(Nov. 17, 2016) In April, the last time the Ocean Pines Executive Council met, just three of the 13 committee chairs attended the roughly 20-minute session.
On Monday, the most recent meeting between council chairs and board leadership, nearly every committee was represented during a robust two-hour discussion that focused on improving communication throughout the association.
Jenny Cropper Rines, chairwoman of the communications advisory committee, got that discussion started.
Rines said her committee had been working on ways to help promote the other committees through social media and other channels, and to open lines of dialogue throughout the association in general.
“That’s kind of one of the things my committee has been talking about for a couple of years now, is what can we do to even know how to help,” she said.
Roundtable discussions like the executive council were useful, she said. Rines added it would be helpful to have a staff liaison present during meetings – a notion that sparked its own line of debate.
“From our perspective, it would be very helpful to know what the staff battles in terms of communication,” she said. “A lot of times, we don’t who’s on first. So, we’ve been trying to figure that out.”
By-laws and Resolutions Chairman Marty Clarke – a former board member – recalled the days when directors would “draw straws” to act as committee liaisons. He remembered having staff liaisons present most of the time.
Some chairmen, like John Viola (budget and finance), Frank Daly (comprehensive planning) and Les Purcell (clubs), said some manner of Ocean Pines staff regularly attended meetings.
Others like Timothy McMullen (recreation and parks) and Kenneth Wolf (environment and natural assets) said that was something of a rarity.
Wolf added that he wouldn’t want to waste a staffer’s time at committee meetings.
“If it’s not important enough to have the attendance [of a] paid staff member, then I quit because I think my time is more valuable,” Clarke said. “You drive from Annapolis, Maryland to attend a meeting and then you drive home, and you don’t think you can ask somebody from public works to sit in on the meeting for an hour and a half?”
“It’s a waste of their resources,” Wolf said. “When I think that … it’s important, then I’ll speak up – I’m not going to hesitate. But I just don’t want somebody there every meeting.”
Rines countered that having a staffer in meetings would “prevent a duplication of effort,” to which Clarke agreed.
McMullen said his committee recently had to deal with detailed plans for renovations or new construction at a variety of Ocean Pines amenities.
“Without the input of the recs and parks person … we’re lost,” he said.
Herrick asked if committee chairs should start emailing regular monthly meeting minutes to all directors, rather than just to their respective liaisons, which the chairs seemed to agree by consensus.
Daly said he had also become accustomed to using “a bit of discretion” in his communications. If something somewhat controversial came up during a meeting, for instance, he reported to the board preemptively so they did not learn about it second hand.
Other concerns aired during the meeting included the apparent existence of a “yacht club work group,” formed by interim General Manager Brett Hill, which Purcell worried “negates [the] value” of his committee.
McMullen also worried that several Ocean Pines groups were still contracting outside venues for regular functions instead of using the community yacht club. Even if the club didn’t make a profit from those events, he suggested, it could do with a bit of fence mending.
Tuttle noted that his committee only had three members and could use a few more. Herrick said the marine advisory committee also needed a few more committee members.
To inquire about volunteers on any Ocean Pines advisory committees, email Executive Assistant Michelle Bennett at mbennett@oceanpines.org or call 410-641-7717 ext. 3002.
Near the close of the session, Rines again stated the usefulness of having all of the chairs together to air their concerns.
“This is the most people I’ve seen in one room in two years. I think that’s very valuable,” she said. “It would be nice to see you again in six months and see how you’re doing.”
On Monday, the most recent meeting between council chairs and board leadership, nearly every committee was represented during a robust two-hour discussion that focused on improving communication throughout the association.
Jenny Cropper Rines, chairwoman of the communications advisory committee, got that discussion started.
Rines said her committee had been working on ways to help promote the other committees through social media and other channels, and to open lines of dialogue throughout the association in general.
“That’s kind of one of the things my committee has been talking about for a couple of years now, is what can we do to even know how to help,” she said.
Roundtable discussions like the executive council were useful, she said. Rines added it would be helpful to have a staff liaison present during meetings – a notion that sparked its own line of debate.
“From our perspective, it would be very helpful to know what the staff battles in terms of communication,” she said. “A lot of times, we don’t who’s on first. So, we’ve been trying to figure that out.”
By-laws and Resolutions Chairman Marty Clarke – a former board member – recalled the days when directors would “draw straws” to act as committee liaisons. He remembered having staff liaisons present most of the time.
Some chairmen, like John Viola (budget and finance), Frank Daly (comprehensive planning) and Les Purcell (clubs), said some manner of Ocean Pines staff regularly attended meetings.
Others like Timothy McMullen (recreation and parks) and Kenneth Wolf (environment and natural assets) said that was something of a rarity.
Wolf added that he wouldn’t want to waste a staffer’s time at committee meetings.
“If it’s not important enough to have the attendance [of a] paid staff member, then I quit because I think my time is more valuable,” Clarke said. “You drive from Annapolis, Maryland to attend a meeting and then you drive home, and you don’t think you can ask somebody from public works to sit in on the meeting for an hour and a half?”
“It’s a waste of their resources,” Wolf said. “When I think that … it’s important, then I’ll speak up – I’m not going to hesitate. But I just don’t want somebody there every meeting.”
Rines countered that having a staffer in meetings would “prevent a duplication of effort,” to which Clarke agreed.
McMullen said his committee recently had to deal with detailed plans for renovations or new construction at a variety of Ocean Pines amenities.
“Without the input of the recs and parks person … we’re lost,” he said.
Herrick asked if committee chairs should start emailing regular monthly meeting minutes to all directors, rather than just to their respective liaisons, which the chairs seemed to agree by consensus.
Daly said he had also become accustomed to using “a bit of discretion” in his communications. If something somewhat controversial came up during a meeting, for instance, he reported to the board preemptively so they did not learn about it second hand.
Other concerns aired during the meeting included the apparent existence of a “yacht club work group,” formed by interim General Manager Brett Hill, which Purcell worried “negates [the] value” of his committee.
McMullen also worried that several Ocean Pines groups were still contracting outside venues for regular functions instead of using the community yacht club. Even if the club didn’t make a profit from those events, he suggested, it could do with a bit of fence mending.
Tuttle noted that his committee only had three members and could use a few more. Herrick said the marine advisory committee also needed a few more committee members.
To inquire about volunteers on any Ocean Pines advisory committees, email Executive Assistant Michelle Bennett at mbennett@oceanpines.org or call 410-641-7717 ext. 3002.
Near the close of the session, Rines again stated the usefulness of having all of the chairs together to air their concerns.
“This is the most people I’ve seen in one room in two years. I think that’s very valuable,” she said. “It would be nice to see you again in six months and see how you’re doing.”