By Greg Ellison

(July 22, 2021) Unable to attend the second Ocean Pines Board election forum last Tuesday, Rick Farr responded this week to a number of question posed to other candidates that evening.

In terms of board conflicts and personality clashes, Farr said while disagreements are inevitable, infighting is counterproductive and is a disservice to constituents. He also stressed the importance of integrity, open communication and teamwork.

“Being respectful to others to achieve common goals … in the best interest of all the people we serve in Ocean Pines,” he said.

Farr also highlighted the importance for directors to adhere to prescribed separation of duties with the general manager and operations team.

“Board members do not need to be involved in any day-to-day operations, personnel issues or decision making,” he said.

Those functions fall to the general manager, who serves at the discretion of the board, Farr said.

“The board is responsible for approving the budget and enforcing policy,” he said.

Farr said the general manager and department heads should field workplace grievances filed by association employees, with the board advised on high-level issues if need be.

“Personnel matters are very sensitive and have a high level of confidentiality that needs to be well respected,” he said.

Farr also questioned the need for Ocean Pines to reign in short-term rentals and opposes imposing more restrictive measures.

“The rules on short-term rentals are complaint-driven and the county needs to take more action with enforcement,” he said.

At the same time, however, Farr said residents should have clearly defined procedures to file complaints stemming from rental properties.

“We need to enforce the regulations currently on the books,” he said.

As for his knowledge of the board’s functions, Farr said he has kept a close eye on budget and spending issues since he became a full-time resident several years ago.

“In getting up to speed, I will be partnering with current board members, continuing reviewing the strategic plan and reviewing previous board meeting minutes,” he said.

Additionally, Farr said if elected he would meet one-on-one with General Manager John Viola for an in-depth review of operational departments.

Commenting on current talks about the potential replacement or renovation of the Beach Club building, Farr said,  “Before deciding on whether we should remodel or replace the Beach Club, I would like to see the independent study that is being conducted that outlines … the “end of life” expectancy of the club so we can make the right decision that makes sense for budget forecasting purposes,” he said.