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R C Edition OCEAN PINES • WEST OCEAN CITY • BERLIN MD
May 1, 2025
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER
Volume 2, Issue 9
OPA 2025 election debacle; trust erodes amid appearance of sway in OPA board’s preferred vendor decision By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher The 2025 Ocean Pines Association election process has taken another troubling and deeply unsettling turn, with growing concerns that the Board of Directors and Elections Committee may have compromised fairness, transparency and public trust. Recent actions during the board’s review of the Elections Committee’s recommended vendor have raised serious questions about whether certain board members sought to improperly influence the selection process, working to steer the community toward the higher-cost, out-of-state vendor, MK Elections Services, while casting
unwarranted doubt on the longstanding, proven local business, ACE Printing & Mailing. Notably, Elections Committee Chair Steve Ransdell cast one of the two dissenting votes, leading to a 3-2 vote in favor of ACE. Board members Richard Farr and Stuart Lakernick joined Ransdell’s pushback against the local vendor, fueling concerns among many about whether there may be deeper issues at play. At the center of the controversy is the board’s handling of proposals submitted in response to the association’s official Request for Proposals (RFP) for election services. ACE Printing, a Berlin-based vendor with more than 25 years of successful election service history with the association, was recommended by
the Elections Committee following a 3-2 vote in favor of ACE. Although not unanimous, the committee’s recommendation reflected strong support for returning to a trusted, experienced vendor that had consistently served the association without issue. The board’s meeting revealed a pattern that seems to have undermined that recommendation. Board members Lakernick and Farr appeared to press the Elections Committee and its Chair with new demands and scrutiny of ACE Printing beyond the original RFP scope. Farr publicly stated that ACE Printing has some “red flags,” despite no such issues being identified during the committee’s formal evaluation. Farr continued to extend
deliberations by asking the Elections Committee Chair which vendor he would “lean toward,” a question that could be viewed as an effort to sway the board toward MK Elections. Ransdell joined Farr in raising concerns during the board’s review process, seemingly to direct the contract away from ACE Printing and toward MK Elections. After the April board meeting, ACE Printing submitted a formal letter of objection to the Board of Directors, outlining multiple concerns about how the vendor selection process was handled. In the letter, ACE cited procedural irregularities, confidentiality breaches and shifting requirements that were not part of the original RFP.
See ELECTION DEBACLE page 3
Touch of Italy opens May 1 at Ocean Pines Yacht Club, live music starts May 2 By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher Touch of Italy officially opens its doors at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club on May 1, bringing its signature Italian cuisine and elevated service to one of the community’s most scenic waterfront venues. The highly anticipated launch marks the beginning of a new era in food and beverage operations for Ocean Pines amenities. Initially, the Yacht Club will be open Thursday through Sunday, with hours from 4 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and 4 to 10 p.m. from Friday through Sunday. Beginning May 15, it will open seven days a week, operating Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant will feature an updated menu built on Touch of Italy’s traditional offerings— house-made pastas, classic entrees,
artisanal pizzas and imported cheeses and meats. A curated wine list, full bar service and attentive staff will help create a dining experience that blends fine dining standards with family-friendly appeal. In addition to the restaurant service, live music will return to the Yacht Club patio starting Friday, May 2, with the band Tranzfusion scheduled to kick off the season. The group is a long-standing favorite among Ocean Pines residents and visitors and will headline what organizers hope will be a full season of waterfront entertainment. Touch of Italy was officially awarded the Ocean Pines food and beverage contract earlier this year following the end of the association’s previous agreement with the Matt Ortt Companies. The transition included management of the Yacht Club, the Clubhouse Bar and Grille and the Beach Club. The arrival
See TOUCH OF ITALY page 2
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
The Ocean Pines Yacht Club, now under new management, officially reopened May 1 with Touch of Italy offering waterfront dining, live music and expanded summer hours.