From: Doug Parks 
Date: Monday, March 20, 2023 at 11:21 AM
To: Cindy Hoffman 
Cc: Directors 
Subject: RE: follow up

Cindy,

I have included my board colleagues in this response so they are aware of the questions you noted.  My answers are noted below.  I am not sure what tone your article would take, but I would hope that it stays neutral.  I encourage my board colleagues to respond to this email as well.

Doug Parks

President, Ocean Pines Association

(Reporter Questions and Parks answers)

1. Is the statement from you or are you representing the entire board?  (I shared the statement with my board colleagues several days before the meeting for their review and comments.  Not that my statement required approval, it is notable that five of the seven Directors agreed with the statement and supported it being read as my President’s remarks. That said, the statement was representative of a super majority of the board.)
2. Why did you feel it was necessary to issue the statement? Was it the vet memorial fundraiser problem or have you heard complaints from the community?  (I and others had been approached by OPA members asking what was being done to address these matters and as the leadership group it was our responsibility to ensure the concerns of the membership were made public.  The need to make a statement was spurred by both the issue of the Veterans Memorial and complaints from the community.)
3. Do you have any examples of children or people being bullied on this issue?  (Several instances of this behavior were shared unsolicited with board members.  In one instance that was shared, a high school student who worked at the Yacht Club was told by some other students that he should just go kill himself since he worked there.)
4. Where or how did you hear about a threat to vandalize the memorial?  (I heard about the threat of vandalism from several sources and confirmed the claim after the police report was shared with the board).

From: Cindy Hoffman
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 11:23 AM
To: Doug Parks
Cc: Directors 
Subject: Re: follow up

Absolutely, and thank you for your quick response. I welcome any other comments. I am writing at this time, so if anyone would like to share their comments, I can include them in the article if I get them by tomorrow morning. Thanks so much. 

From: Steve Jacobs 
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 1:47 PM
To: Cindy Hoffman 
Cc: Directors
Subject: Re: follow up

 Cindy,

In response to your questions, I do have a few thoughts.   You will forgive me for not adhering to the order of the questions asked.  

Doug did inform all of the Board members that he would be making a statement on the subject and provided us with one draft and a second that incorporated some suggestions.  Most of the comments from my colleagues were supportive, there were some suggestions as to content, including my suggestions.   We have had for a number of years on our Board agenda the opportunity for the President to make comments, without any restriction as to content and I support that, as any other President, Doug is free to comment on those matters that are foremost in his mind.  I would not have taken the same tact as he did.   I would have much preferred to recognize that this is a difficult subject, that has raised a great deal of anger, frustration and meanness in our community.   It has served to heighten the disagreements in Ocean Pines and raised the nastiness on both (or all) sides when one reads social media.  We should not lose sight of the fact that peaceful protest, boycotts and other demonstrations are accepted and protected means of addressing community issues.  Threats, violence, and threats of vandalism have no place in our public debate.   No one is blameless in this and I would not have singled out one side over another.   Let me add, that at present there is no indication that our revenue streams from the food and beverage amenities have suffered.   What a person hired to perform at an Ocean Pines event or an event in an OP facility that is leased for that purpose can decide when informed whether to go forward or not.  I would have preferred a statement that calls on all to be civil in the public debate.   I am concerned that Doug's statement did not accomplish that aim.  As to your other questions, I have heard or seen of some the actions taken by others.  Unfortunately, while of these actions are more than a few months old, there are those who have continually raised them up again and again for the sole purpose of further inflaming passions.  We can and should do better.

 Steve Jacobs

From: Colette Horn
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 2:25 PM
To: Steve Jacobs
Cc: Directors 
Subject: Re: follow up

 Cindy,

I also had concerns about the statement as written.  I proposed something that would ask for support of our amenities and fund-raising, which was included in the final draft of the statement.  I was not in favor of belaboring the accusations and outrage about the allegations of bullying etc.  In my opinion the rhetoric was inflammatory and would not serve the goal of lowering the temperature within the community on this topic.

Colette

From: Doug Parks 
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 3:46:35 PM
To: Colette Horn Cindy Hoffman
Cc: Directors
Subject: RE: follow up

 Cindy,

I did make a change to the original draft of the statement based on feedback from both Directors Horn and Jacobs.  However, as noted in a previous email I sent, all Directors shared their opinions on the proposed statement and the majority agreed that the statement should be made. 

 Doug Parks

President, Ocean Pines Association

From: Steve Jacobs
Date: Monday, March 20, 2023 at 4:18 PM
To: Doug Parks , Colette Horn , Cindy Hoffman 
Cc: Directors 
Subject: Re: follow up

Doug,

 I fully understand what could be Board policy when a vote it taken as opposed to making a statement as provided for in the agenda by you, the President.  I made a point of both commending you and expressed my appreciation for your willingness to share your statement with all of us.  I never suggested that you did anything wrong, improper or out of order.  To the contrary, I fully support your use of that item to speak as you see fit.  I disagreed with the tenor of the statement and as I said in previous emails, I would pursued a different train of thought.   I never suggested to you or anyone else that unanimous consent was needed.   I think it is fair to say that you and I have a different opinion on the entirety of this topic, going back to the issue of the skatepark.   That said, when possible we have tried to work cooperatively, shared opinions and as a general rule where we differed we did so in a civil manner.  

Steve J

From: Cindy Hoffman
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 4:23:05 PM
To: Steve Jacobs; Doug Parks ; Colette Horn 
Cc: Directors
Subject: Re: follow up

Doug and others, It might be a good idea to take me off of this email string at this point.

From: Richard Farr
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 4:25 PM
To: Steve Jacobs ; Doug Parks ; Colette Horn (not sent to the reporter)
Cc: Directors 
Subject: Re: follow up

This back n forth including the press makes this Board Dysfunctional and embarrassing.