In defense of Pat Supik
Editor,
THERE HE GOES AGAIN!
In the June 30th edition of the Gazette, Marty Clarke criticizes (“ridicules” might be a better word) board candidate Pat Supik, current Chair of OPA’s Budget & Finance Committee, for a couple of statements she made regarding Ocean Pines’ financial results, during the recent OPA Candidates’ Forum.
Mr. Clarke asserts that Ms. Supik made “untrue” statements and suggested that the source of this “propaganda” was a “script” written by me, General Manager Bob Thompson and current Board Member and Treasurer Tom Terry. Ms. Supik’s statements and figures, unfortunately for Mr. Clarke, are true and supported by the facts, as set forth below.
The first example offered by Mr. Clarke in his “mad as hell” letter relates to Ms. Supik’s response to a question regarding the Yacht Club. She is quoted as saying financially “…it is doing very well.” Mr. Clarke reacts by making the statement: “God help us” and further states that it may be doing well “compared to the maiden voyage of the Titanic.”
Here are the facts regarding the Yacht Club’s financial performance, which I believe Ms. Supik had in mind when responding. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2016, the Yacht Club had an operating deficit of $76,219 (unaudited), or $9 per member. This compares with an average operating deficit over the previous three years of $189,752. So, FY 2016’s financial performance represented a 60 percent reduction in the average deficit over the three previous years ($181,874, $189,961 and $197,421). This looks positive to me.
In his admonishment of Ms. Supik, Clarke states that the Yacht Club “lost $311,219 in the last eight months alone.” It’s interesting that he used a period of eight months and not the full fiscal year (many seasonal businesses lose money in the off season, due significantly to fixed costs, which are incurred whether open, or closed). Mr. Clarke’s eight-month figures are correct, but not relevant to the statement made by Ms. Supik. Full year results, not pieces of a year, is the normal way financial performance is measured. Further, apparently in an effort to maximize the negative, Clarke’s eight months include seven months from FY 2016 and one month from FY 2017? Oh, and the figures he uses are “unaudited” (see later commentary)!
Mr. Clarke’s second example of an “untrue statement’ and “propaganda” is from her closing statement, in which she stated, regarding Ocean Pines’ overall financial performance, that “…financially we are on good ground operationally. If you add up the last three years the bottom line is positive.”
Mr. Clarke disputes the veracity of this statement and states that the bottom line “…. over the last three years was a negative -$132,533”, according to the audited statements. Clarke’s three years, however, are not the last three years of the Association’s financial results, which Supik used as the basis for her accurate and more relevant statement.
By using FY 2013, 2014 and 2015, Clarke disregards the Association’s most recently completed fiscal year, which ended April 30, 2016, and had an operating surplus of $231,820 (unaudited), but he includes FY 2013, which year had a deficit. Therefore, using a different 3-year period and different numbers (apples and oranges), not the most recent three years, Clarke claims that Ms. Supik made an untrue statement.
The fact is Ms. Supik stated that “using the last three years, the bottom line is positive” and that is a true statement. The figures are a surplus of $231,820 (unaudited) in FY 2016; a deficit of $152,882 in FY 2015 and a surplus of $14,746 in FY 2014, excluding the positive transfer of $447,409 from the Operating Deficit Recovery Fund, as that was a transfer and had absolutely nothing to do with operations.
If you add up these three years, you get a net operating surplus of $93,684, or an average of $31,228. Clarke can use any period of time he wishes to make whatever point he wishes, but that does not make Ms. Supik’s statement incorrect.
Just for the record, historically in Ocean Pines, the differences between the unaudited financial statements prepared by the OPA’s Finance Department, and the final “audited” numbers, which are not available until shortly before the August Annual Meeting, are not significant.
In my opinion, Ms. Supik, at the Candidates’ Forum, was simply trying to reinforce what the Bayside Gazette and many others in Ocean Pines, who are reasonable and not agenda-driven, also believe and that is that “THE SKY IS NOT FALLING.”
When certain candidates and their supporters, some of whom have no hesitancy in twisting facts, and making outrageous accusations, are suggesting that Ocean Pines has enormous problems, there is reckless spending and very poor financial performance, it’s very difficult to get the factual and positive information to the membership.
In conclusion, I believe the real reason for Marty Clarke’s being “mad as hell” is that Pat Supik is a real threat to the election of his favored candidates, which currently number four (Collins; Janasek; Parks and Trendic), based on the lawn signs on his property.
I’m proud to be supporting Pat Supik, whom I’ve known and worked with during the three years of her membership on the OPA Budget and Finance Committee. As a CPA, former CFO and board member of multiple organizations, including not-for-profits and a condominium association, I believe she would be an excellent addition to the OPA Board. Her ability to work with others and openness to opposing viewpoints would also be a welcome addition to our board.
I’m also tired of what I believe Mr. Clarke’s Letter represents, and is representative of certain board members and segments of the membership. The incivility, personal attacks, distortion of facts, misrepresentations, and, generally, an exaggeration of the negative and a failure to recognize accomplishments, and the many positives of our community, including our management and employees, is not in the best interests of the association, or helping us move forward as a community. I hope that a great many members share my view. The election is near and we will soon know if they do.
