Announcement

OPA Board candidates provide statements

Thursday, June 11, 2020

(June 12, 2020) Candidates for the 2020 Ocean Pines Board election were asked to submit both a brief statement introducing themselves to voters, and answers to three questions created by the Ocean Pines Elections Committee.

Below is the information submitted by each candidate, presented in ballot order. Candidate submissions were not edited for grammar or punctuation, but one response was truncated for exceeding the 200-word limit required by the Elections Committee.

Colette Horn

Introductory statement:

As an incumbent director, one of the most important credentials I offer is my experience as a director who successfully achieved my priorities: to ensure that OPA was modernized in its business and human resources practices; and to shift the culture of the board to business-like interactions guided by principles of ethics and decorum. I credit these successes to my Ph.D. in psychology and years of experience running my psychology business.

I contributed to decisions leading to our strong financial performance and incremental recovery from the $1.2M deficit OPA had when I took office. I was an early supporter of contracting our Yacht Club food and beverage operations to Matt Ortt Co.; shifting from renovation of the golf clubhouse to rebuilding it at lower cost as a dual purpose venue; and purchasing the Northstar software program and compensation study to support greater efficiency and best practices in business operations. I was instrumental in securing the contract for our highly qualified results-oriented GM who empowered our workforce to complete all projects on time and within budget. We have achieved a culture of professionalism and cooperation among directors which is directly responsible for getting things done. I claim credit for that.

If elected, what would be your top two priorities?

OPA’s Board and management face some difficult decisions about how best to manage the financial impact of the pandemic. We will be facing fixed costs at our amenities and reduced revenues due to reductions in capacity due to social distancing recommendations and reduced member utilization owing to reluctance about health risks. No matter how we manage this, it is expected that things will be different. We will likely face reduction in services and access to amenities and at the same time increase in assessments next year due to expected financial losses. My top priority is to support efforts to recover financially from the impact of the pandemic while also supporting stability in our workforce and amenities.

In order for us to continue the level of productivity we achieved over the past 3 years it is important that we cement the cultural changes that contributed to those successes. I think another 3 years with the focus on teamwork, disciplined communication, and respectful airing of differing opinions is vital toward the goal of creating a lasting culture of professionalism and productivity on the OPA board. I hope to continue to work with my colleagues to make these cultural changes lasting.

What do you think about Ocean Pines Association budgeting and finances? Do you have suggestions on improvements?

We are facing pandemic-related financial stresses of unknown proportions not having fully recovered from the self-inflicted operations deficit owing to decisions made in 2016-2017. This new financial crisis brings light on our financial vulnerability as a business entity operating with a break-even budgeting model that is funded primarily by homeowner assessments, government grants, and amenity revenue. This year’s bottoms-up budgeting process combined with the Budget and Finance Advisory Committee’s front-end analysis shared jointly with the GM and the Board was an efficient way for us all to engage in the deep analysis needed for a realistic yet trim budget.

Key monthly reports from our GM and Treasurer help the Board monitor spending so that adjustments can be made before problems occur: the status of spending on our capital projects against their respective approved budgets; the current balances in our reserve accounts; and a monthly analysis of any major variances from budget in each department. We must use this data to maintain responsible spending. We must also work with OPA management to ensure that we are maximizing all sources of funding from the State and County and that member tax dollars are allocated fairly and equitably.

Describe what talents and skills you would bring as an OPA Director.

When elected to the board, my priorities were to increase transparency, develop a culture of professionalism on the board, and apply to decision-making logical analysis unbiased by preconceived business paradigms. Even though we don’t always agree on things, this board airs differences respectfully. We have been transparent in owning and correcting our mistakes and have increased transparency in our deliberations and rationale for decisions regardless of their popularity with vocal dissenters.

This board has accomplished much in the way of necessary capital replacement projects, deferred maintenance, and modernizing our human resources and business practices. This productivity has been made possible because of our culture of professionalism. Some of my unique contributions to these accomplishments include critical thinking and analysis skills; acute awareness of the impact of rhetoric that we use when communicating with the membership and each other; attention to practices supportive of the maintenance of a highly qualified and productive workforce; and laser focus on the impact of principles of human nature on our work. My unique professional training and experience
undoubtedly played a critical role in these cultural changes and tangible accomplishments.

Doug Parks

Introductory statement:

My name is Doug Parks and I have served on the Board of Directors of Ocean Pines for 4 years and been
elected by my Board colleagues as President for the past 3 years. I am running for another term as my
desire is to continue serving our community and remain working with the dedicated team of current
Directors in supporting the membership and homeowners of Ocean Pines. During my time on the Board
and with help from colleagues, I accomplished a number of important goals including bringing in the
Matt Ortt Company to run our food and beverage operations, replacing the aging clubhouse building,
upgrading the police department portion of the Administration building, and negotiating a contract with
Comcast to bring their services to Ocean Pines. My proven track record on important issues, my
business background, my experience of having been a member of the Board for the past 4 years and my
commitment to continue to volunteer to serve are the qualities I bring to the community. I respectfully
ask that you consider casting your vote for me in the upcoming election.

If elected, what would be your top two priorities?

My two top priorities would be preparing the 2021-22 budget and succession planning for the General
Manager position.

Given the effect the COVID-19 pandemic has had we need to focus on how best to budget for next fiscal
year. Membership and usage fees for various Ocean Pines amenities account for approximately 40% of
our revenue. With the delay in opening and the restrictions on usage, the revenue for these amenities
will be reduced significantly. The challenge will be to produce a budget that attempts to minimize the
increase to the annual assessment while ensuring that programs and services can still be provided and
that our reserve funds are maintained at the appropriate levels.

