By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Several of the advisory committees in Ocean Pines that had been tasked with recommending initiatives and community improvements to the Board of Directors may be eliminated later this week.

The Ocean Pines Association has numerous committees assigned to assess specific aspects of community life and association operations.

These include the Aquatics Advisory Committee, the Golf Advisory Committee, the Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee, the Environment and Natural Assets Committee, the Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, the Bylaws and Resolutions Advisory Committee, the Communications Advisory Committee, the Marine Activities Advisory Committee, the Elections Committee, the Architectural Review Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee.

Now, some of these groups could be disbanded per a motion to be put forward at the OPA Board of Directors meeting this Saturday. If passed, these groups would be eliminated, save for the Elections Committee, the Architectural Review Committee, and the Budget and Finance Committee.

In a memorandum to the committee chairs obtained by The Bayside Gazette, Director Jeff Heavner advises them that he plans to call for a vote on terminating the majority of the advisory committees.

Heavner’s letter explains that he believes the committees no longer serve OPA as they once did.

Per the community’s governing documents, the board is authorized to establish advisory committees “as may be necessary to, or convenient in, the Association’s discharging [of its] duties.”

Heavner’s memorandum says these groups must take direction from the board and provide requested advice to the board and, under Resolution C-01, “are encouraged to provide recommendations to the board that will ‘enhance the management and functioning of the Association.’”

Heavnor maintains that while volunteerism is recognized and applauded, it is no longer necessary in an advisory capacity, particularly because OPA’s management and departmental team has “grown in size and in depth of talent and capability,” ultimately rendering the committees redundant.

The friction between the board and the advisory groups has reached a flashpoint, according to Heavner’s letter, which says committees are often left frustrated when their ideas are deemed unfeasible or do not align with the priorities of the community’s management team and elected officials.

The director notes that this sometimes hostile climate has led to conflict among committees, the board, and management.

“The lines of communication between the committees and the board and/or management have become inefficient and strained,” Heavner’s letter reads.

The director argues that ad hoc groups would be better suited for the community at this time. These teams can gather when needed to focus on assigned missions, rather than hold regular meetings in which they search for projects that may not be in sync with the neighborhood’s strategies.

Heavner will propose eliminating the existing committees at a public board meeting this week. The board will be required to vote on the action item and a majority of the directors must concur with Heavnor for anything to happen.

Residents will have the chance to speak at the upcoming neighborhood assembly on this situation or other unrelated issues.

Heavnor maintains that three committees will be exempt from the motion: “the Election Committee (which serves an important governance-related role and has required status under the OPA Bylaws); the Architectural Review Committee (which is required under the OPA Declarations and serves the important role of formulating ARC Guidelines for Board consideration and considering and acting on permit and variance requests from members); and the Budget and Finance Committee (the existence of which derives from Bylaw section 9.04 and which has a narrow, clear, and annually recurring role in assisting with the preparation of the annual budget).”

Heavner’s memorandum has sparked outrage on social media.

“This proposal isn’t just a procedural tweak: it’s a fundamental shift that threatens homeowner engagement, transparency, and the collaborative spirit that built Ocean Pines,” wrote resident Amy Peck on the Facebook page Ocean Pines ROC.

“We must speak up,” she continued. “If passed, this motion tells every homeowner: ‘Your voice doesn’t matter.’ It concentrates power, dismantles decades of collaboration, and undermines the inclusive governance we all deserve.”

Heavner’s proposed motion is not the first time committees have been questioned. In April 2024, OPA’s Board of Directors voted 6-1 to disband the Racquet Sports Advisory Committee. The decision came following months of disputes between the group and the HOA’s governing body.

Most notably, the volunteer team claimed that the old building at the paddle sports complex contained mold in an apparent attempt to persuade the directors to construct an entirely new facility.

The community initiated an evaluation, which revealed, after $10,000 spent on labor, supplies, and services, that no mold was present within the structure. Soon after, the Racquet Sports Advisory Committee was terminated.

Heavner maintained in his recent memorandum that while he sees the value in the committees, they no longer productively serve Ocean Pines.

“I am making this motion after careful consideration and in furtherance of my fiduciary duties, which I take very seriously, and also in furtherance of what I believe to be in the best interests of the Association,” his letter concluded. “I am also doing so with due respect for the volunteer service your respective Committees have generously provided, for which I am thankful.”

The meeting where the motion will be voted upon is set for 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Ocean Pines Golf Course Clubhouse. The Ocean Pines ROC Facebook page urges residents to make their voices heard at the gathering. Public comments are permitted only to those who attend in person.