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R C Edition OCEAN PINES • WEST OCEAN CITY • BERLIN MD
May 15, 2025
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER
Volume 2, Issue 10
Candidate shortage delays 2025 election timeline; four file as residents are urged to step up By Sherrie Clifford ROC Edition Publisher The Ocean Pines Association’s 2025 Board of Directors election process has been delayed after the number of candidate applications failed to meet the required minimum by the initial filing deadline of May 12, 2025 at 4:00p.m. The shortfall triggered an automatic extension of the nomination period under the association’s governing documents. Per Resolution M-06 and the OPA By-Laws, at least two more candidates than the number of available board seats must file to allow the election to proceed on the original timeline. With that threshold unmet, the new deadline for candidate applications is now set for June 20, 2025, the third Friday in June. As of the original deadline, only four candidates had submitted applications: Steve Jacobs (i),
Monica Rakowski (i), Stuart Lakernick (i) and former Board member Amy Peck, who, returning to the ballot after previously serving on the board, joined the candidate field. Since the number of candidates does not exceed the number of open seats by at least two, all election-related activities—including the official candidate packet, community forum scheduling and promotional content in Ocean Pines Association publications—must now be postponed until after the extended candidate application deadline of Friday, June 20, 2025, in accordance with Resolution M-06. The delay ensures compliance with association rules and provides equal opportunity for any additional candidates who may file before the new cutoff. The delay is the latest in a series of complications that have characterized recent election cycles. While some see this development as a
logistical setback, others say it points to deeper issues of engagement and trust in local governance. Over the past several years, many community members have voiced concern that volunteering or speaking out on association matters can invite backlash. Some have faced public criticism, online hate posts and the spread of misinformation. Others have reported that their businesses were targeted or their involvement quietly undermined. These experiences have prompted a number of otherwise willing residents to withdraw from participating altogether. In a community of around 8,500 homes, the low number of candidates highlights what many see as a climate of caution where stepping forward feels more like a personal risk than a meaningful opportunity to serve. See ELECTION DELAY page 9
ROC Edition • Sherrie Clifford, Publisher
A shortage of candidate applications has delayed the start of the 2025 HOA board election, introducing new organizational challenges and renewing concerns about community engagement.
CPI crackdown in Ocean Pines; Hundreds cited for pine needles, leaves and landscaping choices By ROC Edition Staff A sharp increase in property violations issued by Ocean Pines’ Compliance, Permits and Inspections (CPI) department has stirred frustration and concern among homeowners throughout the community. At the center of the controversy is the enforcement of a modification in the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) Guidelines, defining leaves to be “unacceptable ground cover” for lawns. The volume of citations has escalated rapidly. In March 2025 alone, CPI recorded 435 new violations, the highest monthly total in the association’s history. By comparison, only 20 violations were issued in March 2023. Between January and March 2025, a total of 746 new violations
were issued, more than doubling the 316 recorded during the same period in 2024 and marking a 404% increase over two years. In several cases, violations were reported for properties where the alleged infraction could not be seen from the street. Enforcement has become unpredictable. There are violation lists that have run as long as 14 pages in a single month, while other properties with similar conditions are not affected. Some residents have reportedly been told that a Maryland law requires their yards to be raked clear, despite no such statute being cited by the association. Ocean Pines has long been marketed and valued as a natural,
See CPI CRACKDOWN page 3
CPI violations reach record high in Ocean Pines. At the April 2025 board meeting, the CPI dashboard reported a record of 746 violations, marking a 404% increase since 2023.