OCEAN PINES – The Ocean Pines Association is seeking the community’s participation in this year’s election and annual meeting.
As the Ocean Pines Association (OPA) prepares for its annual board election, officials are encouraging members to return their ballots and attend the annual meeting.
Elections Committee Chair Steve Habeger said ballots for the 2021 board election will be mailed to eligible voters the week of July 12. This year, candidates Frank Daly, Stuart Lakernick, David Hardy and Richard Farr will vie for two board seats currently held by Daly and Frank Brown. The seven-member volunteer board is the governing body of Ocean Pines.
“Ocean Pines is a big, complicated place with an annual budget in excess of $14 million … and the board of directors has the responsibility and authority for what goes on in Ocean Pines,” Habeger said. “Those seven people have a lot of say in what is done and how it gets done, so we need the best people in there that we can possibly get.”
In an effort to learn more about the candidates and their views on association matters, OPA held a candidate forum on June 9. A second forum will be held on Tuesday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at the Ocean Pines Golf Club on 100 Clubhouse Drive.
To submit questions for the forum, email [email protected]. Videos of both forums will be posted on the association’s YouTube channel.
“If a person can’t attend, it will be recorded, and they can watch it on YouTube after the fact,” said Communications Committee Chair Cheryl Jacobs.
Habeger said officials are trying to increase awareness of this year’s election by placing signs and mailing information on this year’s candidates. He said in recent years, voter participation has averaged roughly 40%.
“The passion, enthusiasm and energy of the candidates really gets people out to vote, either by person or by mail …,” he said. “What we are trying to do is buttress that with increased awareness of the upcoming election. You are determining who is going to be making decisions through 2024. There are a lot of issues coming up, and we need to have people that we want to support in those leadership roles.”
Ballots for this year’s election are due back by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11 and can be returned by mail or through the drop box located in the lobby of the Ocean Pines Police Department.
Habeger said the association had more than 100 ballots from the recent referendum vote that were received late, and not counted. As the postal service continues to move slowly, he encouraged members to use the drop box.
“The box is under the view of the police dispatcher, who’s on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.
The association’s Elections Committee will count ballots and announce the totals on Friday, Aug. 13. However, election results will be a validated and a winner will be announced at the association’s annual meeting on Saturday, Aug. 14.
Jacobs noted the annual meeting includes the validation of the board election, as well as annual presentations from the association’s departments. In recent years, however, the association has not managed a quorum, which is at least 100 members.
“We haven’t had a quorum since 2018 …,” she said. “We want people to understand where the money is going, how it’s used and what’s going on. It’s also an opportunity for members to be heard and to learn about the community in which they live.”
Jacobs encouraged members to attend this year’s annual meeting, which will begin at 9 a.m. in the Assateague Room of the Ocean Pines Community Center. She also encouraged members to vote in this year’s election and return their ballots by Aug. 11.
“This could possibly be a tied election, and 100 ballots can make the difference for somebody getting on the board,” she said.
