The one thing missing from the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors election this summer is drama. Consequently, it has exactly what voters need: four qualified candidates who are not vowing to turn operations upside down.

This absence of controversy allows association members to concentrate on what’s important — the attributes of the candidates, instead of having to wade through the noise produced by axe-grinding cliques, activists and provocateurs.

It’s refreshing. It’s also difficult to pick just three people out of the four seeking to serve the community when there’s little disagreement among them on how the next board should proceed.

Nevertheless, it is our belief that the three candidates with the longest track records of community involvement — Elaine Brady, John Latham and Jerry Murphy — should be rewarded for their efforts.

Brady, who nursed this paper to success as its owner before joining forces with Ocean City Today, qualifies as a community supporter of the first order through that accomplishment alone. But she also has served on various committees over the course of her 20-plus year residency and has been a long-time student of what makes the Pines tick.

Latham, a businessman, member of the Marine Activities Advisory Committee, and someone imbued with the spirit of volunteerism, says his approach would be as a true servant of the public and we believe him.

Murphy came to Ocean Pines in the 1970s as a builder, giving him the distinction of having been a part of the community before there even was one. He became a full-time resident in the 1990s, so if anyone has a grasp on where Ocean Pines has been and where it’s going, it’s Murphy.

These three candidates have the edge over Jeffrey Heavner because of their greater involvement in local affairs. While Heavner’s excellent resume shows the depth of his qualifications, we believe a committee assignment in the next year or so would be all he needs to put him over the top.