(July 6, 2017) Changes could be coming for Ocean Pines Association Resolution M-09, which governs the candidate search committee, although exactly who would write those changes and when that would happen is still undecided.
The search committee’s job is to solicit candidates for the annual board of directors election and to provide help with the application process.
Although bylaws require a committee to be appointed no later than Feb. 1, that did not happen until April this year and the committee did not meet until May 2.
Despite the late start, the committee achieved its goal of recruiting at least four candidates for the two board seats available this year.
According to a committee report, the committee met two additional times, on May 5 and May 11. By that time, eight homeowners had submitted applications for the board. One application was rejected and three other candidates would resign before the first Ocean Pines candidate forum last month.
Also in the report, the committee members recommended four changes to resolution M-09.
While there is a defined start date for the committee, the report said there was no end date for their service.
Unlike other Ocean Pines committees, the terms for search committee members are one year only. M-09 says the search committee must report a summary of its activities, any problems encountered and recommendations for improving the process to the board no later than June 30.
The committee also said it supported having a board liaison, which the directors debated earlier this year, but did not change the existing policy of having a liaison.
“This year is a good example of a search committee made up of individuals with no experience serving on the board,” the report stated. “Should we have had the time to have a public meeting where potential candidates could ask questions about how the board operates including time commitment, how work sessions are structured, etc., we would have had to rely on our board liaison. Not having a board liaison puts future search committees at a disadvantage.”
The committee suggested candidate registration forms include a question asking if the applicant is an association employee. Section 5.01 of Ocean Pines bylaws state no board member may at the same time be an association employee.
Finally, the committee addressed section 6 of M-09, which states, “The Secretary is responsible for verifying the eligibility of candidates.”
That was a point of contention this year, with Board Secretary Slobodan Trendic objecting when completed applications were apparently forwarded from the search committee to Board President Tom Herrick, to Michelle Bennett, the executive assistant in the general manager’s office – or, his secretary.
The bylaws and resolutions and committee considered those recommendations on Monday, focusing most of its discussion on exactly who the “secretary” is. Committee member Jim Trummel sided with the search committee report, while committee Chairman Marty Clarke disagreed.
“It hadn’t happened before. I know why it happened this time. I think it’s an anomaly. I wouldn’t change it,” Clarke said. “There’s going to be confusion as long as Slobodan has anything to say about it.”
Clarke, one of the four remaining board candidates, joked if he filed to run for office again he would “send in [his] application to the secretary of parks and rec.”
Trummel drafted his own series of recommendations, which the majority of the committee appeared to support.
He said the candidate application form attached to M-09 was unclear how it was supposed to be returned. The language states, “this form must be completed and returned to the OPA General Manager’s office at the Administration office at 239 Ocean Parkway to the attention of the search committee.”
“That does not specifically say they you’ve got to walk it in yourself,” he said. “The body of the resolution should reflect … the means by which you can get your application to the proper place.”
Clarke said he was worried about “the guy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that doesn’t know there’s a search committee.” Board candidates are required to be lot owners in good standing, but not necessarily residents of Ocean Pines. Clarke said those living elsewhere would have difficulty turning in an application in person.
Trummel said he did not want the bylaws committee to speak for the search committee, incorporating their changes into a revised resolution without additional input. Instead, he suggested the search committee draft the revisions, similar to what the elections committee did earlier this year.
Committee member Jeff Knepper agreed.
“We’re preparing suggestions to people who can take those suggestions, read them, think about them, reject them, adopt them, do whatever they want with them,” Knepper said. “We’re not in charge of that part of the process [proposing a revised resolution], as far as I’m concerned.”
Committee member Audrey Wahl said she wanted to appear respectful to other Ocean Pines advisory boards.
“Committees put a lot of thoughtful time into their work and this shows them that this has been duly read, concerned and it’s valuable,” Wahl said. “I think it’s been a very rough this year for advisory committees in general.”
Knepper said that was “a good observation.”
“We’re all volunteers,” Wahl said. “We’re a community and we’re trying to work together.”
Clarke asked the committee members to put any additional comments in writing and said M-09 would be on the agenda for additional discussion during the next bylaws meeting, on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. in the administration building.
