(March 2, 2017) Former Ocean Pines Association Director Marty Clarke made his presence – and his intention to run again – known to the public last week in a scathing series of letters and comments.
It started with a letter sent to the current board and to local media, last Wednesday.
“Approximately three years ago I walked out of a budget meeting and swore, in spite of sure support, not to seek re-election. The budget moved forward and was [passed]. That budget didn’t hold a candle to the badly proposed 2017-2018 [budget],” Clarke wrote. “The current proposed budget is kowtowing to small special interest groups and failing to disclose significant financials known to only a few. There is talk about adding fees on our most successful amenity while granting money to amenities who barely pay their own way.
“Should the board of directors vote to past this terrible budget on Saturday I will run for election as a director,” Clarke continued.
He also spoke publically during the board meeting last Saturday, just prior to a 5-2 vote to approve the budget.
Clarke said he objected to a proposed $25 fee increase for parking passes at the beach club adding, “If it ain’t broke you don’t fix it.”
“If somebody’s stealing at my business and I’m making the kind of return that we’re making here, I’m going to just go home and have a cocktail,” Clarke said.
He said the fee hike, which was part of the approved budget, was equivalent to price gouging.
“There’s no justification for it … [the amenity is] paying 18 percent of our membership right now,” Clarke said. “It’s hocus pocus because it just makes no sense. If it works though, we ought to start charging for parking spaces at the yacht club. Maybe we can turn that around.”
Clarke said the budget included about $600,000 in unappropriated money that was added to reserves. The funds, he said, should have been given back to homeowners in the form of lowered assessments.
He urged the directors not to pass the budget and said there was no pressure to do so.
“If you guys all walk out of here and whistle and talk and celebrate at the yacht club for the next 10 days, the budget … stays the same next year without a vote. Personally, I think that’s the least embarrassing outcome for you right now,” he said.
During the meeting, Clarke also said there was about $400,000 of unreported profit being swept “underneath the carpet in the cash room.” He asked when that would be applied to the operating fund.
The most recent unaudited monthly financial report shows a negative year-to-date operating fund variance of $289,605.
“We’re having a positive year right now – we just haven’t reported $408,000,” Clarke said. “[It’s] the same thing we did a couple years ago with Bob Thompson … ‘everything’s terrible, everything’s terrible, everything’s terrible — cha-ching! Here’s an extra 400 grand.’”
Reached by text message on Monday, Clarke said the current board was “very good,” but had little budget experience outside of Vice President Dave Stevens, who has publically said he would not run for reelection this year.
Asked whether or not he intended to run, Clarke replied, “all of the above.”
It started with a letter sent to the current board and to local media, last Wednesday.
“Approximately three years ago I walked out of a budget meeting and swore, in spite of sure support, not to seek re-election. The budget moved forward and was [passed]. That budget didn’t hold a candle to the badly proposed 2017-2018 [budget],” Clarke wrote. “The current proposed budget is kowtowing to small special interest groups and failing to disclose significant financials known to only a few. There is talk about adding fees on our most successful amenity while granting money to amenities who barely pay their own way.
“Should the board of directors vote to past this terrible budget on Saturday I will run for election as a director,” Clarke continued.
He also spoke publically during the board meeting last Saturday, just prior to a 5-2 vote to approve the budget.
Clarke said he objected to a proposed $25 fee increase for parking passes at the beach club adding, “If it ain’t broke you don’t fix it.”
“If somebody’s stealing at my business and I’m making the kind of return that we’re making here, I’m going to just go home and have a cocktail,” Clarke said.
He said the fee hike, which was part of the approved budget, was equivalent to price gouging.
“There’s no justification for it … [the amenity is] paying 18 percent of our membership right now,” Clarke said. “It’s hocus pocus because it just makes no sense. If it works though, we ought to start charging for parking spaces at the yacht club. Maybe we can turn that around.”
Clarke said the budget included about $600,000 in unappropriated money that was added to reserves. The funds, he said, should have been given back to homeowners in the form of lowered assessments.
He urged the directors not to pass the budget and said there was no pressure to do so.
“If you guys all walk out of here and whistle and talk and celebrate at the yacht club for the next 10 days, the budget … stays the same next year without a vote. Personally, I think that’s the least embarrassing outcome for you right now,” he said.
During the meeting, Clarke also said there was about $400,000 of unreported profit being swept “underneath the carpet in the cash room.” He asked when that would be applied to the operating fund.
The most recent unaudited monthly financial report shows a negative year-to-date operating fund variance of $289,605.
“We’re having a positive year right now – we just haven’t reported $408,000,” Clarke said. “[It’s] the same thing we did a couple years ago with Bob Thompson … ‘everything’s terrible, everything’s terrible, everything’s terrible — cha-ching! Here’s an extra 400 grand.’”
Reached by text message on Monday, Clarke said the current board was “very good,” but had little budget experience outside of Vice President Dave Stevens, who has publically said he would not run for reelection this year.
Asked whether or not he intended to run, Clarke replied, “all of the above.”