OPA Board shuts down Sports Core Pool for entire summer
Let them eat cake is message from Cook, Duffy, Stachurski, and Sterrett to summer swimmers

Commentary by Joe Reynolds 5/1/2007

In an absolutely incredible move, the Ocean Pines Board of Directors voted to shut down the Sports Core Pool for virtually the entire summer. Why? To satisfy the few who can't wait until fall for an indoor pool, and want it now at the expense of the many who make the Sports Core Pool the most used summer pool in Ocean Pines. The shutdown is to allow construction of the pool cover during the summer months, a pool cover the board initially said would be operational last Thanksgiving! The current board majority seems bent on building something, anything, before they leave office.

OPA Board member Ray Unger, who voted against the pool shutdown over the summer, wrote after the meeting, "I was embarrassed to be a member of the board this morning." Unger added, "Then Heather made the statement that 'she thinks that it should be started now because the new BOD in September may vote to cancel the pool cover' which just proved to me that some of the decisions being made are just political and the Ocean Pines residents be dammed.....the gloves are off."

Joe Cericola, a candidate for the OPA Board last year, was incensed the board would even consider closing the Sports Core Pool for the summer. During public comments prior to the board discussion and vote, Cericola said it was "ridiculous" to close the pool during the summer because the kids are "the ones who are going to be screwed -- as usual."

Cericola then blasted the Board of Directors and said with much emphasis, "What is the matter with you people? Do youse really hate children? They're the one's that use that pool; they're the ones that are gonna suffer -- as usual."

There were public comments from some who support closing the pool for the summer. Members of a ladies swim group urged the board to proceed with construction right away so they would not have to travel to Ocean City this winter, as did Dave Blazer who spoke on behalf of the Hammerheads swim team. When asked by Director Bill Zawacki how many swim team members trained all year at other locations, Blazer estimated seven.

Zawacki spoke against closing pool for the summer in favor of starting construction after Labor Day. He came armed with some somewhat alarming information about pool memberships. Seems as of Tuesday the summer memberships were exceeding budget projections, while year-round or winter only memberships were not even close to budget projections. For example, the board anticipated 27 individual winter memberships, but none have sold; the board anticipated 259 individual yearly memberships but only 28 people have purchased one; the board anticipated 410 family yearly memberships, but only 29 have been purchased.

Certainly the covered pool is not yet available. Just as certainly it is obvious those who demanded this $1 million unbudgeted pool cover haven't exactly stepped up to the plate with money to match their demands.

During the board discussion, General Manager Tom Olson was not even asked for his recommendation.

To top things off, the Board of Directors on a motion by Dan Stachurski voted to spend $20,000 of unbudgeted funds to heat the Swim & Racquet Club Pool. This passed with Stachurski, Cook, Sandusky, and Sterrett voting in favor; Unger and Zawacki against; and Duffy abstaining. No one even discussed the operational costs of propane and other related expenses, also unbudgeted. The total unbudgeted expense is unknown, and came less than 12 hours after the recently approved budget went into effect. The current board majority is totally out of control when it comes to fiscal responsibility.

Indeed, the board majority message to lot owners is Let Them Eat Cake. Lot owners can do nothing, except wait for August.