Another priority is to begin succession planning for the GM position as the current employment contract
expires June 2022. I have had discussions with our GM on this issue and now that most of the major
projects have been completed and overall operations are stable, he can focus his efforts on specific
aspects of the succession planning. I would work with the other Directors with the intent that
succession planning outcome be a smooth transition to a stable, documented, well-managed and well-
staffed organization to the new individual.

What do you think about Ocean Pines Association budgeting and finances? Do you have suggestions on improvements?

Having been involved in the budget planning for the past 4 fiscal years, I have seen the process evolve
during this time. Several years ago, one philosophy was to create a budget that kept the assessment the
same as the previous year. While reasonable, the approach could not account for changes in the
economy, stated increases in fees for existing multi-year contracts and other financial factors that affect
fixed and variable costs. In the words of the famed economist John Maynard Keynes “…over time all
costs are variable…”.

This current fiscal year the budget was created with a “bottom-up” approach. Input and discussion by
the operational department heads and a review by the GM was the basis for the draft budget. This
“bottom-up” approach was very successful and helped streamline the process as the Board was able to
complete our review of the entire budget in a single day-long session. During the Board budget
approval meeting in February, I mentioned how well the process went compared to previous years and
that this approach should be used as a template for future budget planning efforts and is thus my
suggestions for improvement.

Describe what talents and skills you would bring as an OPA Director.

I bring relevant talents and skills to OPA. One is my experience with having been on the Board for the
past 4 years and understanding the nuances associated with our unique community. I also bring years
of corporate leadership skills having been a Chief Information Officer and a technology business leader
at several high-profile companies.

Business acumen is another skill I bring as in my professional life, I have negotiated many contracts,
prepared fiscal budgets, and managed professional staffs at the corporate level. Additionally, I have
consulted on business, technical, and staffing issues throughout my career.

I focus on the aspect of teamwork and getting folks to interact in an open and professional manner in
addressing an issue. Different perspectives and viewpoints are one of the most important aspects of my
decision making and I strive to ensure that team concept is maintained as we conduct business and
address issues. I enjoy the role of mediator and have done so on many occasions with the intent of
acknowledging that differing points of view are valid and that with commitment a consensus can be
reached. These skills and talents are paramount to being a Director on the Board of OPA.

Stuart Lakernick

Introductory statement:

My name is Dr. Stuart Lakernick. I have been a chiropractor and functional neurologist in
Trevose, PA for 28 years. I specialize in the treatment of traumatic brain injuries, concussions,
and spinal rehabilitation. I have 28 years experience in owning a business and managing budgets,
marketing and staff.

I am married with a son, 26 and a daughter, 37 and currently live in Langhorne, PA. I am very
active in my community. I am a member of both the Lions and Rotary. I am a previous board
member of the Rotary. I have also been a participant in Operation Stand Down. This organization
serves to bring homeless veterans off the street and plug them back into the VA and ultimately
transition back to society.

I have recently brought in a partner which is allowing me to begin my retirement process. I plan
on moving to Ocean Pines full time when I retire, in doing so, I want to become civically active
in this community. Ocean Pines is a wonderful place to live, work and play. I am looking forward
to being part of the planning process for the future.

If elected, what would be your top two priorities?

1.Drainage is a high focus to me and a multi level issue. Areas like Bainbridge park, sections 2 and 3
are prime examples of how bad the situation is. We need to address the standing water around homes,
scheduled ditch maintenance, stormwater diversion, water quality issues and rising tides. I know Colby
has been working along with the County on getting OP a grant which if received should benefit a lot of
homeowners. Public works is in need for additional staffing to be able to routinely and systematically
handle all the issues in Ocean Pines. We have a drainage crew that can’t focus solely on routine
maintenance of ditches because they get put on other areas of need. What we should do is have enough
staffing that the drianage crew can stay dedicated to preventive ditch maintenance all the time.

2. Public health during the Pandemic. I feel that my background as a doctor can be offered to
management and the community for input on public safety parameters. With the current covid crisis,
it’s important to implement protocols for any future pandemics or emergency situations our community
may face. Being able to utilize our amenities safely will require new board

What do you think about Ocean Pines Association budgeting and finances? Do you have suggestions on improvements?

Going back to one of my top priorities, drainage. Right now drainage is included in the budget
under “Roads”. I think it should be separated and have it's own line item to maintain the focus on
its importance. Public works is short staffed. We need a dedicated crew that is on ditch
maintenance all the time not to be pulled off for any other project.

Another suggestion going forward, the current budget. We are in unprecedented times. This
budget was put together prepandemic. Now with our amenities capacity being greatly reduced,
homeowners struggling to make their assessment payments we will have to find a different way
to put the coming years budget together. We will have to have a forward thinking and somewhat
new way to look at our budget assessing the impact of the virus and the loss of funds and not
knowing if we will get any further government assistance. Possibly adding new line items to our
budget to continue to maintain our community standards.

Describe what talents and skills you would bring as an OPA Director.

I am approachable, responsive, and genuinely care about people and issues. This is why I became
a doctor. I care about this community and plan to retire here. I have run a business for almost 30
years. I know the ins and outs of how to make a business successful. This is a 17 million dollar a
year company. I look at facts, not rumors. I look at all sides of an issue. I am a data driven type of
person while still taking into account the human factor. My decisions come from research and
facts. I am committed to helping the community continue to grow and maintain the integrity of
our amenities as well as being fiscally responsible. I have no preset agenda. I would like to
continue the work the last two boards have started and I welcome, comments, and corrections, if
necessary from other directors, staff and most importantly you, the community. Working with
committees in Ocean Pines is essential. I am very passionate about being an involved
homeowner.

Announcement

OPA Board candidates provide statements

Colette Horn

Doug Parks

Stuart Lakernick

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