(March 17, 2016) General Manager Bob Thompson had a relatively routine town hall meeting last week, breezing through an overview of current projects in about 45 minutes.
Public comments, however, lasted more than an hour and included one fiery exchange with a homeowner over the performance of the community’s yacht club.
Thompson started things off with a slide show, touting a projected positive variance of $47,242 by the end of the fiscal year. Aquatics, he said, was performing well, coming close to breaking even for the first time in years.
“That’s something we all can be real, real excited about,” he said. “The other highlight [is] the yacht club is performing extremely well … we’re actually operating in the black.
“The bottom line for us is we’re in the black right now [overall], which we have not been in years at this stage of the game,” Thompson continued. “The numbers are looking pretty good for the year right now.”
One thing that was not going well, said Thompson, were the string of break-ins to parked cars. He said those incidents almost exclusively involved people entering unlocked autos. He blamed an increase in drug use for the uptick in activity.
“Just lock your doors, because they just walk to the next driveway, and the next driveway until they find one open. It’s just an easy target,” Thompson said.
On the rising drug use in the county, Thompson said Ocean Pines budgeted for an additional police officer who would specialize in drug interdiction and work directly with the county.
He also reminded those in the audience that Ocean Pines police police would perform routine checks for vacationing homeowners, as long as they fill out a form at the department.
Going over the budget, passed by the directors late last month, Thompson said dues and amenity fees did not increase, and that assessment bills would likely go out “at some point next week.”
Highlights in the budget, Thompson said, included hardware and software upgrades, Wi-Fi at the community center, road resurfacing, upgrades to the country club, beach and police station, and new decor and “mobile food concessions” tied to the yacht club.
On the latter topic, Thompson said the somewhat controversial food truck was actually a suggestion by the county health department.
“We were cooking outside on the [yacht club] patio, and the health department said you couldn’t do that,” Thompson said. “I actually went directly to the health department [and] sat down with them. They’re the ones who introduced a food trailer or food truck if we wanted to do outside service. Just so you know, it wasn’t something we came up with … just roll the dice and see what happens.”
He said the board would have final approval of the purchase and other expenses related to the food truck.
Thompson went on to say some of the capital replacement purchases in the budget were creating “ill will,” and that he had received a number of nasty emails on the subject.
“It’s a lack of information from the people sending the email is where it starts,” he said. “If you’re going to send a nasty email, why don’t you ask first? Ask why we’re doing it. Ask us to explain it.”
One item of contention was a Chevy Tahoe, which, in the budget draft, included an estimate for a model with leather seats and a satellite navigation system, among other add-ons. Thompson said that was simply the only dealer estimate available at the time, and that the association was not in the business of buying luxury vehicles for basic public works use.
Moreover, he said money allocated for replacement items would not affect assessments until the following year, and the actual cost of the truck would be about $40,000 – much less than the estimate implied.
“Whether we put 70, 100 or 80 [thousand] is irrelevant,” he said. “Your assessment does not get impacted until we buy it … it doesn’t have a direct impact.”
Thompson said the budget included money for “replacement in place” of the beach club bathrooms, likely happening this fall so as not to interrupt the busy summer season.
Other projects in development include upgrades to the Sports Core Pool, for which the directors recently approved $255,000 in funding, and repairs of two bridges.
Thompson said a request for proposals for the structures, both near the golf course, were recently distributed. He estimated repairs would take place during the spring or summer, and promised disruption would be minimal.
The Manklin Meadows project that includes expansion of several racquet sports courts and adjustments to the playground, parking lot and community gardens, only received one bid, and it was “three times what we thought it was going to be.”
Thompson said the cost of stormwater management largely drove the increase, and that the association was working with “some of our county folks” on less costly solutions.
Although the directors last month tabled a proposal to build new bathrooms at White Horse Park, Thompson said the board later approved that project by an email vote.
