By Greg Ellison

(Feb. 25, 2021)  With one eye on current initiatives and one eye looking at fresh ventures, the Ocean Pines Communications Committee agreed to change leadership roles last week, with Cheryl Jacobs becoming chairperson.

Now former Chair Jenny Cropper Rines revived previous discussions about recruiting committee members during the groups’ meeting on Feb. 18.

After Rines reminded members that her term, which has previously been extended, would expire this April, Jacobs agreed to assume the post.

“If you’ll agree to take the chair position, I’ll agree to extend my term,” Rines said. “We’ll work together and try to build this a little bit.”

Rines said despite handing off the baton, she would remain engaged.

“I’ll stick around to help you with recruiting and finishing projects,” she said.

With leadership issues settled, Jacobs said the main focus would remain attracting new people to join the committee.

“I’m trying to get the message out there,” she said.

Rines said in addition to retaining seven members as required by OPA bylaws, achieving greater attendance, albeit virtual at present, by current committee members has been an issue.

“We’ve got some great people but schedules can be challenging,” she said. “I think that’s our challenge at the moment.”

Turning to current efforts, Rines said the Worcester County Commissioners had just approved a zoning amendment that would permit the association to update existing analog community marquees with digital messaging boards.

Rines said last Tuesday the commissioners authorized as many as eight signs for Ocean Pines’ use.

Now, Rines said, OPA staff members are finalizing details.

“When it comes to design, hopefully they’ll let it come back to us for input,” she said.

On other fronts, Rines highlighted an OPA virtual town hall conducted Feb. 11 through the Worcester County Health Department on the distribution of the first phase of coronavirus vaccines.

Rines, who hosted the session, said Health Department Public Affairs Officer Travis Brown presented data and answered questions during the live stream.

To this point the town hall video has been viewed nearly 100 times on the OPA YouTube channel.

In terms of current projects, Marketing Coordinator Julie Malinowski provided a progress report about a new online residents academy under development.

Malinowski said over the last two weeks 15 staff videos were taped at the Ocean Pines Golf Clubhouse.

“It’s pretty much wrapped up,” she said.

The two remaining spots to be filmed would likely be done remotely, she said.

“We’re probably done at the clubhouse,” she said. “Now we’ve just got to do all our post-production stuff.”

Marketing and Public Relations Director Josh Davis said the next task would be editing down raw video footage.

“We have a lot ahead of us,” he said.

Malinowski said a rough target date to wrap up production is Feb. 28.

“It could be longer,” she said. “The plan is to give it to the work group … for potential suggestions [or] if there are additional resources we need to add.”

Malinowski also confirmed Rines’ question about the online residents academy providing an informational resource for new board member orientation.

Board liaison Dr. Colette Horn said the virtual academy could help attract new candidates.

“It would be nice to have it done for people that may want to run for the board,” she said.