By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Sept. 20, 2018) All 8,000-plus Ocean Pines property owners were invited to participate in a membership survey released last month that is expected to help “identify community priorities and evaluate the quality of municipal services,” according to an Aug. 23 press release.

The association strategic planning committee developed survey questions over several months, and the board of directors and General Manager John Bailey reviewed and helped finalize the questions.

Bailey, on Sept. 8, said 1,642 people responded, 794 of them online and 848 who mailed paper copies. The survey deadline was Sept. 7.

“Issues that impact the entire community require solutions that are not created in a vacuum,” Bailey said in the release. “One of the objectives of the survey is to explore ideas that can be used to develop strategies that will ensure value in our homes and strengthen our community for the long term.”

Survey respondents were asked to evaluate satisfaction levels for public safety such as the police and fire departments, street signs and lighting, speed limits, emergency response time and the conditions of the roads, the release said.

In addition, questions about the responsiveness of the board of directors, the physical appearance of the community and its amenities, and the level of importance for development projects throughout Ocean Pines were included.

“The results of the survey will help in guiding the Association as it explores options to ensure that Ocean Pines remains one of the premier communities on the Eastern Shore,” Bailey said.

Surveys were mailed to each property owner and also available online. Names and addresses on completed surveys were used to verify owner status and prevent duplicate submissions, the release said.

“The contracting company that began doing this for us will begin tabulating the results over the next week, with the results eventually being published and made available to everyone,” Bailey said on Sept. 8.

“The fun part, of course, will be deciding what it all means. To at least begin that task, we will be enlisting the help of the communications committee, but I’m sure everyone will want to weigh in on what matters to them,” he added.

The Ocean Pines Communications Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet Today, Thursday, at 8 a.m. in the administration building on 239 Ocean Parkway.