By Greg Ellison

(Jan. 27, 2022) Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola gave progress reports on current and pending projects during the Board of Directors’ meeting on Saturday.

Viola said a proposed pickleball court addition, which was approved by the board last January, is now moving forward.

“We received a number from the contractor of $180,000 in July,” he said. “We believe the price is still good.”

Viola said Vista Engineering, which prepared plans to build four new courts, called for bids the day before with a return deadline of Feb. 18.

“We’re in the bidding process,” he said. “Bids will be leveled within a week of receipt.”

Viola said, contingent on board approval, a bid contract would be awarded immediately.

Project timeframes will be determined by both the contractor’s schedule and availability of materials.

“We hope to have it done by the end of May if it goes right,” he said.

Turning to work in progress, Viola said installing glass panels and doors to section off the meeting room at the Golf Clubhouse got underway earlier that week.

“Walls should be completed within three weeks, if materials are available,” he said.

Project cost estimates are roughly $15,000, including $8,000 for a doorway, $4,000 for materials, $2,000 to relocate HVAC equipment and $1,000 to relocate alarm systems.

“Wall lights will be moved next week and the HVAC relocated,” he said. “New doorway and glass panels are ordered and should be in next week.”

By contrast, Viola said closet doors are anticipated to take over a month to arrive.

“The biggest cost is the door,” he said.

On a related note, Viola said upgraded broadcast equipment for hybrid meeting functionality is in place at the Assateague Room in the Community Center and would be forthcoming at the Golf Clubhouse.

Viola said Mid-South Audio was contracted to install hybrid-meeting systems, which include a custom table with built in microphones and cameras to be integrated into the existing Microsoft TEAMS platform.

Costs are roughly $15,000 to add a projector in the Golf Clubhouse meeting room, with the Assateague Room costing an additional $8,000 for a projector screen.

Viola said if equipment is in stock, the Clubhouse upgrades would be completed within one month of the wall addition being finished.

Other initiatives Viola reviewed included removing the old guard shack at the North Gate Bridge.

“The decision was made to remove the guard shack at an estimated cost of $2,500,” he said. “We did the work in-house.”

The shack structure and old decking are being dismantled, with completion anticipated with a few weeks.

Viola said power lines for bridge and entrance sign lighting would be relocated, and that the schedule for bridge lighting would be dependent on material availability.

Looking at pending projects, Viola said the proposed budget includes funds to renovate the Administration Building in White Horse Park.

Viola said the office renovations would require relocation of staff while updates are underway.

The total project cost is estimated at $125,000, including $50,000 for flooring, $45,000 for HVAC system, $10,000 for ceilings, $5,000 for lighting and $15,000 for painting.

Work to replace or repair mailbox clusters is also on the horizon, Viola said.

“At the last board meeting, I was instructed to move forward,” he said.

Viola said the first step will be to examine the concrete pads at each mailbox site to determine replacement needs.

“We will identify next week 10 priority locations to begin,” he said.

Up to 100 pedestals deemed for which replacement is most needed would be identified, at a cost of $500 each for a total of $50,000.

“We will review clusters and determine the priority to repair or replace,” he said.

Viola said bids would be solicited to clean mailbox clusters where appropriate.