Ocean Pines Deserves Better
Commentary by Joe Reynolds

Recent articles in Ocean City Today are very revealing as to why the outgoing board majority lost the confidence of lot owners.

OPA President Glenn Duffy is quoted as saying Ocean Pines has no stability. He also says the people of Ocean Pines think administering OPA "... is participatory, and it really isn't participatory."

Duffy is all wet. OPA is one of the most stable HOAs in the state of Maryland. As for participatory, the people of Ocean Pines are fully aware the board is elected to run the place, but the people are also aware that state law and the OPA by-laws grant the people certain rights. Duffy obviously doesn't think the people should exercise those rights.

Heather Cook opines that having unpaid non-professionals running Ocean Pines "does not seem to be good enough anymore." Maybe Cook forgot we have an excellent paid General Manager and staff. Dan Stachurski says we need an experienced "city manager." Maybe Stachurski forgot that Dave Ferguson was an experienced city manager. The comments from Cook and Stachurski are a slap in the face to Tom Olson, the well qualified professional they hired.

Another comment from Stachurski is simply incredible. He states that the county looks at Ocean Pines as a "fairly large liability."  

Going from the incredible to the comically absurd, Stachurski is quoted as saying, "The community should pay for the cost of doing this community center project to the point of where the community decided to stop it." Are there people outside Ocean Pines trying to pay our bills; is the Tooth Fairy scheduled for an appearance; or what?

Finally, Stachurski took a slap at the people of Ocean Pines in general. He is quoted as saying, "The majority of the community is not a group of people who really care about the community spirit and community pride." Translation -- a majority whose crime is not agreeing with Stachurski.

In regard to finalizing various outstanding aspects of the failed community center project, Stachurski said, "Ocean Pines doesn't need this albatross around its neck any more."

The fact of the matter is the real albatross around the neck of Ocean Pines will be gone this August when a new board takes control.

Ocean Pines is a great place to live -- a vibrant, diverse community of fine people. They deserve better leadership.