Pete Gomsak
Ocean Pines
Editor,
THERE HE GOES AGAIN!
In the June 30th edition of the Gazette, Marty Clarke criticizes (“ridicules” might be a better word) board candidate Pat Supik, current Chair of OPA’s Budget & Finance Committee, for a couple of statements she made regarding Ocean Pines’ financial results, during the recent OPA Candidates’ Forum.
Mr. Clarke asserts that Ms. Supik made “untrue” statements and suggested that the source of this “propaganda” was a “script” written by me, General Manager Bob Thompson and current Board Member and Treasurer Tom Terry. Ms. Supik’s statements and figures, unfortunately for Mr. Clarke, are true and supported by the facts, as set forth below.
The first example offered by Mr. Clarke in his “mad as hell” letter relates to Ms. Supik’s response to a question regarding the Yacht Club. She is quoted as saying financially “…it is doing very well.” Mr. Clarke reacts by making the statement: “God help us” and further states that it may be doing well “compared to the maiden voyage of the Titanic.”
Here are the facts regarding the Yacht Club’s financial performance, which I believe Ms. Supik had in mind when responding. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2016, the Yacht Club had an operating deficit of $76,219 (unaudited), or $9 per member. This compares with an average operating deficit over the previous three years of $189,752. So, FY 2016’s financial performance represented a 60 percent reduction in the average deficit over the three previous years ($181,874, $189,961 and $197,421). This looks positive to me.
In his admonishment of Ms. Supik, Clarke states that the Yacht Club “lost $311,219 in the last eight months alone.” It’s interesting that he used a period of eight months and not the full fiscal year (many seasonal businesses lose money in the off season, due significantly to fixed costs, which are incurred whether open, or closed). Mr. Clarke’s eight-month figures are correct, but not relevant to the statement made by Ms. Supik. Full year results, not pieces of a year, is the normal way financial performance is measured. Further, apparently in an effort to maximize the negative, Clarke’s eight months include seven months from FY 2016 and one month from FY 2017? Oh, and the figures he uses are “unaudited” (see later commentary)!
Mr. Clarke’s second example of an “untrue statement’ and “propaganda” is from her closing statement, in which she stated, regarding Ocean Pines’ overall financial performance, that “…financially we are on good ground operationally. If you add up the last three years the bottom line is positive.”
Mr. Clarke disputes the veracity of this statement and states that the bottom line “…. over the last three years was a negative -$132,533”, according to the audited statements. Clarke’s three years, however, are not the last three years of the Association’s financial results, which Supik used as the basis for her accurate and more relevant statement.
By using FY 2013, 2014 and 2015, Clarke disregards the Association’s most recently completed fiscal year, which ended April 30, 2016, and had an operating surplus of $231,820 (unaudited), but he includes FY 2013, which year had a deficit. Therefore, using a different 3-year period and different numbers (apples and oranges), not the most recent three years, Clarke claims that Ms. Supik made an untrue statement.
The fact is Ms. Supik stated that “using the last three years, the bottom line is positive” and that is a true statement. The figures are a surplus of $231,820 (unaudited) in FY 2016; a deficit of $152,882 in FY 2015 and a surplus of $14,746 in FY 2014, excluding the positive transfer of $447,409 from the Operating Deficit Recovery Fund, as that was a transfer and had absolutely nothing to do with operations.
If you add up these three years, you get a net operating surplus of $93,684, or an average of $31,228. Clarke can use any period of time he wishes to make whatever point he wishes, but that does not make Ms. Supik’s statement incorrect.
Just for the record, historically in Ocean Pines, the differences between the unaudited financial statements prepared by the OPA’s Finance Department, and the final “audited” numbers, which are not available until shortly before the August Annual Meeting, are not significant.
In my opinion, Ms. Supik, at the Candidates’ Forum, was simply trying to reinforce what the Bayside Gazette and many others in Ocean Pines, who are reasonable and not agenda-driven, also believe and that is that “THE SKY IS NOT FALLING.”
When certain candidates and their supporters, some of whom have no hesitancy in twisting facts, and making outrageous accusations, are suggesting that Ocean Pines has enormous problems, there is reckless spending and very poor financial performance, it’s very difficult to get the factual and positive information to the membership.
In conclusion, I believe the real reason for Marty Clarke’s being “mad as hell” is that Pat Supik is a real threat to the election of his favored candidates, which currently number four (Collins; Janasek; Parks and Trendic), based on the lawn signs on his property.
I’m proud to be supporting Pat Supik, whom I’ve known and worked with during the three years of her membership on the OPA Budget and Finance Committee. As a CPA, former CFO and board member of multiple organizations, including not-for-profits and a condominium association, I believe she would be an excellent addition to the OPA Board. Her ability to work with others and openness to opposing viewpoints would also be a welcome addition to our board.
I’m also tired of what I believe Mr. Clarke’s Letter represents, and is representative of certain board members and segments of the membership. The incivility, personal attacks, distortion of facts, misrepresentations, and, generally, an exaggeration of the negative and a failure to recognize accomplishments, and the many positives of our community, including our management and employees, is not in the best interests of the association, or helping us move forward as a community. I hope that a great many members share my view. The election is near and we will soon know if they do.
Pete Gomsak
Ocean Pines