(Aug. 17, 2017) Gary Miller, who had been a two-term member of the Ocean Pines Association Aquatics Advisory Committee, announced his resignation from that group during a meeting on Monday.
Miller said his reasons for resigning were twofold.
“During the last board meeting, it was made apparent that I was not appreciated on the committee,” he said. “Secondly, which is more important, I am going to be working to form a working committee to raise money and get an outside attorney’s recommendation on how to turn the yacht club pool back into adults only. And that would totally be inappropriate for me to do so if I was still on the [aquatics] committee.
“For those reasons, I’m resigning immediately,” Miller added.
During a board meeting last month, Director Dave Stevens proposed a motion to remove Miller from two advisory committees: clubs and aquatics.
According to Stevens, the intent was to remove Miller from the clubs committee because of his letters to the editor published in the Gazette that were critical of interim General Manager Brett Hill.
“I was asked by the chair of the aquatics committee to remove him from the aquatics committee as well,” Stevens said at the time, although the motion to remove Miller ultimately failed.
Chairwoman Kathy Grimes, on Monday, said it was about the principle.
“It has nothing personal to do with you,” she said. “If one person was kicked off of the committee for disruption or whatever the issue was, our committee felt that, on principle, that person should not be allowed to be on another committee. It had nothing to do with kicking Gary off.”
Grimes said she called the other members of the committee, and most or all agreed.
“Regardless, there wasn’t anything that I did disruptive to this committee — at all,” Miller said. “In fact, I spent a lot of time and effort working with this committee.”
“I made it very clear that this was not a ‘Gary’ issue,” Grimes said. “This was a principle issue for anybody out there that is on a committee that gets kicked off of a committee should not be allowed to continue on another committee. That’s how this committee felt. It had nothing to do with ‘get Gary off the committee.’
“It had nothing to do with you weren’t [being] appreciated,” Grimes added. “And I’m upset now, Gary, with you because that never came out of anybody’s mouth.”
Miller, for his part, said that was the feeling he got.
“When Dave Stevens says that he got a call from the aquatics committee chairperson and that person said I shouldn’t be on the committee — those were his words,” Miller said. “Regardless, if I’m going to be moving to work on trying to get the adult pool back to adults only, it’s inappropriate for me to stay on this committee.”
When Grimes said no one on the committee was unappreciative of his efforts, Miller responded that no one came to speak on his behalf either. Several members of the club committee did so during the July meeting.
“I think we need to leave it at that,” Miller said.
Aquatics Director Colby Phillips said she had only just learned of Miller’s resignation. She appeared to tear up before she spoke.
“I’m just upset because the negativity is wearing on me,” Phillips said. “We had such a positive group, so to see the negativity now effecting this group is sad.”
Phillips added that Miller had done a lot of work on behalf of the aquatics department, much of which was “used like the Bible.”
“You’re definitely appreciated,” she said. “I certainly don’t want anyone to leave this room feeling unappreciated or upset because our main focus is obviously what’s best for the community of Ocean Pines. I personally think that you did a lot for aquatics, so I thank you for that.”
It was also Suzanne Auwarter’s last meeting, because of term limits.
“I’ve been on for six years. I was extended an extra year, so I am officially now off our committee,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure serving with you through everything that we’ve gone through.”
Miller said his reasons for resigning were twofold.
“During the last board meeting, it was made apparent that I was not appreciated on the committee,” he said. “Secondly, which is more important, I am going to be working to form a working committee to raise money and get an outside attorney’s recommendation on how to turn the yacht club pool back into adults only. And that would totally be inappropriate for me to do so if I was still on the [aquatics] committee.
“For those reasons, I’m resigning immediately,” Miller added.
During a board meeting last month, Director Dave Stevens proposed a motion to remove Miller from two advisory committees: clubs and aquatics.
According to Stevens, the intent was to remove Miller from the clubs committee because of his letters to the editor published in the Gazette that were critical of interim General Manager Brett Hill.
“I was asked by the chair of the aquatics committee to remove him from the aquatics committee as well,” Stevens said at the time, although the motion to remove Miller ultimately failed.
Chairwoman Kathy Grimes, on Monday, said it was about the principle.
“It has nothing personal to do with you,” she said. “If one person was kicked off of the committee for disruption or whatever the issue was, our committee felt that, on principle, that person should not be allowed to be on another committee. It had nothing to do with kicking Gary off.”
Grimes said she called the other members of the committee, and most or all agreed.
“Regardless, there wasn’t anything that I did disruptive to this committee — at all,” Miller said. “In fact, I spent a lot of time and effort working with this committee.”
“I made it very clear that this was not a ‘Gary’ issue,” Grimes said. “This was a principle issue for anybody out there that is on a committee that gets kicked off of a committee should not be allowed to continue on another committee. That’s how this committee felt. It had nothing to do with ‘get Gary off the committee.’
“It had nothing to do with you weren’t [being] appreciated,” Grimes added. “And I’m upset now, Gary, with you because that never came out of anybody’s mouth.”
Miller, for his part, said that was the feeling he got.
“When Dave Stevens says that he got a call from the aquatics committee chairperson and that person said I shouldn’t be on the committee — those were his words,” Miller said. “Regardless, if I’m going to be moving to work on trying to get the adult pool back to adults only, it’s inappropriate for me to stay on this committee.”
When Grimes said no one on the committee was unappreciative of his efforts, Miller responded that no one came to speak on his behalf either. Several members of the club committee did so during the July meeting.
“I think we need to leave it at that,” Miller said.
Aquatics Director Colby Phillips said she had only just learned of Miller’s resignation. She appeared to tear up before she spoke.
“I’m just upset because the negativity is wearing on me,” Phillips said. “We had such a positive group, so to see the negativity now effecting this group is sad.”
Phillips added that Miller had done a lot of work on behalf of the aquatics department, much of which was “used like the Bible.”
“You’re definitely appreciated,” she said. “I certainly don’t want anyone to leave this room feeling unappreciated or upset because our main focus is obviously what’s best for the community of Ocean Pines. I personally think that you did a lot for aquatics, so I thank you for that.”
It was also Suzanne Auwarter’s last meeting, because of term limits.
“I’ve been on for six years. I was extended an extra year, so I am officially now off our committee,” she said. “It’s been a pleasure serving with you through everything that we’ve gone through.”