(Oct. 5, 2017) The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors discussed the following items during a meeting in the community center, last Friday.
Stevens honored
At the start of the meeting, former Director Dave Stevens was honored for his nine years of service as an elected official.
“Anybody that has dedicated that much time to the organization deserves a round of applause,” Board President Doug Parks said. “Thank you very much, Dave, for all the work you put in over the years as a director on the board in OPA.”
Stevens thanked the other directors and association members for “all the support that [he] received over the years.”
Seeing red
Director Pat Supik, during the monthly treasurer’s report, said the current negative budget variance of about $700,000 was likely to be far worse by the end of the fiscal year.
“The projection for year-end, at this moment, is a significantly greater negative variance from budget than the $700,000 that we’re currently experiencing,” she said.
She later added a specific projection was not done, but her statement was based on poor showings during Ocean Pines’ “big income-producing time.”
“We intend to do a projection and then you’ll have the numbers,” she said.
Appointments
The board voted 6-1 in favor of a second term for clubs committee member Gary Miller. An effort to remove Miller from the committee was undertaken by several members of the previous board, but was unsuccessful.
The directors voted unanimously to appoint Virginia Reister (aquatics, first term), Donna Hickey (clubs, second term) and Gerald Horn (marine activities, first term) to advisory committees.
The board also endorsed a one-year term extension for Les Purcell (clubs). Parks appointed him the committee chairman.
GM report
General Manager John Bailey provided updates on several fronts during his roughly 10-minute presentation to the directors.
He said about 30 people applied for the finance director position and that the salary would be commensurate with experience. The deadline for applications is Oct. 9.
Bailey admitted there were issues with food and beverage operations, adding long-term solutions would be easier to come by than immediate fixes.
“Finding a short-term solution is like solving a five-sided Rubik’s Cube – it’s very difficult,” he said.
He said a “total review” of the yacht club, country club and Tern Grille is underway.
Bailey said renovation efforts at the country club are at a standstill as plans are being reevaluated.
“We probably want to revisit those, not just for the blueprint side of it, but for the use of it and what we want to get out of the endgame,” he said.
Previous plans were to create additional meeting space on the second floor of the club.
“While there’s a push to get that done, we want to do it right,” Bailey added. “My biggest concern with the club at the moment is winter coming on and how we insulate it from getting worse through that time period, while we’re figuring out all these other questions.”
He said 26 inches of rain in August hurt golf revenues and played havoc on course maintenance efforts. September, however, “has been pretty good,” drawing both members and nonresidents,” Bailey said.
Bailey said construction of new platform tennis courts is proceeding and a secure-entry system was installed in the administration building.
Ethics work group
The directors unanimously approved the creation of a work group of three directors and three association members to draft an ethics policy.
Director Colette Horn introduced the motion and said the bylaws and resolutions committee would review the policy before coming back to the board for a formal vote.
Director Ted Moroney warned a previous policy is nebulous and was created, at least in part, as a way to conduct “witch hunts.”
He added an effective policy might be difficult to come by, but said, “I think we should go ahead and give it a shot and see what happens.”
“I don’t see any harm in investigating the options of what a code of ethics would contain,” Parks added. “I think it’s probably time well spent to, at the very least, gather some information.”
Rapid fire
The directors voted unanimously to approve a first reading of changes to Resolution C-10, governing the environment and natural assets committee. Supik said the change would refocus the committee to address the health of the St. Martin’s River.
Other unanimous votes approved budget and finance committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2018 budget, increased the capitalization threshold from $1,000 to $5,000, directed Bailey to develop a job description and salary range for a human resources employee, and created a “master list of all contracts and agreements.”
Additionally, the board voted to name Bailey as the resident agent for liquor licenses and to appoint Bailey, Parks, Supik and Assistant Treasurer Gene Ringsdorf as association check signers.
Stevens honored
At the start of the meeting, former Director Dave Stevens was honored for his nine years of service as an elected official.
“Anybody that has dedicated that much time to the organization deserves a round of applause,” Board President Doug Parks said. “Thank you very much, Dave, for all the work you put in over the years as a director on the board in OPA.”
Stevens thanked the other directors and association members for “all the support that [he] received over the years.”
Seeing red
Director Pat Supik, during the monthly treasurer’s report, said the current negative budget variance of about $700,000 was likely to be far worse by the end of the fiscal year.
“The projection for year-end, at this moment, is a significantly greater negative variance from budget than the $700,000 that we’re currently experiencing,” she said.
She later added a specific projection was not done, but her statement was based on poor showings during Ocean Pines’ “big income-producing time.”
“We intend to do a projection and then you’ll have the numbers,” she said.
Appointments
The board voted 6-1 in favor of a second term for clubs committee member Gary Miller. An effort to remove Miller from the committee was undertaken by several members of the previous board, but was unsuccessful.
The directors voted unanimously to appoint Virginia Reister (aquatics, first term), Donna Hickey (clubs, second term) and Gerald Horn (marine activities, first term) to advisory committees.
The board also endorsed a one-year term extension for Les Purcell (clubs). Parks appointed him the committee chairman.
GM report
General Manager John Bailey provided updates on several fronts during his roughly 10-minute presentation to the directors.
He said about 30 people applied for the finance director position and that the salary would be commensurate with experience. The deadline for applications is Oct. 9.
Bailey admitted there were issues with food and beverage operations, adding long-term solutions would be easier to come by than immediate fixes.
“Finding a short-term solution is like solving a five-sided Rubik’s Cube – it’s very difficult,” he said.
He said a “total review” of the yacht club, country club and Tern Grille is underway.
Bailey said renovation efforts at the country club are at a standstill as plans are being reevaluated.
“We probably want to revisit those, not just for the blueprint side of it, but for the use of it and what we want to get out of the endgame,” he said.
Previous plans were to create additional meeting space on the second floor of the club.
“While there’s a push to get that done, we want to do it right,” Bailey added. “My biggest concern with the club at the moment is winter coming on and how we insulate it from getting worse through that time period, while we’re figuring out all these other questions.”
He said 26 inches of rain in August hurt golf revenues and played havoc on course maintenance efforts. September, however, “has been pretty good,” drawing both members and nonresidents,” Bailey said.
Bailey said construction of new platform tennis courts is proceeding and a secure-entry system was installed in the administration building.
Ethics work group
The directors unanimously approved the creation of a work group of three directors and three association members to draft an ethics policy.
Director Colette Horn introduced the motion and said the bylaws and resolutions committee would review the policy before coming back to the board for a formal vote.
Director Ted Moroney warned a previous policy is nebulous and was created, at least in part, as a way to conduct “witch hunts.”
He added an effective policy might be difficult to come by, but said, “I think we should go ahead and give it a shot and see what happens.”
“I don’t see any harm in investigating the options of what a code of ethics would contain,” Parks added. “I think it’s probably time well spent to, at the very least, gather some information.”
Rapid fire
The directors voted unanimously to approve a first reading of changes to Resolution C-10, governing the environment and natural assets committee. Supik said the change would refocus the committee to address the health of the St. Martin’s River.
Other unanimous votes approved budget and finance committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2018 budget, increased the capitalization threshold from $1,000 to $5,000, directed Bailey to develop a job description and salary range for a human resources employee, and created a “master list of all contracts and agreements.”
Additionally, the board voted to name Bailey as the resident agent for liquor licenses and to appoint Bailey, Parks, Supik and Assistant Treasurer Gene Ringsdorf as association check signers.