(Dec. 3, 2015) Following a Nov. 19 meeting that included no small amount of disagreement on the part of the directors, OPA Board President Pat Renaud said he’s looking into claims that he wrongfully made three appointments to represent the board in talks with golf management company Landscapes Unlimited.
He also suggested the dour tone of the meeting could continue throughout his term as president.
“We’re searching to make sure what is being said is true, and that is whether or not I have the right unilaterally to [make appointments],” he said. “A couple of the members of the board seem to think that I don’t have that right, and they’re saying that they didn’t exercise that right when they were in power. We’re checking that out.”
The Gazette obtained minutes from previous OPA Board meetings that seem to back Renaud’s claim that the previous administration did not seek approval from the full board for its Landscapes appointments. Dating back to May, when the association signed a management contract with the company, no mention is made of golf appointments.
Renaud said he wasn’t sure if the results of his inquiry would come up during a future meeting and said his focus was instead on “moving ahead and solving problems.”
The problem, he said, is a certain contingency on the board would rather talk about process than produce results.
“That same contingency [who accused Renaud] that wants more process is still fighting for that way of life, and that’s why the meetings are as long as they are,” he said, adding that the recent closed session, on Nov. 19, ran two-and-a-half hours after the nearly three-hour-long open meeting.
Renaud admitted there were a few times during the last meeting when he could have stepped in sooner to speed things up.
“I’m not trying to override the process; I’m trying to let it go through,” he said. “I didn’t have the gavel – I should have had it and banged it at least once, but most of the time I let them go.”
He did eventually make a motion to approve the appointments in question – representatives from the board to golf management company Landscapes Unlimited, including himself, Tom Terry and Bill Cordwell.
“It was 4-3 and I won,” Renaud said. “Why go through all this discussion? If you think I was wrong in not doing that, OK, I’ll right that wrong and make it official. And that’s what I did.
“I think we’re going to have to have more of that,” he continued. “I’m going to have to say, ‘OK, if you really want to make an issue of it, let’s vote about it.’ Let’s get down and dirty and do it, and get through some of this discussion.”
Renaud also suggested the conflict, which began with an issue raised by freshman Director Tom Herrick, was actually a setup crafted by two senior board members.
“They had this whole thing set up. I know it was a setup. There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “That meeting, even though it was shorter than normal, it doesn’t have to be that long. I think you’re going to continue to see that throughout the whole year of my administration and I just have to learn to deal with it.
“I’m still pushing ahead,” Renaud added. “I still want to get to the problems that Ocean Pines has, and I won’t give up on that. I won’t let it happen that we’re just talking about process, process, process. We’re going to make votes that will count.”
He also suggested the dour tone of the meeting could continue throughout his term as president.
“We’re searching to make sure what is being said is true, and that is whether or not I have the right unilaterally to [make appointments],” he said. “A couple of the members of the board seem to think that I don’t have that right, and they’re saying that they didn’t exercise that right when they were in power. We’re checking that out.”
The Gazette obtained minutes from previous OPA Board meetings that seem to back Renaud’s claim that the previous administration did not seek approval from the full board for its Landscapes appointments. Dating back to May, when the association signed a management contract with the company, no mention is made of golf appointments.
Renaud said he wasn’t sure if the results of his inquiry would come up during a future meeting and said his focus was instead on “moving ahead and solving problems.”
The problem, he said, is a certain contingency on the board would rather talk about process than produce results.
“That same contingency [who accused Renaud] that wants more process is still fighting for that way of life, and that’s why the meetings are as long as they are,” he said, adding that the recent closed session, on Nov. 19, ran two-and-a-half hours after the nearly three-hour-long open meeting.
Renaud admitted there were a few times during the last meeting when he could have stepped in sooner to speed things up.
“I’m not trying to override the process; I’m trying to let it go through,” he said. “I didn’t have the gavel – I should have had it and banged it at least once, but most of the time I let them go.”
He did eventually make a motion to approve the appointments in question – representatives from the board to golf management company Landscapes Unlimited, including himself, Tom Terry and Bill Cordwell.
“It was 4-3 and I won,” Renaud said. “Why go through all this discussion? If you think I was wrong in not doing that, OK, I’ll right that wrong and make it official. And that’s what I did.
“I think we’re going to have to have more of that,” he continued. “I’m going to have to say, ‘OK, if you really want to make an issue of it, let’s vote about it.’ Let’s get down and dirty and do it, and get through some of this discussion.”
Renaud also suggested the conflict, which began with an issue raised by freshman Director Tom Herrick, was actually a setup crafted by two senior board members.
“They had this whole thing set up. I know it was a setup. There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “That meeting, even though it was shorter than normal, it doesn’t have to be that long. I think you’re going to continue to see that throughout the whole year of my administration and I just have to learn to deal with it.
“I’m still pushing ahead,” Renaud added. “I still want to get to the problems that Ocean Pines has, and I won’t give up on that. I won’t let it happen that we’re just talking about process, process, process. We’re going to make votes that will count.”