However, their campaign signs were identical except for the candidate name, and Susan Canfora (Correction: Author was Rota Knott), writing in the Ocean Pines Progress about the June 9, 2021 candidates forum, said, "All Richard Farr and Stuart Lakernick were missing was the WWE signature tag team hand slap as they passed each other on the way to the podium during the June 9 forum."

Then, again as noted in the Ocean Pines Progress, there was Diller's conviction in some sort of a massive national Medicare scheme involving more than $40 million brought to light after an FBI investigation. This was further complicated by some anonymous individual trying to expose Diller's legal problems in an obvious attempt to harm her husband's chances in the board election.

You can't make this stuff up.

Group Two, according to an August 19, 2021 Bayside Gazette article, was started by one Sherrie Clifford. The Gazette says, "Clifford has monitored community issues from the sidelines, but after the current board election went sideways the time for action seemed apparent to her."

After relocating last year from West Deptford, New Jersey, Clifford gradually got up to speed on Pines community concerns by viewing board meetings online, the paper reports. Interestingly, the Gazette also reports Clifford as "conferring with administrators" of Group One before starting Group Two.

Clifford's mission statement says the group will serve as an oversight committee to the Board of Directors, and, according to a quote from her in the Gazette, “To eliminate the possibility of corruption.” She says her group will act, “So these guys can’t just run rampant.” It also says the leaders of some Group Two committee, "will work with the OP HOA Board of Directors to ensure that board activities, financials, and decisions are transparent and monitored at the molecular level." The word pretentious comes to mind.

Clifford also is quoted as saying, “No resident will be brushed off or silenced in our community.”

Internal squabbles in Group One began early on when one of the group members filed to run for the board. Then withdrew. Then was back in. Then finally withdrew. The candidate made various charges about Diller's treatment of her. Diller denied the accusations. Amy Peck, now on the OPA Board of Directors, was an early participant and supporter of Group One. No longer. The falling out was not pretty.

Now Peck is apparently an early supporter of Group Two.

Members of Group One are now taking potshots at Group Two.

Association member Dinah Hoffmeister recently wrote of Group Two's Clifford, "This group states that they want transparency and open dialogue but when it’s something they don’t want people to read, she deletes the comments!"

Hoffmeister added, "I left the group and advised all that I had invited to join to leave as well. This group has an agenda and it’s not going to benefit residents of the Pines." She also claims that when asked about why Group Two's logo looks like OPA's, the post was deleted. "I have copies of most of the threads she up and deleted. One while I was typing a response," she added.

Hoffmeister obviously does not believe Clifford's promise of, "No resident will be brushed off or silenced in our community.”

Then there is the question of whether or not Group Two is trying to pass itself off as an "official" OPA site.

Association member Elaine Brady wrote, "The issue I have with the site is their stated mission of being a self-appointed board oversight committee of OPA... initially giving the impression it was an actual OPA committee, with 2 board members actively involved in its creation. ...one being marketed as the 'board expert' (Amy Peck) and posting as if she was the OPA spokesperson. I did email the board about what I felt was a conflict of interest, along with why if OPA has an experienced PR spokesperson under the direction of the board, a board member was taking on that role.... especially since a number of the answers when questions were asked seemed pretty condescending and even snarky....certainly not professional. I was then blocked from the site."

Association member Jac Grein, expressing an opposite view, wrote, "Amy Peck is doing a fine job on the board so far. There are people who are out to make her life miserable online. For the record, my reliable source tells me Stuart (Lakernick) is one of the folks harping against her."

A Twitter post by Group Two states, "We are the official OP group for the Residents not the BOD and we are doing just fine!!”

Several sources say OPA President Colette Horn is encouraging Group Two leader Sherrie Clifford to run for the board. Group One supporter Tom Janasek, after resigning from the board for his vulgar emails to Horn, has already announced his candidacy. Most folks assume Group One's Stuart Lakernick will also again announce as a candidate.

Are these Facebook groups going to save OPA?

Association member Dave Walter summed up the Facebook Wars writing, "Bla bla bla! Geeze Louise."