Question whether election process can be improved

By Greg Ellison

(July 1, 2021) Reviewing big-picture assets and challenges and identifying community values dominated discussions during the Ocean Pines Strategic Planning Committee meeting last Thursday.

Committee Co-Chairman Bernie McGorry presented a recap of planning techniques obtained from advisory committee chairpersons and Ocean Pines Association staff.

Since this spring, the committee has focused on developing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) outlines to drive strategizing efforts.

“We’ve done a lot of work on SWOT,” he said.

In addition to tapping committee chairs for input during an Ocean Pines executive council meeting in late May, data was gathered from various committee members and association department heads.

“It’s nice that it was balanced,” he said. “It wasn’t like five strengths and 30 weaknesses.”

McGorry highlighted recurring themes culled from department head replies.

Looking at strengths, topping the list was Ocean Pines being a safe community with low crime rates, followed by being located on and around waterways.

In terms of weaknesses, turnover of board members slightly edged out aging infrastructure as issues of largest concern.

McGorry said in addition to revolving board membership, department heads also expressed concerns over rapport issues.

“There’s another one there about lack of respect from the board,” he said. “There is this opportunity to work … better together.”

McGorry asked if it might be worth considering longer terms for board members to reduce the perceived challenges from turnover.

Board liaison Dr. Colette Horn said altering term lengths would require amending association’ governing documents.

“People have kind of kicked around that option versus the status quo,” she said.

Horn said the concept had both merits and disadvantages.

“One of the strengths of longer terms is that you do have stability,” she said. “ One of the weaknesses is if you have factions on a board that aren’t getting along that just prolongs the agony for more years and the dysfunction for more years.”

On a positive note, Horn said the percentage of board members seeking a second term has recently increased.

“Last year and this year we’re seeing that,” she said. “That is a source of stability when that happens.”

Horn acknowledged board turnover is a “big source of angst” for association staff.

“This time of year everybody is kind of on pins and needles over how the election is going to turn out,” she said.

Employees witnessing annual election contests are sometimes left to wonder if the outcome will impact their livelihood.

“There’s the rhetoric of the candidates, which isn’t always nice,” she said.

Committee member Jenny Cropper Rines said recurring changes in board composition provides other challenges.

‘The criticisms change and priorities change,” she said. “It really does make it hard to finish out projects.”

Committee member Helen Johnson suggested longer board terms could allow power factions to linger but would also eliminate the learning curve with fresh recruits.

“By the time you get into the groove you may not run again,” she said.

Rines recommended in lieu of extending board terms requiring participation on advisory committees for a prescribed length.

Horn countered that suggestion.

“The downside of that is it’s really not possible for part-timers to be engaged at the committee level,” she said. “We get a different perspective from people that have not been so entrenched.”

Horn said that board candidates lacking prior involvement in association governance would likely be more independent of political infighting.

“I see that as a good thing,” she said. “I was one of those people not engaged at the committee level and I think I’ve had a pretty successful run as a director.”

Switching to opportunities, McGorry said the responses from department heads largely lacked cohesion, but a few agreed on expanding partnerships with state, local and other government agencies.

McGorry said one opportunity previously discussed is generating revenue from nonresidents using amenities to support operations, while also noting ongoing efforts to market the Manklin Meadows Racquet Sports Complex.

“There’s so much demand for it,” he said. “There’s nothing like that for 20-30 miles, especially for pickleball.”

Looking at threats, negative media coverage and social media banter topped the list, followed closely by natural disasters and flooding issues.

In terms of future efforts, the committee is planning to present the data to the board for consideration.

“It’s an opportunity for them to … share their perspective,” McGorry said. “We want to get them engaged.”

On other fronts, the committee discussed including a question regarding values in a community survey that is currently under development.

“Should we include a statement in the community survey … such as other homeowners’ associations have core values, should Ocean Pines?” McGorry asked.

He said the goal would be gauging residents’ sentiments to identify the top handful of values.

“If we do, what should we incorporate?” he said. “This might one of the biggest things to come out of this plan.”

From past professional experience, McGorry said adhering to core values has proven vital for operational success.

“What is Ocean Pines all about or what do we want to be all about?” he said.

Johnson suggested the inclusion of values after conducting research to benchmark comparable homeowners’ associations for comparison purposes.

“Communities that have strategic plans usually do have core values,” she said.

The focus on shared values helps guide organizational planning, decision-making and operations, Johnson said.

The top five recurring values noted by Johnson included: collaboration, accountability, integrity, respect and sustainability.

Of these, Johnson noted the heightened importance of sustainability.

“The environmental movement with its concern for conservation of resources has stimulated a revival of interest in the sustainability of the human community,” she said. “Sustainable communities can exist over generations enduring a healthy environment, prosperous economy and vibrant civic life.”

Johnson said core values should guide development of Ocean Pines’ strategic plan.

Horn said the handful of values mentioned appear to be right on target.

“These five you’ve selected really hit on the areas that the board struggles with performing in a way that satisfies the needs and priorities of the membership,” she said.

Horn said the areas specified are often the basis for critical emails and commentary directed at board members.

“The things that we get those questions about really fall within these five,” she said. “If we can focus on these and build our strategic plan around them we’ll be headed in the right direction.”

Horn suggested the list would serve as a guidepost to further productivity.

“From a board perspective, these would be great to have as guiding principals for every decision that we make,” she said.

McGorry said the next consideration would be whether to include core values within the community survey.

“We could take it to the board, make recommendations, and leave it there,” he said.

Horn said having knowledge of community sentiment is crucial to the board’s efforts.

Unlike previous surveys, McGorry said the goal is including fewer open-ended questions.

McGorry, who hopes to complete a survey draft version by mid-July, said the values topic would be revisited.

“We’ll see when we draft the survey,” he said. “We will circle back to it.”