(May 5, 2016) The OPA Board of Directors held a closed meeting on Monday, believed to be about the contract of Dr. Memo Diriker and BEACON, a Salisbury University group hired to develop a survey connected to a new comprehensive plan.
Although the agenda simply said the discussion involved “contractual issues,” Directors Dave Stevens and Jack Collins both said before going into that session that they believed the reason for it could be disclosed without affecting the negotiations. Both, however, said they would defer to Board President Pat Renaud.
Renaud said he would ask his “legal advisors,” referring to attorney Joe Moore, who attended the meeting, and Board Vice President Cheryl Jacobs, who also practiced law.
Stevens then snapped at Renaud.
“Excuse me – advisors?” he said.
“My legal advisors. I have him and her,” Renaud said, motioning to Moore and Jacobs.
“Nope, I’m sorry. You do not have him and her,” Stevens said. “She is not a legal advisor to the board.”
“She’s a legal advisor to me,” Renaud said.
“You know what? I’ll ask my legal advisory too. Can I call him?” Stevens asked. “That’s ridiculous, Pat.”
Jacobs noted that she did not give legal opinions for the Ocean Pines Association.
“I just happen to be an attorney and I offer opinions about things. I don’t give legal opinions on behalf of the association,” she said. “If I were, I would want to get paid.”
“Easy now,” Moore said, with a laugh. “It is unethical for me to advance portions of my fee.”
On the actual subject of the meeting, Moore said he had a document that would be part of the discussion, which was marked confidential. As such, he said it was appropriate to determine, while in closed session, whether the topic could be released.
Following the meeting, Moore reconfirmed that the closed session was about contractual matters that were “as far as they’re going to go right now.”
“They’re still pending,” he said.
Post-meeting conversations between directors and others, however, indicated that the BEACON contract had been discussed.
Although the agenda simply said the discussion involved “contractual issues,” Directors Dave Stevens and Jack Collins both said before going into that session that they believed the reason for it could be disclosed without affecting the negotiations. Both, however, said they would defer to Board President Pat Renaud.
Renaud said he would ask his “legal advisors,” referring to attorney Joe Moore, who attended the meeting, and Board Vice President Cheryl Jacobs, who also practiced law.
Stevens then snapped at Renaud.
“Excuse me – advisors?” he said.
“My legal advisors. I have him and her,” Renaud said, motioning to Moore and Jacobs.
“Nope, I’m sorry. You do not have him and her,” Stevens said. “She is not a legal advisor to the board.”
“She’s a legal advisor to me,” Renaud said.
“You know what? I’ll ask my legal advisory too. Can I call him?” Stevens asked. “That’s ridiculous, Pat.”
Jacobs noted that she did not give legal opinions for the Ocean Pines Association.
“I just happen to be an attorney and I offer opinions about things. I don’t give legal opinions on behalf of the association,” she said. “If I were, I would want to get paid.”
“Easy now,” Moore said, with a laugh. “It is unethical for me to advance portions of my fee.”
On the actual subject of the meeting, Moore said he had a document that would be part of the discussion, which was marked confidential. As such, he said it was appropriate to determine, while in closed session, whether the topic could be released.
Following the meeting, Moore reconfirmed that the closed session was about contractual matters that were “as far as they’re going to go right now.”
“They’re still pending,” he said.
Post-meeting conversations between directors and others, however, indicated that the BEACON contract had been discussed.