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R C Edition OCEAN PINES • WEST OCEAN CITY • BERLIN MD
June 1, 2025
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER
Volume 2, Issue 11
Ocean Pines’ 2025 election progresses forward with four candidates and extended deadline By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher The 2025 Ocean Pines Board of Directors election is beginning to take shape, with the first four candidates confirmed and the ballot order determined by the Elections Committee on May 28. Candidates Monica Rakowski, Steve Jacobs and Amy Peck were present for the draw, while Stuart Lakernick did not attend in person or appear online. Elections Committee member Cheryl Jacobs drew on Lakernick’s behalf. Using a random draw with a deck of playing cards, the committee assigned the following ballot order: Stuart Lakernick, Monica Rakowski, Steve Jacobs and Amy Peck. Lakernick, Rakowski and Jacobs are all current members of the seven-person Board of Directors, whose terms expire later this summer. The fourth name on the list, Amy Peck, is no stranger to the board or to service in the Ocean Pines community. Peck, a longtime Ocean Pines homeowner and former board member, was appointed to the Board of Directors in October 2021 to fill a sudden vacancy. In accordance with the association’s governing documents, the open seat was required to be filled by appointment until the next general election in 2022, when a newly elected board would be seated. When the vacancy occurred, Peck was approached and asked to step in to help ensure board continuity during a time of operational need. She accepted the role without hesitation, setting aside personal and professional obligations, including her employment with the Ocean Pines Association’s Aquatics Department to serve the community. In addition to her board experience, Peck has volunteered at numerous Ocean Pines events over the years and remains active in community initiatives. While a fifth candidate submitted an application shortly before the
draw, that individual withdrew from the race soon after filing, leaving only four candidates in the running at the time of the drawing. With the number of candidates not exceeding the number of open chairs by at least two, the Elections Committee had to extend the candidate deadline to June 20, 2025, in accordance with OPA governing documents. If additional candidates apply, their names will be added to the ballot in the order their applications are received and verified. A date and time for the 2025 candidate forum is tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 27, at the Ocean Pines Clubhouse. The forum provides residents with an opportunity to hear directly from each candidate. Participants will introduce themselves, outline their qualifications and explain how their experience, integrity and past contributions make them suited to
represent the community. In addition to prepared questions written by the Elections Committee, candidates will answer some of the questions submitted by homeowners.
This year’s election also brings continued attention to the process behind vendor selection and ballot handling.
See ELECTION page 3
Budget and Finance Committee reviews April financials, raises questions on expenditures and membership trends By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher The Ocean Pines Budget and Finance Committee met on May 28, to review the unaudited April financials, which showed a positive variance of $70,630. Committee members raised several questions that will be forwarded to the general manager, John Viola, with answers expected in next month’s meeting minutes. In particular, members questioned repairs and maintenance costs in Public Works, “other expenses” in Recreation and Parks and general maintenance expenses. They asked whether these were anticipated,
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
part of routine operations or emergency spends. Food and beverage figures also came under scrutiny, with some members asking for clarification
on specific categories and whether certain vendor costs were now centralized or still appearing under multiple departments.
See FINANCIALS page 4