(June 8, 2017) Ocean Pines Association interim General Manager Brett Hill held a well-attended town hall meeting at Mumford’s Landing last Thursday, when he offered an overview of his administration and the flurry of new projects it has produced.
Hill said the net-year loss against budget for fiscal year 2017 was about $270,000, but that number needed be put into context because the board of directors made several changes to a budget that was adopted by a previous board and general manager.
Several new public works positions were added to the payroll because the board saw “a desperate need for us to make improvements … and our public works staff was stretched beyond any reason,” Hill said.
He said those positions added $108,000 to the payroll, but argued the projects that were completed because of the extra manpower benefitted the association.
Hill cited improvements at the beach club that put the facility on par with “the finest of the marinas and recreation facilities on the East Coast.”
Additional bathroom stalls were added, addressing an apparent shortage, and the size of handicapped stalls were increased, bringing them up to date with current ADA compliance laws.
The interior of the club also received a facelift, especially the second-floor dining area, which will be unveiled during Father’s Day weekend.
“With the new menu, we’re in for a really fun summer at the beach this year,” Hill said.
Hill said the dining and bar areas at Tern Grille, inside the country club, were nearly doubled and the menu there has been revamped.
“We’re really looking to see the golfers stay and enjoy what the facility has to offer, not just play their 18 holes and go home or go somewhere else,” Hill said. “We’ve given a really nice place to come and enjoy a beverage or a light meal afterwards and I think it’s going to be a great addition to the golf operations in the coming years.”
Money that was previously allocated for a food truck was instead channeled into the creation of “Tuffy’s Tavern,” a new bar inside Mumford’s Landing, Hill said.
He said additional renovations took place at Mumford’s and dining would be available on the first and second floors during the summer.
Hill said renovations of bridges on Clubhouse Drive and Ocean Parkway had been completed. Utility lines over both bridges were redone in manner that would not put further stress on the structures, he said.
The playground at Manklin Meadows was redone and the existing gazebo there was relocated in the center of that area, providing seated shade for parents, Hill said.
He said plans were proceeding to renovate the second floor of the country club, creating additional community meeting and golf banquet space. When that wraps, the existing meeting space in the administration building will be converted into more room for Ocean Pines Police.
“We’re really going to gain a lot for the police department,” Hill said. “For the protection of our officers and the community, it’s a very important step and something that needed to be made.
“When you look at the overall budget, we’re putting less than $1 million into the golf club … and we’re coming out with pretty much a brand new building on the inside,” Hill said. “The administration building is going to be the same thing. We have a couple hundred thousand going in and the police department is getting almost everything they wanted.”
Two areas that have plagued Ocean Pines are bulkheads and stormwater management.
Worm infestation and phragmites, or invasive wetland grasses, have created problems in the former. The board decided to interrupt regular bulkhead replacement in order to assess the situation, and Hill said major problem areas would be patched as needed – for now.
Addressing drainage, he said “horrific storms” during the last nine months have made it difficult for crews to cover each mile, but added, “communication is really important for us.”
Public works in Ocean Pines manages 12 miles of bulkheads and more than 100 miles of stormwater improvements. Hill urged residents to continue to report their concerns.
“When you have a particular request it is very helpful when you can send in pictures and show us,” he said. “[Public works] does take those calls very seriously. They respond on all of them and they’re not ignoring anyone.”
Hill said the net-year loss against budget for fiscal year 2017 was about $270,000, but that number needed be put into context because the board of directors made several changes to a budget that was adopted by a previous board and general manager.
Several new public works positions were added to the payroll because the board saw “a desperate need for us to make improvements … and our public works staff was stretched beyond any reason,” Hill said.
He said those positions added $108,000 to the payroll, but argued the projects that were completed because of the extra manpower benefitted the association.
Hill cited improvements at the beach club that put the facility on par with “the finest of the marinas and recreation facilities on the East Coast.”
Additional bathroom stalls were added, addressing an apparent shortage, and the size of handicapped stalls were increased, bringing them up to date with current ADA compliance laws.
The interior of the club also received a facelift, especially the second-floor dining area, which will be unveiled during Father’s Day weekend.
“With the new menu, we’re in for a really fun summer at the beach this year,” Hill said.
Hill said the dining and bar areas at Tern Grille, inside the country club, were nearly doubled and the menu there has been revamped.
“We’re really looking to see the golfers stay and enjoy what the facility has to offer, not just play their 18 holes and go home or go somewhere else,” Hill said. “We’ve given a really nice place to come and enjoy a beverage or a light meal afterwards and I think it’s going to be a great addition to the golf operations in the coming years.”
Money that was previously allocated for a food truck was instead channeled into the creation of “Tuffy’s Tavern,” a new bar inside Mumford’s Landing, Hill said.
He said additional renovations took place at Mumford’s and dining would be available on the first and second floors during the summer.
Hill said renovations of bridges on Clubhouse Drive and Ocean Parkway had been completed. Utility lines over both bridges were redone in manner that would not put further stress on the structures, he said.
The playground at Manklin Meadows was redone and the existing gazebo there was relocated in the center of that area, providing seated shade for parents, Hill said.
He said plans were proceeding to renovate the second floor of the country club, creating additional community meeting and golf banquet space. When that wraps, the existing meeting space in the administration building will be converted into more room for Ocean Pines Police.
“We’re really going to gain a lot for the police department,” Hill said. “For the protection of our officers and the community, it’s a very important step and something that needed to be made.
“When you look at the overall budget, we’re putting less than $1 million into the golf club … and we’re coming out with pretty much a brand new building on the inside,” Hill said. “The administration building is going to be the same thing. We have a couple hundred thousand going in and the police department is getting almost everything they wanted.”
Two areas that have plagued Ocean Pines are bulkheads and stormwater management.
Worm infestation and phragmites, or invasive wetland grasses, have created problems in the former. The board decided to interrupt regular bulkhead replacement in order to assess the situation, and Hill said major problem areas would be patched as needed – for now.
Addressing drainage, he said “horrific storms” during the last nine months have made it difficult for crews to cover each mile, but added, “communication is really important for us.”
Public works in Ocean Pines manages 12 miles of bulkheads and more than 100 miles of stormwater improvements. Hill urged residents to continue to report their concerns.
“When you have a particular request it is very helpful when you can send in pictures and show us,” he said. “[Public works] does take those calls very seriously. They respond on all of them and they’re not ignoring anyone.”