By Greg Ellison

(Sept. 23, 2021) With autumn about to just arrive last Wednesday, Ocean Pines Association General Manager John Viola provided updates on amenity performance and projects during the Board of Directors meetings.

Starting with the Manklin Meadows Racquet Center, Viola said work to paint new lines on pickleball courts has been authorized.

The project, which was recommended by the , costs $800 to line two pickleball courts and make the locations multi-purpose.

Bouncing over to the Ocean Pines Golf Course, turf maintenance during the height of summer heat and humidity was reviewed.

Viola said Golf Superintendent Justin Hartshorne has spearheaded grounds crew efforts to aerate the site.

“Greens are better than they’ve been in last three to four years,” he said. “The course is in the best overall shape I’ve seen it in 12 years.”

Beautification of common areas is underway with enhanced landscaping already completed at the North Gate, White Horse Park campus and the Wood Duck I and II neighborhoods.

The next spots on tap for attention are Salt Grass, Teal Bay and Bay Colony.

Work to spruce up over a hundred fire hydrants is being completed through a partnership with Worcester County and the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department.

Of the 176 hydrants requiring maintenance, 96 have already been addressed, Viola said.

In addition to clearing out overgrowth surrounding hydrants, repainting the red sections is also taking place.

Bulkhead repairs, which were slated to start next month, are already underway and on track for early completion. In late July, the board of directors approved an emergency expenditure to replace 500-plus feet of bulkhead at the golf course by the bridge on the third green.

Viola said the work was fast-tracked in hopes of capturing cost savings based on a quote from Fisher Marine for $355 per linear foot of vinyl bulkhead, which comes out to just over $190,000 for the 537 feet required.

The overall project costs are just over $198,000, which includes $8,000 for topsoil and sod.

In July, Viola presented a request to spend roughly $198,000 from bulkhead reserves for the work.

Viola said the repairs, which began on Aug. 20 and are on pace to wrap by Sept. 24, are part of a larger four-year maintenance plan

Although still on hold, the association is expecting the Army Corps of Engineers to issue dredging permits in the near future.

Viola said permits have not been released for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“They are now issuing permits requested two years ago,” he said.

Director Tom Janasek asked if owners of waterfront lots in line for dredging could anticipate being informed of pending approvals.

“We can notify those people prior to getting permits,” Viola said.

Viola also updated a nearly completed reserve study being conducted by Richmond-based Design Management Associates.

Initially created in 2015, the current efforts to track account balance percentages were described as “DMA Lite,” by Viola.

The present work is slated to cost about half of the initial investment in 2015.

After the association recently reviewed changes stemming from the study, the data was sent back to DMA for final sign off.

“The final draft of the reserve study was returned the week of Sept. 13,” he said.

The Budget and Finance Committee are slated to review the completed study in early October before potential board approval later next month.

Viola said a town hall meeting with DMA partner Doug Greene is also being planned.