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Ocean Pines Dir. Brett Hill resigns

(Sept. 21, 2017) Former interim general manager and political lightning rod Brett Hill resigned from the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors last Friday, leaving the directors to decide who will replace him just six weeks into the board’s new year.

Board President Doug Parks confirmed he received a letter of resignation from Hill last Friday and then on Monday acknowledged that a second association official, Finance Director John Viola, also has resigned.

The CEO of FTS Fiber, Hill was elected in August 2016 and served as interim general manager of Ocean Pines from Aug. 26 of that year until Sept. 11 of this year, when new hire John Bailey was appointed to the position.

“[Hill] sent a very professional letter to all the board citing his priorities with his family and his business, and that was it,” Parks said. “There was no blame. There was no finger-pointing … he considered his options and decided his time was better spent refocused.

“It is what is,” Parks added. “There’s no sense in trying to read anything else into it.”

Hill did not respond to requests for comment.

As for a replacement, Parks said three men were on his shortlist: Ted Moroney, Frank Daly and Marty Clarke.

“I think we’re getting a pretty good team together and one of the things I’m looking for is someone … that’s willing to look at the other six colleagues and decide they want to be part of a team,” Parks said. “That’s my approach, to get everybody back on the same page … if we’re not pointing toward the same set of goals, that’s where things can come off the rails.”

The Aug. 12 election saw Parks and Colette Horn given three-year terms on the seven-member board, while Hill was elected in 2016 and had two years remaining on his term.

Parks said Moroney would bring several years of involvement on multiple Ocean Pines committees. He served on the Yacht Club Implementation Advisory Committee and 10-Year Major Facilities Planning Task Force, and in 2015 he worked on developing a capital improvement plan with former facilities manager Jerry Aveta.

Daly was the runner up during the 2016 board election and Clarke, a previous board member, was the runner up this year.

Reached for comment on Monday, Moroney said he had been contacted by several board members and, if asked, would serve. Several sources said he is the frontrunner.

Parks said a special meeting to replace Hill would be held today, Thursday, at 7 p.m. in the Assateague Room of the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway.

As for Viola’s departure, Park said, “We’re losing a pretty good guy. He did a lot of good things to untangle some of the mess there … with the financial systems.”
Parks said he had no information on why Viola resigned after being named finance director in May.

Ocean Pines Association Director of Marketing and Public Relations Denise Sawyer released a statement Monday night: “John Viola, Director of Finance for the Ocean Pines Association, has decided to step down as Director of Finance, effective on Sept. 22, 2017.

“Sharon Davis, who has worked for the Association since 1978 and most recently as an Accounting Manager, will serve as interim Director of Finance as the Association searches for Viola’s replacement.”