And that, as they say, is that, which is this case with the Ocean Pines Association budget.
After several weeks of quarreling over whether to increase or decrease assessments, which company should manage the golf course and whether General Manager Bob Thompson was out of line when he criticized the board for its golf course decision, it does appear that the dust has settled without anyone suffering permanent injury.
That’s good, considering that the goal of everyone involved is to do what’s best for the community. How each member of this group goes about achieving this objective might differ, both practically and philosophically, but that’s where the art of compromise comes into play.
The budget approved by the OPA board reflects that and while it does leave unanswered questions, there will be plenty of time between now and next year’s budget to address them.
To be sure, the road to approval of this year’s financial package was full of potholes, but that is more or less normal in small communities where constituent concerns vary just as much as those of the people who represent them.
The important thing is to come up with a plan that everyone can live with, if only until the next go-round. That has been accomplished with some give and take from all involved.
As for the impassioned arguments that took place in the interim, it’s important that they be written off as the product of strong beliefs as opposed to personal animosity.
After all, property owners didn’t elect people to get along, but to represent their points of view. From what we can tell from the proceedings, that obligation was well met.