(Sept. 1, 2016) Ocean Pines Association General Manager Bob Thompson was fired last Friday in a 4-3 vote of the board of directors, as newly elected members of the board followed through on campaign promises to replace him.
Thompson, whose six-year tenure as the association’s chief operating officer was a political lightning rod in the summer election, worked at the pleasure of the board and was dismissed for “convenience,” or without specific cause.
New Director Brett Hill was appointed interim general manager until a permanent replacement can be found.
The vote in a closed meeting followed a special session of the board in the administration building. As the board wrapped up its more routine business, Hill called for a closed session to discuss “contractual issues … specifically the general manager’s contract.”
Although Hill’s motion related to a potential renegotiation of Thompson’s agreement, he tabled his proposal once the closed session began and, according to reports, Director Dave Stevens then introduced a prepared written motion to dismiss Thompson immediately.
“It was a guise – it was a setup,” Director Pat Renaud said during an interview this week. “We were all shocked. When (Hill’s motion) was tabled, Dave said, ‘Well I have an alternative motion.’ I said to him, before we table the motion, I’d like to know what the alternate is, and he said ‘no.’ So, they tabled the motion and he produced this alternative, which was to fire [Thompson].
“I thought it was unusual, at least from the standpoint of Brett, why didn’t he go back and say, ‘I won’t vote for the motion – I would rather go back to the table.’ But he didn’t. So, it was a setup all the way.”
According to Renaud, when Herrick appointed Hill as the interim general manager, Hill replied that he “had a business to run.”
“He didn’t object too strongly,” Renaud added.
Thompson was not present during any portion of the meeting, but was presumed to be in his office working just a few feet away from the boardroom.
“[The directors] were all sort of sitting around looking at each other and I said to Tom, you have to go tell him – you’re the president,” Renaud said. “He did not like that.”
Leaving the building that night, Renaud said the lights were still on in Thompson’s office.
“I don’t think Bob was surprised about it at all, but I was surprised that it was this fast,” Renaud said. “Obviously, this special meeting was a setup to get Bob. I hate to be that way, but the way it came down, that’s what the whole intent of the meeting was – was to fire Bob.”
Stevens, commenting during a phone interview this week, said the directors’ next move would be to “reflect on the current situation or get as much information as we can before we precede in any specific direction.”
He speculated that Hill would “rely heavily” on existing staff for help.
“That would kind of be an interesting new concept,” Stevens said.
Stevens went on to say the OPA Board president “automatically has the job” of general manager in the case of a termination.
“Then he can appoint someone else to do it for him,” he said.
According to reports, Thompson’s severance package includes nine months pay and benefits, as well as compensation for any unused vacation time, believed to be valued at a total of close to $200,000.
Reached for comment, Hill said he would “not be conducting any interviews this week.” Instead, he issued a public statement on the matter.
Herrick, emailed questions about Thompson’s termination, responded that the association would issue a press release on the matter. He declined to comment further.
Thompson became general manager in August 2010 after a newly elected board ended its contract with then-general manager Tom Olson, who had been brought on in October 2006.
That too was a complicated move in that Thompson, who operated a financial advisory business in West Ocean City, was a member of the board of directors while also running for Worcester County Commissioner against eventual winner Judy Boggs. He stepped down as a director to assume the general manager’s post and closed his business.
Somewhat ironically, Olson fell out of favor with the board for failing to make the association’s amenities, especially the yacht club, profitable.
Thompson, whose six-year tenure as the association’s chief operating officer was a political lightning rod in the summer election, worked at the pleasure of the board and was dismissed for “convenience,” or without specific cause.
New Director Brett Hill was appointed interim general manager until a permanent replacement can be found.
The vote in a closed meeting followed a special session of the board in the administration building. As the board wrapped up its more routine business, Hill called for a closed session to discuss “contractual issues … specifically the general manager’s contract.”
Although Hill’s motion related to a potential renegotiation of Thompson’s agreement, he tabled his proposal once the closed session began and, according to reports, Director Dave Stevens then introduced a prepared written motion to dismiss Thompson immediately.
“It was a guise – it was a setup,” Director Pat Renaud said during an interview this week. “We were all shocked. When (Hill’s motion) was tabled, Dave said, ‘Well I have an alternative motion.’ I said to him, before we table the motion, I’d like to know what the alternate is, and he said ‘no.’ So, they tabled the motion and he produced this alternative, which was to fire [Thompson].
“I thought it was unusual, at least from the standpoint of Brett, why didn’t he go back and say, ‘I won’t vote for the motion – I would rather go back to the table.’ But he didn’t. So, it was a setup all the way.”
According to Renaud, when Herrick appointed Hill as the interim general manager, Hill replied that he “had a business to run.”
“He didn’t object too strongly,” Renaud added.
Thompson was not present during any portion of the meeting, but was presumed to be in his office working just a few feet away from the boardroom.
“[The directors] were all sort of sitting around looking at each other and I said to Tom, you have to go tell him – you’re the president,” Renaud said. “He did not like that.”
Leaving the building that night, Renaud said the lights were still on in Thompson’s office.
“I don’t think Bob was surprised about it at all, but I was surprised that it was this fast,” Renaud said. “Obviously, this special meeting was a setup to get Bob. I hate to be that way, but the way it came down, that’s what the whole intent of the meeting was – was to fire Bob.”
Stevens, commenting during a phone interview this week, said the directors’ next move would be to “reflect on the current situation or get as much information as we can before we precede in any specific direction.”
He speculated that Hill would “rely heavily” on existing staff for help.
“That would kind of be an interesting new concept,” Stevens said.
Stevens went on to say the OPA Board president “automatically has the job” of general manager in the case of a termination.
“Then he can appoint someone else to do it for him,” he said.
According to reports, Thompson’s severance package includes nine months pay and benefits, as well as compensation for any unused vacation time, believed to be valued at a total of close to $200,000.
Reached for comment, Hill said he would “not be conducting any interviews this week.” Instead, he issued a public statement on the matter.
Herrick, emailed questions about Thompson’s termination, responded that the association would issue a press release on the matter. He declined to comment further.
Thompson became general manager in August 2010 after a newly elected board ended its contract with then-general manager Tom Olson, who had been brought on in October 2006.
That too was a complicated move in that Thompson, who operated a financial advisory business in West Ocean City, was a member of the board of directors while also running for Worcester County Commissioner against eventual winner Judy Boggs. He stepped down as a director to assume the general manager’s post and closed his business.
Somewhat ironically, Olson fell out of favor with the board for failing to make the association’s amenities, especially the yacht club, profitable.