Addressing the reserve study, capital improvement plan and comprehensive plan all either recently completed or nearing completion, Thompson said Ocean Pines was exploring projects as many as 15 years into the future.
“We’re hitting this from a number of different levels to do future planning, which is the right approach,” Thompson said. “There’s a lot of work underway right now that should help us as we look at what the future of the community should be.”
During the Q&A portion of the meeting, questions ranged from whether the BEACON study related to the comprehensive plan would address the country club (it won’t), to if the swim and racquet club resurfacing were still happening (it is).
Other residents asked about the food truck, boat trailers, awnings over the tiki bar at the yacht club, and the conditions at the north and south gates to the community.
Then, Steve Lind asked Thompson, “Why don’t we just wash our hands of the yacht club?”
“Let a local businessman with name recognition lease the place out. I’d just like to hear your thoughts,” he said.
Thompson used the example of a business in the community that was being run by a successful Ocean City businessperson but nevertheless had to close.
“How did it work out over there?” Thompson asked. “An extremely successful businessman didn’t work out at the south gate of Ocean Pines. Strike one to your theory.”
When Thompson tried to give a second example, gesturing toward his slides, Lind interrupted and said he was well aware of the business, and “hung out there seven days a week.”
“You’ve got to say things that are true, Bob,” Lind said.
“I don’t tell lies – I’m not smart enough to keep up with them,” Thompson said. “Don’t tell me I lied … don’t call me a liar in my own meeting.”
Lind pressed on, and Thompson said he was finished with the conversation and would move on.
“One more time and I’ll ask you to leave,” Thompson said.
“I’ll leave. I don’t care,” Lind said.
“Please do,” Thompson said.
Closing out the meeting, Thompson offered new information on talks with developer Palmer Gillis about traffic concerns at the Delmarva Health Pavilion.
Gillis addressed the issue with dozens of Ocean Pines homeowners during a public meeting in February. Since then, Thompson said the developer sent a formal request for an alternate access roadway from the property onto Ocean Parkway.
Thompson added that no action been taken, but that it was his belief a majority of the directors would prefer to see a “formal traffic study” before making any decisions.
Public comments, however, lasted more than an hour and included one fiery exchange with a homeowner over the performance of the community’s yacht club.
Thompson started things off with a slide show, touting a projected positive variance of $47,242 by the end of the fiscal year. Aquatics, he said, was performing well, coming close to breaking even for the first time in years.
“That’s something we all can be real, real excited about,” he said. “The other highlight [is] the yacht club is performing extremely well … we’re actually operating in the black.
“The bottom line for us is we’re in the black right now [overall], which we have not been in years at this stage of the game,” Thompson continued. “The numbers are looking pretty good for the year right now.”
One thing that was not going well, said Thompson, were the string of break-ins to parked cars. He said those incidents almost exclusively involved people entering unlocked autos. He blamed an increase in drug use for the uptick in activity.
“Just lock your doors, because they just walk to the next driveway, and the next driveway until they find one open. It’s just an easy target,” Thompson said.
On the rising drug use in the county, Thompson said Ocean Pines budgeted for an additional police officer who would specialize in drug interdiction and work directly with the county.
He also reminded those in the audience that Ocean Pines police police would perform routine checks for vacationing homeowners, as long as they fill out a form at the department.
Going over the budget, passed by the directors late last month, Thompson said dues and amenity fees did not increase, and that assessment bills would likely go out “at some point next week.”
Highlights in the budget, Thompson said, included hardware and software upgrades, Wi-Fi at the community center, road resurfacing, upgrades to the country club, beach and police station, and new decor and “mobile food concessions” tied to the yacht club.
On the latter topic, Thompson said the somewhat controversial food truck was actually a suggestion by the county health department.
“We were cooking outside on the [yacht club] patio, and the health department said you couldn’t do that,” Thompson said. “I actually went directly to the health department [and] sat down with them. They’re the ones who introduced a food trailer or food truck if we wanted to do outside service. Just so you know, it wasn’t something we came up with … just roll the dice and see what happens.”
