Director Doug Parks and former director Marty Clarke, and newcomers Colette Horn, Nicole Schaffer Crosariol, Paula Robertson Gray, Arie Klapholz and Brenda Lynn Wascak, will vie for two seats on the board. 

Ocean Pines Association Board President Tom Herrick said Monday that eight candidates had filed to run for the two available seats in the August election. One candidate who filed, former Director Ray Unger, apparently did not meet the election criteria. 

To be eligible, candidates had to complete an application before the deadline and must have not have unpaid annual charges or violations as of May 15.

Adding a wrinkle to this year’s election is that it could increase the number of women directors on the board. With two women already serving on the seven-member panel, the association could see its first female majority.  

Officials in the Ocean Pines Marketing and Public Relations Office believe Ocean Pines has never had a majority of women on the board, a woman board president, or a woman general manager. 

Trendic said last Thursday that the search committee had yet to provide him with the candidate list and had until Monday to do so. He also endorsed the idea of a board of directors led by women. 

“I would love to see a board with that kind of a makeup. I think the time has come,” Trendic said. “I believe the guys have demonstrated very strong opinions and very assertive positions on a number of issues and seldom would budge. I would love to see a board that’s really going to have a strong presence by women and see how they perform in comparison to how the guys have performed in the past.

“Maybe we’ll have more patience, more diplomacy, more understanding and more open-mindedness,” Trendic added. “Maybe the community is ready for a change.” 

Trendic also said he would like to see more oversight of management under the next board. The directors will interview general manager candidates starting in July. 

“This is not just to benefit the board, but also the future general manager,” he said. “I think what we are lacking is that two-step governing process, which is something that’s very common in Europe, but not in the U.S. 

“Having that management oversight really allows the board and the GM to make sure that when we make certain decisions that there is a proper input and oversight from the right constituencies,” Trendic said. 

Ballots for the 2017 election are mailed in July and the election results will be announced during the annual meeting on the second Saturday in August.