(Dec. 19, 2019) Ocean Pines Association General Manager John Viola, who stepped up to take the reins after a leadership upheaval last spring and signed a six-month contract in June, can now continue to lead the association’s financial and operational turnaround through June 2022. The OPA Board of Directors agreed unanimously on Dec. 4 to… Read more »
News
Election committee weighs changes to vote validation
Group members mull over resolution M-06 amended language before board vets (Dec. 19, 2019) Seeking to define election validation processes, the Ocean Pines Elections Committee reached agreement on updates to resolution M-06 last week with the revised language set for a first reading by the board of directors meeting on Jan. 4. The principal modification… Read more »
Choptank eyes broadband service
Electric cooperative asking for regulatory flexibility with proposed state legislation (Dec. 19, 2019) Choptank Electric Cooperative, which began providing power to homes and businesses on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in 1938, is lobbying for state legislation next year to provide broadband services to more than 54,000 member customers in nine counties. In a recent plea for… Read more »
Maryland DNR grants gateway streamlines funding
(Dec. 19, 2019) Aiming to simplify the qualification process for environmental project funding, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources last year instituted its Chesapeake and Coastal Grants Gateway one-stop online application portal. Gabe Cohee, director for the Center for Restoration Finance at Chesapeake and Coastal Service said DNR officials recognized that solicitations for funding required… Read more »
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas? Is this country going to hell in a secular handcart? No, and it’s because the annual “war on Christmas” argument is humbug. For a real war on Christmas, go to 1789, when the French Revo- lutionary government banned it as a religious celebration. Coinci- dentally, or not, our nation’s… Read more »
Berlin permits show uptick as end of 2019 draws near
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Dec. 19, 2019) Berlin’s Planning and Zoning Department had a busy year, with 10 permits filed for single- family homes, and more than 200 overall permits, Director Dave Engelhart told members of the Town Coun- cil during a meeting last week. This year’s permits were higher than in recent years. There… Read more »
OPA Recreation Committee returning to action
Inactive for months, it will resume its facility reviews as budget sessions begin (Dec. 19, 2019) With the Ocean Pines Association budget process kicking into high gear in January, board of directors member Larry Perrone said a reconstituted Recreation and Parks Committee is slated to meet next month to examine facility upgrades and program expansions…. Read more »
Paper, digital? election committee wants to know
Voting system discussion needs members’ opinions Dec. 19, 2019) While considering voting system vendor options last week, the Ocean Pines Elections Committee concluded that gauging community sentiment and assessing HOA bylaw requirements should occur prior to adopting revised balloting systems for future OPA Board of Directors elections. OPA followed up on discussions the month before… Read more »
Viola extension brings about little discussion
The absence of discussion before the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors’ voted last week to extend General Manager John Viola’s contract was a powerful endorsement of his performance over the last six months. Although it is a given that the GM and the board did talk privately about the terms of his two-and-a-half-year contract… Read more »
Berlin Christmas Parade: what’s involved?
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer (Dec. 12, 2019) The Berlin Christmas Parade has several moving parts to make it the successful event people look forward to year after year. Organizers, volunteers and participants are all involved in the process. Ocean Pines resident Ginger Fleming, who has been volunteering for the past seven years, praised last Thursday’s parade…. Read more »