4/18/2007

Public hearing does not change status quo
By Bob Lassahn

The Ocean Pines Association (OPA) Board of Directors (the board) hosted a public hearing on April 14 at 9 a.m. in the OPA Country Club to exchange information regarding the new community center project. Director Heather Cook was unable to attend because she was out of town and board president Glenn Duffy was required to absent himself at 10 a.m. due to another obligation related to his work.

The community center has been a "hot button" issue since passage of a referendum in 2005 authorizing construction of a 29,000 square foot structure for an anticipated cost of $3.9 million on the Sports Core property. The project was to be funded via the sale of both commercial and residential properties owned by OPA. Following the referendum the cost of the building escalated significantly and the appointed "point man," Director Dan Stachurski, began exploring options.

As a result the board determined to move ahead with a pre-engineered scenario at an estimated cost of $5.4 million. Controversy soon followed and in April 2007 a group known as STOP (Stop Taxing Ocean Pines) and Ocean Pines property owner Marty Clarke filed a petition with the courts resulting in a restraining order bringing work to a halt and demanding a new referendum. The board acceded to the demand and scheduled another referendum.

As information regarding the referendum was being released Mr. Clarke took exception to figures from the board, alleged to represent OPA contract cancellation costs and other points deemed by STOP as misrepresentations designed to influence a favorable vote on the referendum. Mr. Clarke went back to court in an effort to block the board's letter prepared for inclusion with the referendum ballot and to have the court oversee the referendum. He also demanded compensatory and punitive damages from the directors, apparently totaling approximately $200,000.

Saturday's public hearing was possibly the most well attended meeting in OPA history according to some long-time observers. The Country Club was not only standing room only but was filled almost to capacity. A line extended out the door as attendees awaited their turn to sign in and the parking lot overflowed.  The 200 handouts prepared by OPA General Manager Tom Olson for the meeting proved woefully inadequate to the demand.

Following a brief presentation from Mr. Olson summarizing where the community center project now stands, costs to complete and costs to cancel, the meeting was opened to members for questions and comments. Unlike regular meetings of the board, no time limit was placed on comments and hearing questions could be answered by the board.

A total of 36 persons addressed comments or question to the board. By their statements 10 each were definitely either in favor of or opposed to the project, with the remainder at least somewhat undecided and seeking further clarification on some issue. For the most part the comments to the board were at least civil, but a few overtly hostile comments prompted OPA attorney and parliamentarian Joe Moore to rise and call for moderation.

Those following this issue closely could easily conclude that the three and one half hour public hearing likely had little impact on the status quo. There remain those who steadfastly support a new community center and some equally steadfast in their opposition. But there is also a substantial portion of the community apparently still sitting on the fence and looking for something to tip their vote one way, or the other.


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