By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer
Photo by Morgan Pilz
The order of the Ocean Pines Board of Directors candidates on the ballot was selected during the Candidates’ Drawing in the Assateague Room in
the Ocean Pines Community Center, Friday, June 7. Pictured, from left, are candidates Larry Perrone, Camila Rogers, Paula Gray, Shawn Kotwica, Ed
Solum and Greg Turner. Missing is candidate Tom Janasek.
(June 13, 2019) The candidates draw has been completed
Drawn at random using a series of playing cards, the results determine the ballot order and the order candidates are seated during election forums.
The results for the draw are:
- Tom Janasek; 2. Larry Perrone; 3. Camilla Rogers; 4. Paula Gray; 5. Shawn Kotwica; 6. Edward Solum; 7. Gregory Turner.
After the draw, the elections committee distributed copies of the election rules to the candidates.
Candidates were given information on how they can campaign, where signs are allowed and how questions will be answered at forums. No one candidate will have more information than the others, Ocean Pines Election Committee Chairman Steve Habeger said.
In addition, association President Doug Parks and Vice President Steve Tuttle provided the candidates with some advice should they earn one of the three seats available this election.
“It has been a journey,” Tuttle, who was elected to the board last August, said. “I consider it quite a privilege to serve on this board. I entered into the process thinking it is a job. It has been a huge learning curve for me. It’s been a lot of learning.
“I don’t think I had a full sense of the amount of time would be required serving on the board,” he continued. “This year we’ve taken on some pretty large projects and I’ve been involved in a couple of them … it’s almost a full-time job.”
“You’re not really aware of the level of effort that’s going to be required,” Parks said. “As issues come up and levels of importance of those issues change, the interaction between the membership between the board members and members of the constituency do take up a lot time. The ability to communicate with each other so we are aware of the different positions on issues is a big plus.”
According to Habeger, ballots for the election will be mailed to all association members in good standing during the week of July 8. Ballots must be received – not mailed – by the close of business on Aug. 7.
Ballots may be returned either to the ballot box inside the police department office in the Ocean Pines Administration Building on 239 Ocean Parkway, or mailed to the Ocean Pines post office box in Berlin.
The cutoff for voter eligibility is Wednesday, July 3.
Additional upcoming election dates include the following:
- Second Candidate’s Forum: June 22, 10 a.m. in the Assateague Room of the Ocean Pines Community Center on 235 Ocean Parkway
- Ballots counted and announced: Aug. 9 at 10 a.m. in the East Room of the Ocean Pines Community Center on 235 Ocean Parkway
- Election results validated: Aug. 10 at 10 a.m. during the Annual Meeting of Membership in the Assateague Room of the Ocean Pines Community Center on 235 Ocean Parkway
For more information about the election, email elections@oceanpines.org.