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12/10/2004 12:57:36 PM
 
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Section 5: OPA Board Subject: Swim/Racquet Marina Msg# 157943
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Stan, It was nice to read your thoughtful, well reasoned comments in this forum. I have not lived in The Pines anywhere near as long as you, but have also come to know it as a great place to live. I too came here for the boating; and for the beach. And, in my mind, The Pines is nothing if not a boating and beach community. Virtually any other ammenity (golf, tennis, swimming pools, theater, etc) could be located just about anywhere - including in the middle of a desert. Most poeple are here, in one way or another, because of the bay and beach. I think that the reason we do not see many positive or neutral comments in this forum regarding board actions (addition of marina slips, community hall improvements and additions, etc) is that MOST Ocean Piners ARE neutral on most of these issues and/or have basically a live and let live attitude towards them. I mean, they may be golfers and not boaters, but have no reason or desire to stick it to the boaters. Or they may mainly be here because of the beach club, but still think it good that we have meeting space to acccomodate those in the various groups that use that space. And, once these folks start observing this forum they find (and I agree with you in this regard) the major NIMBY attitude or other hysteria (by a few)that accompanies most board attempts to do anything. They also find a barrage of ridiculous arguments, very often put together with absolutely incorrect facts, on the issue at hand. And, from my viewpoint, the worse thing is that often times those in these same SMALL groups of arguers (I am trying not to say "whiners") are the same people who are the most vocal and insulted when WHAT THEY WANT (Kayack launch areas, park signage, etc) is not IMMEDIATELY addressed by the board or our general manager. My point is, most forum visitors who are neutral or on the positive side of these issues are like the "silent majority". They do not have the time or the desire to spend hours on the net arguing their side with a few noisy types spouting bad info and bad logic. I have been tempted many times to begin rebutting many of the things I have read here, but found I almost did not know where to begin. There is so much of it. I also think that what I've said above has a lot to do with why there is almost no participation by our board of directors in this forum. They too would not know where to begin correcting some of the information here and would be drawn into countless no-win (hysteria type) arguments. I must add that I have found several good things about this forum. For example, action here (and elsewhere) resulted in the amazingly quick installation of traffic lights on westbound Rt 50 at the Home Depot/Walmart exit onto that road. And Joe Reynolds (who must spend 24 hours a day either managing this site or fishing) is certainly doing many Ocean Piners (who can not make it to board meetings and other community functions) a great service by videotaping those functions for the site. Again Stan, it was nice to read your comment. I truly believe that that the majority of Ocean Piners think as you do. |
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For reference, the above message is a reply to a message where: Joe -- First, thanks for establishing and maintaining this forum. It is particularly helpful for those of us who prefer to remain out of the mainstream of our OPA noisy and often nasty political debates, but like to remain informed nonetheless. As I read these comments regarding the marina expansion, I don't believe I have read even one which expresses a neutral or positive position on the subject. That said, I will express my biases now...I am a boater, have been for 30 years and will remain so until I can no longer do it enjoyably! I am a licensed 50 Ton Ocean Master in the US Mercant Marines (USCG License). I currently own a 22 foot boat which is kept on a lift right behind my home. I therefore do not directly, and uniquely benefit from the proposed expansion. I am a retired officer of a large public corporation where I ran a billion dollar plus international division. I love my home in the Pines and deplore the short-sighted NIMBY hysteria I have seen with nearly every neighborhood undertaking, whether it be the proposed expansion of the marina, the YMCA construction etc. Among the comments I have seen in this forum are these: Why spend comunity money for the benefit of only a few? My response...I don't play golf, tennis or swim at the community pools, but I strongly suspect that the initial construction and continued operation of all of them were somehow subsidized by our OPA assessments. Do I mind? Not at all, because the existence of these and other amenities such as the community center and parks areas are attractive to all and DO enhance all our home values. These and other items are part of what makes Ocean Pines more attractive than other nearby communities, and thereby increase one's wilingness to pay to live here. Clearly we have a very large population of real estate agents who reside in the Pines. Has anyone asked them for an opinion as to whether the existence of boat slips in the community has increased a buyers interest once he or she learns of them? It was largely the basis of my decision to purchase in OP, versus less costly alternatives. I intended to save money and purchase a non waterfront home, but when I learned that the waiting list for a slip was over 100 persons, I opted to pay a great deal more for a waterfront lot. Had the list been shorter, say 50 or less, I would have purchased the inland home I wanted. That home seller lost out because of the lack of available slips! Clearly such thinking is not scientific, but I suspect that no pubic amenity could endure much in the way of purely scientific scrutiny. We, as homeowners have every right, indeed obligation to insure that any such proposed expenditures are carefully managed. That is not the same as suspecting that the support of any proposal from which we do not receive DIRECT and MEASUREABLE benefit is the product of some sinister maneuvering. Respectfully, Stan
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