No matter how simple it might seem for the Board of Directors to establish a policy regarding community groups’ use of Ocean Pines Association facilities, the reality is that deciding who pays what is an exercise fraught with danger.
Okay, maybe not real danger, but it is still an uncomfortable and awkward business of deciding which group is entitled to what level of accommodation at, say, the Yacht Club or other venue.
In a way, it is like ranking groups in order of importance and that almost always causes hurt feelings, considering that few members of any group are willing to concede that their outfit or their cause may be a little less significant than some other organization’s.
Add to that the likelihood that most local nonprofits don’t have much money in the treasury and therefore appreciate price breaks whenever they’re available, it has to be tough to come up with a way to govern the use of community facilities that will seem fair to everyone.
That’s why having good, solid data is critical to developing – and defending – an equitable approach.
Should someone question the board’s decisions, board members need to have the ability to point at evidence of some sort and then say, “This is why we did what we did.”
Without that information, any decision by the board could be viewed as the product of personal preferences, an instinct or some other baseless theory.
To be sure, this is not a discussion of huge significance, and any decision is likely to be amended at some point in the future, but it remains that when you’re dealing with your friends and neighbors, it’s good to know what you’re talking about.