He said any recommendations would be forwarded to Herrick and the search committee, although it was unclear whether the committee was still technically active.
The search committee’s job is to solicit candidates for the annual board of directors election and to provide help with the application process.
Although bylaws require a committee to be appointed no later than Feb. 1, that did not happen until April this year and the committee did not meet until May 2.
Despite the late start, the committee achieved its goal of recruiting at least four candidates for the two board seats available this year.
According to a committee report, the committee met two additional times, on May 5 and May 11. By that time, eight homeowners had submitted applications for the board. One application was rejected and three other candidates would resign before the first Ocean Pines candidate forum last month.
Also in the report, the committee members recommended four changes to resolution M-09.
While there is a defined start date for the committee, the report said there was no end date for their service.
Unlike other Ocean Pines committees, the terms for search committee members are one year only. M-09 says the search committee must report a summary of its activities, any problems encountered and recommendations for improving the process to the board no later than June 30.
The committee also said it supported having a board liaison, which the directors debated earlier this year, but did not change the existing policy of having a liaison.
“This year is a good example of a search committee made up of individuals with no experience serving on the board,” the report stated. “Should we have had the time to have a public meeting where potential candidates could ask questions about how the board operates including time commitment, how work sessions are structured, etc., we would have had to rely on our board liaison. Not having a board liaison puts future search committees at a disadvantage.”
The committee suggested candidate registration forms include a question asking if the applicant is an association employee. Section 5.01 of Ocean Pines bylaws state no board member may at the same time be an association employee.
Finally, the committee addressed section 6 of M-09, which states, “The Secretary is responsible for verifying the eligibility of candidates.”
That was a point of contention this year, with Board Secretary Slobodan Trendic objecting when completed applications were apparently forwarded from the search committee to Board President Tom Herrick, to Michelle Bennett, the executive assistant in the general manager’s office – or, his secretary.
The bylaws and resolutions and committee considered those recommendations on Monday, focusing most of its discussion on exactly who the “secretary” is. Committee member Jim Trummel sided with the search committee report, while committee Chairman Marty Clarke disagreed.
“It hadn’t happened before. I know why it happened this time. I think it’s an anomaly. I wouldn’t change it,” Clarke said. “There’s going to be confusion as long as Slobodan has anything to say about it.”
Clarke, one of the four remaining board candidates, joked if he filed to run for office again he would “send in [his] application to the secretary of parks and rec.”
Trummel drafted his own series of recommendations, which the majority of the committee appeared to support.
He said the candidate application form attached to M-09 was unclear how it was supposed to be returned. The language states, “this form must be completed and returned to the OPA General Manager’s office at the Administration office at 239 Ocean Parkway to the attention of the search committee.”
“That does not specifically say they you’ve got to walk it in yourself,” he said. “The body of the resolution should reflect … the means by which you can get your application to the proper place.”
Clarke said he was worried about “the guy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota that doesn’t know there’s a search committee.” Board candidates are required to be lot owners in good standing, but not necessarily residents of Ocean Pines. Clarke said those living elsewhere would have difficulty turning in an application in person.
Trummel said he did not want the bylaws committee to speak for the search committee, incorporating their changes into a revised resolution without additional input. Instead, he suggested the search committee draft the revisions, similar to what the elections committee did earlier this year.
Committee member Jeff Knepper agreed.
“We’re preparing suggestions to people who can take those suggestions, read them, think about them, reject them, adopt them, do whatever they want with them,” Knepper said. “We’re not in charge of that part of the process [proposing a revised resolution], as far as I’m concerned.”
Committee member Audrey Wahl said she wanted to appear respectful to other Ocean Pines advisory boards.
“Committees put a lot of thoughtful time into their work and this shows them that this has been duly read, concerned and it’s valuable,” Wahl said. “I think it’s been a very rough this year for advisory committees in general.”
Knepper said that was “a good observation.”
“We’re all volunteers,” Wahl said. “We’re a community and we’re trying to work together.”
Clarke asked the committee members to put any additional comments in writing and said M-09 would be on the agenda for additional discussion during the next bylaws meeting, on Aug. 7 at 10 a.m. in the administration building.
He said any recommendations would be forwarded to Herrick and the search committee, although it was unclear whether the committee was still technically active.