He said the board would have final approval of the purchase and other expenses related to the food truck.
Thompson went on to say some of the capital replacement purchases in the budget were creating “ill will,” and that he had received a number of nasty emails on the subject.
“It’s a lack of information from the people sending the email is where it starts,” he said. “If you’re going to send a nasty email, why don’t you ask first? Ask why we’re doing it. Ask us to explain it.”
One item of contention was a Chevy Tahoe, which, in the budget draft, included an estimate for a model with leather seats and a satellite navigation system, among other add-ons. Thompson said that was simply the only dealer estimate available at the time, and that the association was not in the business of buying luxury vehicles for basic public works use.
Moreover, he said money allocated for replacement items would not affect assessments until the following year, and the actual cost of the truck would be about $40,000 – much less than the estimate implied.
“Whether we put 70, 100 or 80 [thousand] is irrelevant,” he said. “Your assessment does not get impacted until we buy it … it doesn’t have a direct impact.”
Thompson said the budget included money for “replacement in place” of the beach club bathrooms, likely happening this fall so as not to interrupt the busy summer season.
Other projects in development include upgrades to the Sports Core Pool, for which the directors recently approved $255,000 in funding, and repairs of two bridges.
Thompson said a request for proposals for the structures, both near the golf course, were recently distributed. He estimated repairs would take place during the spring or summer, and promised disruption would be minimal.
The Manklin Meadows project that includes expansion of several racquet sports courts and adjustments to the playground, parking lot and community gardens, only received one bid, and it was “three times what we thought it was going to be.”
Thompson said the cost of stormwater management largely drove the increase, and that the association was working with “some of our county folks” on less costly solutions.
Although the directors last month tabled a proposal to build new bathrooms at White Horse Park, Thompson said the board later approved that project by an email vote.
Addressing the reserve study, capital improvement plan and comprehensive plan all either recently completed or nearing completion, Thompson said Ocean Pines was exploring projects as many as 15 years into the future.
“We’re hitting this from a number of different levels to do future planning, which is the right approach,” Thompson said. “There’s a lot of work underway right now that should help us as we look at what the future of the community should be.”
During the Q&A portion of the meeting, questions ranged from whether the BEACON study related to the comprehensive plan would address the country club (it won’t), to if the swim and racquet club resurfacing were still happening (it is).
Other residents asked about the food truck, boat trailers, awnings over the tiki bar at the yacht club, and the conditions at the north and south gates to the community.
Then, Steve Lind asked Thompson, “Why don’t we just wash our hands of the yacht club?”
“Let a local businessman with name recognition lease the place out. I’d just like to hear your thoughts,” he said.
Thompson used the example of a business in the community that was being run by a successful Ocean City businessperson but nevertheless had to close.
“How did it work out over there?” Thompson asked. “An extremely successful businessman didn’t work out at the south gate of Ocean Pines. Strike one to your theory.”
When Thompson tried to give a second example, gesturing toward his slides, Lind interrupted and said he was well aware of the business, and “hung out there seven days a week.”
“You’ve got to say things that are true, Bob,” Lind said.
“I don’t tell lies – I’m not smart enough to keep up with them,” Thompson said. “Don’t tell me I lied … don’t call me a liar in my own meeting.”
Lind pressed on, and Thompson said he was finished with the conversation and would move on.
“One more time and I’ll ask you to leave,” Thompson said.
“I’ll leave. I don’t care,” Lind said.
“Please do,” Thompson said.
Closing out the meeting, Thompson offered new information on talks with developer Palmer Gillis about traffic concerns at the Delmarva Health Pavilion.
Gillis addressed the issue with dozens of Ocean Pines homeowners during a public meeting in February. Since then, Thompson said the developer sent a formal request for an alternate access roadway from the property onto Ocean Parkway.
Thompson added that no action been taken, but that it was his belief a majority of the directors would prefer to see a “formal traffic study” before making any decisions.