(July 6, 2017) The Ocean Pines Association Elections Committee is gearing up for a second candidate forum on Saturday, July 22, and is asking for homeowners’ help in developing a line of questions.
The first forum was held on Wednesday, June 21, when four candidates for two seats on the board, Dr. Colette Horn, Nicole Schafer Crosariol, incumbent Director Doug Parks and former Director Marty Clarke, took part.
Elections Committee Chairman Steve Tuttle was host of the forum and committee member Steve Habeger moderated.
“I felt like it went pretty well and I thought we had a pretty good selection of questions,” Tuttle said. “We didn’t get a lot of questions from the audience, so we’re trying to figure out ways we can stimulate that somehow. But, overall I thought it was pretty successful.”
Tuttle said attendance was a little lower than he would have liked, which is one of the reasons the committee decided to hold a second forum.
“I don’t know if [the turnout] was because last year there was 11 candidates and with some of the different issues that were going on, there was a lot more interest last year,” he said. “Probably the thing that triggered the second forum more than anything was the desire to make a forum available for people who could not come on a Wednesday, but would be available to come on a Saturday.
“It also gives the candidates another opportunity to be in front of people,” Tuttle continued. “It’s a little bit after the ballots get mailed, so, hopefully, people will wait and hear from the candidates a second time and read the literature that comes out with the ballots, and then make their decision.”
The committee used suggestions from homeowners collected from the Ocean Pines Association Forum (www.realopforum.com) to write the questions for the first candidate forum. People who attended were also able to write in questions.
Tuttle said people can also email him, at sltuttle08@gmail.com, with questions for the second candidate forum.
“That’s probably the most helpful thing, if they want to get a question in there,” Tuttle said. “We’re trying to get questions that are fairly concise, but also not yes or no answers and not questions that already have sort of a predetermined answer – that doesn’t really help much. We want it open-ended enough so the candidates can answer it best as they can with what they feel is their position and awareness of the situation.”
The elections committee will also develop a set of questions, and Tuttle said those would focus on policy.
“My understanding is the board is not really responsible for the day-to-day operations,” he said. “It’s more about policy that dictates operations, so we’ll probably try to focus more on policy issues and what do [the candidates] see are key policies that should either be upheld or improved in some way.”
The second Ocean Pines Association candidate forum, presented by the elections committee, will be held on Saturday, July 22 at 10 a.m. in the Assateague Room inside the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway.
The first forum was held on Wednesday, June 21, when four candidates for two seats on the board, Dr. Colette Horn, Nicole Schafer Crosariol, incumbent Director Doug Parks and former Director Marty Clarke, took part.
Elections Committee Chairman Steve Tuttle was host of the forum and committee member Steve Habeger moderated.
“I felt like it went pretty well and I thought we had a pretty good selection of questions,” Tuttle said. “We didn’t get a lot of questions from the audience, so we’re trying to figure out ways we can stimulate that somehow. But, overall I thought it was pretty successful.”
Tuttle said attendance was a little lower than he would have liked, which is one of the reasons the committee decided to hold a second forum.
“I don’t know if [the turnout] was because last year there was 11 candidates and with some of the different issues that were going on, there was a lot more interest last year,” he said. “Probably the thing that triggered the second forum more than anything was the desire to make a forum available for people who could not come on a Wednesday, but would be available to come on a Saturday.
“It also gives the candidates another opportunity to be in front of people,” Tuttle continued. “It’s a little bit after the ballots get mailed, so, hopefully, people will wait and hear from the candidates a second time and read the literature that comes out with the ballots, and then make their decision.”
The committee used suggestions from homeowners collected from the Ocean Pines Association Forum (www.realopforum.com) to write the questions for the first candidate forum. People who attended were also able to write in questions.
Tuttle said people can also email him, at sltuttle08@gmail.com, with questions for the second candidate forum.
“That’s probably the most helpful thing, if they want to get a question in there,” Tuttle said. “We’re trying to get questions that are fairly concise, but also not yes or no answers and not questions that already have sort of a predetermined answer – that doesn’t really help much. We want it open-ended enough so the candidates can answer it best as they can with what they feel is their position and awareness of the situation.”
The elections committee will also develop a set of questions, and Tuttle said those would focus on policy.
“My understanding is the board is not really responsible for the day-to-day operations,” he said. “It’s more about policy that dictates operations, so we’ll probably try to focus more on policy issues and what do [the candidates] see are key policies that should either be upheld or improved in some way.”
The second Ocean Pines Association candidate forum, presented by the elections committee, will be held on Saturday, July 22 at 10 a.m. in the Assateague Room inside the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway.