Among the decisions expected during a rare Sunday meeting in Ocean Pines is whether to hire a consulting group to run the yacht club. The board of directors met with two groups during the last few weeks.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Feb. 22, 2018) The next regular Ocean Pines Board meeting has an unusual date and start time – and an unusual number of significant agenda items.

The meeting was scheduled for noon Sunday, Feb. 25 in the Assateague Room of the community center on 235 Ocean Parkway and will reportedly include budget adoption and a decision on food and beverage management.

General Manager John Bailey said he expects the board to adopt the fiscal 2019 budget. He does not expect any major departures from the recommended budget, which includes a $30 assessment increase.

“There are a few minor things here and there,” he said. “Certainly, the options are there for any board member to make a motion to amend. How impacting those things will be, I don’t know yet – I haven’t gotten them.”

Bailey said association members could still weigh in with suggestions, up until the board adopts the budget.

“I wouldn’t expect a whole lot of change coming from the public comment period at that meeting. Not to say that it couldn’t, but that doesn’t usually happen,” he said. “But, certainly between now and the 25th, if people are wanting some particular changes, the quickest method to hope for impact on those types of things are by email to the board of directors.”

To contact the board, email directors@oceanpines.org or visit www.oceanpines.org/administration/board-of-directors for a list of emails for individual directors.

As for whether the board would reach a decision on food and beverage operations, specifically at the yacht and beach clubs, Bailey said, “That’s what we’re trying to get to.”

Bailey and the board met with representatives from the Matt Ortt Companies on Feb. 10 and a group led by former Ocean Pines Food and Beverage Director Joe Reinhart last Thursday. Both meetings occurred during closed sessions.

“The board has received a couple of presentations from two parties regarding the [food and beverage] operations and we’re continuing our due diligence to review those options,” Bailey said. “I’m definitely working to expedite, because time is of the essence at this point.”

Bailey said specific terms could not yet be disclosed, partially because they have not been finalized, but also because “it might compromise any negotiating positions.”

He added Ocean Pines legal counsel was contacted to review “a mandatory term that one of the vendors has presented to see if we can even do what they’re asking.”

Bailey confirmed the board viewed a presentation from Reinhart on last Thursday.

“We can’t really say a whole lot about that, but he presented his approach to success and the board had some good questions and give and take, back and forth,” Bailey said. “It wasn’t a 15-minute in-and-out type of thing, it was a good hour and a half.”

Board President Doug Parks had pledged at a public meeting on Feb. 10 to have both consulting groups do a presentation before association members before signing a contract. That, apparently, will not happen.

“I do not expect to have presentations made by the two parties,” Bailey said, adding a high-level overview of the terms was more likely. “That’s something I’ve been told we need to have available and presented.”

Bailey said the regular meeting agenda would include bids for mold remediation at the yacht club.