(July 27, 2017) An Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors vote on whether to expel Director Slobodan Trendic just a year into his three-year term has been postponed for a third time.
A motion proposed by director and interim General Manager Brett Hill to remove Trendic for alleged breaches of confidentiality had been scheduled for the board meeting tomorrow (Friday), but was taken off the agenda Tuesday after Director Doug Parks reported another scheduling conflict.
If that weren’t enough to confuse Friday’s agenda, Director Tom Herrick, who has served as the board president for the past year, resigned that post Wednesday and will be replaced by Vice President Dave Stevens.
Initially, the board was to meet in special session last Thursday night to consider ousting Trendic, but that meeting was postponed until the following day after Parks said he was unable to attend. That meeting was pushed back to this Friday because of Trendic’s unavailability.
With regard to the third cancellation, Herrick emailed a statement to the Gazette Tuesday evening.
“The agenda has been changed to delete the motion to conduct a hearing and subsequent vote for the removal of Director Trendic. Director [Doug] Parks has again notified the Board of Directors that he will be unable to attend the meeting,” Herrick wrote.
As for Herrick’s resignation, Stevens said, “I very much regret that Tom felt it necessary to resign, but I can understand his reasons for doing so.”
He said there would be a motion Friday to accept him as president. With regard to the possibility of a special meeting on the motion to oust Trendic, Stevens said the board would try, but that it would depend on “if we can get the appropriate people.”
The board’s regular meeting will take place Friday, starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Assateague Room of the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway, but Hill’s motion will not be heard.
A target of frequent criticism by Trendic, Hill proposed the motion to remove him as the battle between the director and the director/interim general manager escalated publicly.
“I move that pursuant to Section 5.12(B) of the Ocean Pines By Laws, the Board conduct a hearing and subsequent vote for the removal of Director Trendic from the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors,” Hill wrote in the motion.
“Director Trendic has conducted himself with behavior that has violated not only attorney-client privilege, but also breached his fiduciary responsibilities as an officer of the corporation by disclosing confidential information to the press, in public meetings and in direct conversations with employees.
“The Board needs to discuss the ramifications of Director Trendic’s actions and determine the best course to move forward in the best interest of the entire Association.”
Herrick provided additional details in a statement emailed Monday.
“The purpose of the proposed motion at the regularly scheduled Board Meeting on Friday, July 28, 2017 is for the Board to consider the removal of the Director Trendic from the Board of Directors for cause,” Herrick wrote. “The advancing of this proposed motion was not taken lightly. The members of the Board are keenly aware of the type of publicity that will result from the advancement of the motion and sought unsuccessfully to pursue other solutions with Director Trendic before moving forward with the motion.
“Mr. Trendic had been warned repeatedly to refrain from improper actions but refused to do so. A Special Meeting of the Board of Directors was called on June 19, 2017 to again address these issues. At this meeting Mr. Trendic agreed to refrain from this type of activity and gave verbal assurances to the Board that this type of conduct would cease. The Board decided to take no official action at that time. Unfortunately, shortly after this meeting, Mr. Trendic violated that verbal agreement by continuing to disclose to the media and to the public various confidential information.
“Our By-Laws provide a mechanism for the Board to consider the removal of a Board member for cause. Regrettably, it appears that due to the continued conduct of Mr. Trendic, this matter will be moving forward.
“I fully realize that the association membership is not privy to the intimate details behind this the rationale for the motion, and the lack of information creates a vacuum which is filled by others. While I understand the desire for information, and wish we could provide it, we have to balance that desire with the need to protect the interests of Ocean Pines. Releasing the details would not only violate the privacy of certain staff employees, it could unjustly and further foster a hostile and chaotic environment for them to perform their tasks, and could also risk further exposure of our association to liability.
“My hope is that one way or the other, the Board of Directors will move past these internal disagreements and continue our focus on improving Ocean Pines.”
A motion proposed by director and interim General Manager Brett Hill to remove Trendic for alleged breaches of confidentiality had been scheduled for the board meeting tomorrow (Friday), but was taken off the agenda Tuesday after Director Doug Parks reported another scheduling conflict.
If that weren’t enough to confuse Friday’s agenda, Director Tom Herrick, who has served as the board president for the past year, resigned that post Wednesday and will be replaced by Vice President Dave Stevens.
Initially, the board was to meet in special session last Thursday night to consider ousting Trendic, but that meeting was postponed until the following day after Parks said he was unable to attend. That meeting was pushed back to this Friday because of Trendic’s unavailability.
With regard to the third cancellation, Herrick emailed a statement to the Gazette Tuesday evening.
“The agenda has been changed to delete the motion to conduct a hearing and subsequent vote for the removal of Director Trendic. Director [Doug] Parks has again notified the Board of Directors that he will be unable to attend the meeting,” Herrick wrote.
As for Herrick’s resignation, Stevens said, “I very much regret that Tom felt it necessary to resign, but I can understand his reasons for doing so.”
He said there would be a motion Friday to accept him as president. With regard to the possibility of a special meeting on the motion to oust Trendic, Stevens said the board would try, but that it would depend on “if we can get the appropriate people.”
The board’s regular meeting will take place Friday, starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Assateague Room of the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway, but Hill’s motion will not be heard.
A target of frequent criticism by Trendic, Hill proposed the motion to remove him as the battle between the director and the director/interim general manager escalated publicly.
“I move that pursuant to Section 5.12(B) of the Ocean Pines By Laws, the Board conduct a hearing and subsequent vote for the removal of Director Trendic from the Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors,” Hill wrote in the motion.
“Director Trendic has conducted himself with behavior that has violated not only attorney-client privilege, but also breached his fiduciary responsibilities as an officer of the corporation by disclosing confidential information to the press, in public meetings and in direct conversations with employees.
“The Board needs to discuss the ramifications of Director Trendic’s actions and determine the best course to move forward in the best interest of the entire Association.”
Herrick provided additional details in a statement emailed Monday.
“The purpose of the proposed motion at the regularly scheduled Board Meeting on Friday, July 28, 2017 is for the Board to consider the removal of the Director Trendic from the Board of Directors for cause,” Herrick wrote. “The advancing of this proposed motion was not taken lightly. The members of the Board are keenly aware of the type of publicity that will result from the advancement of the motion and sought unsuccessfully to pursue other solutions with Director Trendic before moving forward with the motion.
“Mr. Trendic had been warned repeatedly to refrain from improper actions but refused to do so. A Special Meeting of the Board of Directors was called on June 19, 2017 to again address these issues. At this meeting Mr. Trendic agreed to refrain from this type of activity and gave verbal assurances to the Board that this type of conduct would cease. The Board decided to take no official action at that time. Unfortunately, shortly after this meeting, Mr. Trendic violated that verbal agreement by continuing to disclose to the media and to the public various confidential information.
“Our By-Laws provide a mechanism for the Board to consider the removal of a Board member for cause. Regrettably, it appears that due to the continued conduct of Mr. Trendic, this matter will be moving forward.
“I fully realize that the association membership is not privy to the intimate details behind this the rationale for the motion, and the lack of information creates a vacuum which is filled by others. While I understand the desire for information, and wish we could provide it, we have to balance that desire with the need to protect the interests of Ocean Pines. Releasing the details would not only violate the privacy of certain staff employees, it could unjustly and further foster a hostile and chaotic environment for them to perform their tasks, and could also risk further exposure of our association to liability.
“My hope is that one way or the other, the Board of Directors will move past these internal disagreements and continue our focus on improving Ocean Pines.”