Just stop it. That’s what the Ocean Pines Board of Directors should do about this latest kerfuffle between Director Slobodan Trendic and Association President Doug Parks, following the resignation of Director Pat Supik.

If you can’t take some name-calling, occasional slights, denigrating comments and challenges to one’s real or imagined authority, you’re too sensitive to be involved in politics.

And make no mistake about the board of directors being a political body. Just because it’s a homeowners’ association and not a municipal or county government doesn’t mean different rules of the game somehow apply. Whenever a group of individuals convenes to define and administer the public’s business, differences of opinion will arise.

Some of the differences are more evident than others, because it isn’t easy working with people who don’t necessarily subscribe to the way you think things ought to be done. This is especially so when big fish/small pond egos of small town governments are involved.

But that’s the nature of the beast and sometimes you just have to take it, do your job and move on to the next order of business, instead of turning routine personal skirmishes into battle campaigns that overshadow more important matters.

That’s one of things Ocean Pines voters should be thinking about as this year’s election approaches (our endorsements will appear next week). Not only does this board, like any government, need reasonable, intelligent and civil people, it also requires people who can handle the give-and-take and the disagreements without it ruining their day or causing them to pursue the ruination of someone else.

Ability, obviously, is number one on the chart of what people need in a governmental representative, but that alone won’t carry the day if it isn’t accompanied by a thick skin and a sense when to fight and when to walk away.