By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(June 7, 2018) Ocean Pines voters can get their first look at candidates for the 2018 board of directors’ election during the annual candidate draw on Friday.

Nine eligible candidates were announced in a May 16 Ocean Pines press release: Frank Daly, Esther Diller, Paula Gray, Arie Klapholz, Mark Mitchell, Ted Moroney, Gregory Turner, Steve Tuttle, and Scott Wagner.

This year, the top-two vote getters will win a three-year term in office, while the third-place finisher will inherit the final year of former director and interim general manager Brett Hill, who resigned last September.

The candidate draw, determining ballot order, apparently will not include Hill, who again this year filed for office.

Hill’s application last month was ruled invalid, reportedly because of assessments not paid on time.

The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors candidate application includes the following: “A Board candidate must be an owner of record on January 1st of the year of the election and not have unpaid annual charges or vote suspended by the Board as of May 15th of that year.” Applicant signatures are required on that document.

Association Secretary Colette Horn, in a correspondence to Hill said, “I am applying the requirements contained in the bylaws and the board adopted policies. Unfortunately, based on the OPA’s bylaws and polices, as of the close of business on May 15, 2018 you did not meet the eligibility requirements for candidacy to the board of directors.”

Hill said the ruling would “definitely be challenged” and filed a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General’s office last month. In an email on Tuesday, he said a complaint would also be filed in the Worcester County Circuit Court this week.

Hill responded to the allegations of unpaid assessments in a recent email.

“The assessments aren’t late until May 31, and I most certainly will pay them. However, I don’t have $11 million in my bank account. So right now, those dollars serve me better in my custody instead of OPA’s until the point they officially become late,” he said.

The candidate draw is scheduled for 11 a.m. in the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway and will include an informational session for candidateshosted by the elections committee.

Key upcoming election dates include the first candidates’ forum, June 20; voter eligibility deadline, July 3; ballots mailed, July 10; second candidates’ forum (if warranted), July 14; ballot deadline, Aug. 8; ballots counted, Aug. 10; and the annual meeting, Aug. 11 at 10 a.m. in the community center.