By Greg Ellison

As OP filing deadline nears, officials hope to see more candidates join board race

(May 14, 2020) With the candidate-filing deadline for the 2020 Board of Directors contest arriving Monday, the members of the OPA Election Committee discussed their next steps during a virtual meeting last Friday.

Elections Committee Chairman Steve Habeger said following the deadline for candidates to enter the contest, OPA Secretary Camilla Rogers would be responsible for submitting the list of names on the ballot.

“We’re getting ready to get ready,” he said. “We’re waiting for the letter from the association secretary and then we’re off and running.”

OPA President Doug Parks and Director Dr. Colette Horn, both of whom were elected to their first terms in August 2017, have filed for reelection. In addition, only one other candidate, Stuart Lakernick, had entered the fray.

Habeger said a recent status update regarding newly acquired election apparatus, including a laptop and ballot scanner, was provided by OPA IT Manager Steve Grabowski.

“All the equipment that we’ve ordered is in, checked out [and] ready to go,” he said.

Habeger said the committee would consult with ACE Printing & Mailing in Berlin, which has again been retained for ballot election and mailing services.

“They plan to lock up what ballots could look like for us … since we’re going to print our own ballots this time,” he said.

New business addressed during the May 8 committee meeting included approving correspondence to be mailed to candidates no later than June 1.

Habeger said committee member Carol Ludwig had proposed revisions to one of a trio of questions included in the letter mailed to candidates.

“Carol had suggested a different statement for the question about finances, which … is really the number one topic in the association,” he said. “It begins and ends with money.”

Ludwig said the query should include mention of the OPA budget.

“The budget is very cumbersome for people the first time they have to go through it,” she said. “Just mentioning that word may get them to look at the budget instead of just an individual item.”

Committee member Mark Heintz said in an earlier email Ludwig had proposed inserting the term to revise the previously used question to state: What do you think about Ocean Pines budgeting and finance? Do you have suggestions on improvements?

Ludwig said in past board elections candidates often focused answers on individual topics, such as assessment fees or bulkhead funding.

Habeger said the questions included in the candidate letter are intended as a precursor for expanded discussions during an election forum.

“We want to encourage the candidates to think as broadly as possible at this time and then in the forum we’ll have the opportunity to have read their input and ask more specifics,” he said.

Further modifications were put forth by Committee member Mary Anne Whitcomb, who took exception to a question that asked what candidates would bring to the OPA Board.

“Do we have anything more hard hitting or topical?” she said. “That’s kind of a softball.”

Whitcomb noted another question previously included about each candidate’s top two priorities is of a similar vein.

Habeger proposed asking candidates to describe talents and skills they would bring to the board if elected.

The committee voted unanimously to approve both suggested revisions to questions included in the candidate correspondence.

Following the letter’s mailing, the Election Committee is scheduled to meet on June 12 for a candidate workshop.

“The workshop is for us to talk to the candidates and tell them about the rules, the schedule (and) all that stuff that they need to know,” Habeger said.

Varying topics will be divided among the election committee members, including reviewing governing resolutions.

Details for a candidate forum set for June 17 at 7 p.m. will also be reviewed, with a second forum set for June 27 at 10 a.m. if required.

“The candidates don’t have to participate in anything but they’re certainly invited and encouraged,” he said. “We want to tell them what the schedule looks like so we can give them a chance to engage.”

During the June 12 meeting, a candidate draw will be conducted for forum seating assignments and question order.

Habeger said depending upon covid-19-related restrictions on public gatherings, the candidate workshop could be a virtual event.

“We could do the same meeting as today where candidates could watch and participate virtually if we’re under the same restrictions we are now,” he said.

Committee board liaison Steve Tuttle said unless more candidates file by the deadline, the board would be required to seek other entries to meet the bylaws’ requirement to have at least two more candidates than vacant seats.

Habeger said if that should happen, the board would have to solicit candidates.

“It’s interesting how some people start talking about being a candidate months early and others wait until the last minute,” he said. “Our target is to get the ballots and all the material out no later than the 10th of July.”

The deadline for voters to submit ballots is Aug. 5, with results compiled two days later and validated during the OPA annual meeting on Aug. 8.

As of close of business on Monday no additional parties filed candidacy paperwork for the 2020 OPA Board election.