(June 2, 2016) Looking for a compromise in the long and winding road involving racquet sports in Ocean Pines, the board of directors voted 6-0 last week to convert two existing tennis courts for pickleball.
If that sounds simple and straightforward, it was not.
“This whole thing has grown into something much bigger, much uglier than it needed to be,” General Manager Bob Thompson said last Thursday.
The board approved several upgrades to the Manklin Meadows Racquet Sports Center more than a year ago, but ballooning cost estimates and the fact that the association received just one bid on the entire project effectively applied the brakes.
Thompson blamed stormwater costs for most of the price increase, and said he would try to break the project down into smaller, more manageable phases.
Then, in March the board narrowly approved spending $150,000 to expand and resurface the parking lot, repair and relocate the playground and community gardens and install fencing around the area.
Some board members, however, saw that as just the first step in completing the entire proposal that would have cost Ocean Pines $750,000. Original estimates were for $250,000.
Questioned by the directors on how Ocean Pines was addressing the needs of the increasingly vocal racquet sports community – including contingencies from tennis, platform tennis and pickleball – Thompson was clearly frustrated.
“Every time I bring it to you all, it pivots. We could have had this done four years ago – definitively,” Thompson said. “We made changes each time [and] those changes have increased the cost just where it is. I’m not delaying it – we’ve teed it up multiple times. I need direction of what you all want to do.
“I don’t know what to do with it except keep bringing you the pieces that you’re asking for,” Thompson added.
Director Dave Stevens said the original idea for Manklin evolved, not by the board, but by Thompson, “into a $750,000 master plan.”
“It ended up being something that this board basically said ‘no’ to. I think it was uniform,” he said. “When it came to the meeting, you decided that, and presented to the board, that you were going to break it up into phases.”
Stevens said the first phase did not include platform tennis, which was pushed aside despite board instruction to explore it.
Director Tom Terry offered a history lesson, saying the original plan for the racquet sports complex “blew up” on the day it came to a public meeting and took the directors more than a year to get back on track – and that was before the $750,000 estimate came back.
Now, it appeared the board was verging on a similar position.
“We are now in a situation where we are, in fact, taking parts of that master plan that was voted on by the board and now trying to implement them,” Terry said. “We now have in front of us an opportunity where I think we have some cooperation going on amongst the various racquet sports … that would allow us to take action and get pickleball [on two tennis courts.”
The board also had an option to build “above-ground” platform courts, although pricing was not available at the time of the meeting.
“Until we know what the impact of that raised court is, we don’t know the answer to what the stormwater impact is,” Terry said. “I see two things on the table … I see an option for us to find a home for the pickleball players, and I think we have an option to now finalize what the step would be for platform.”
Following public comments, the board returned to the issue and voted unanimously to turn the two tennis courts into pickleball courts at a cost “not to exceed $25,000.” Terry noted the board would likely have to suspend its normal policy of receiving at least three bids in order to do so.
Director Tom Herrick the moved that the board “price out” stormwater mitigation for two elevated platform tennis courts, and an amendment was added requiring Thompson to have an estimate ready by the next regular board meeting, in June.
“Violating every procedural rule in the book …” Terry said.
“We’re damned good at it,” Director Bill Cordwell added.
“…We’ve revised this motion … to have a proposal and report by the next board meeting,” Terry continued.
That motion also passed 6-0.
If that sounds simple and straightforward, it was not.
“This whole thing has grown into something much bigger, much uglier than it needed to be,” General Manager Bob Thompson said last Thursday.
The board approved several upgrades to the Manklin Meadows Racquet Sports Center more than a year ago, but ballooning cost estimates and the fact that the association received just one bid on the entire project effectively applied the brakes.
Thompson blamed stormwater costs for most of the price increase, and said he would try to break the project down into smaller, more manageable phases.
Then, in March the board narrowly approved spending $150,000 to expand and resurface the parking lot, repair and relocate the playground and community gardens and install fencing around the area.
Some board members, however, saw that as just the first step in completing the entire proposal that would have cost Ocean Pines $750,000. Original estimates were for $250,000.
Questioned by the directors on how Ocean Pines was addressing the needs of the increasingly vocal racquet sports community – including contingencies from tennis, platform tennis and pickleball – Thompson was clearly frustrated.
“Every time I bring it to you all, it pivots. We could have had this done four years ago – definitively,” Thompson said. “We made changes each time [and] those changes have increased the cost just where it is. I’m not delaying it – we’ve teed it up multiple times. I need direction of what you all want to do.
“I don’t know what to do with it except keep bringing you the pieces that you’re asking for,” Thompson added.
Director Dave Stevens said the original idea for Manklin evolved, not by the board, but by Thompson, “into a $750,000 master plan.”
“It ended up being something that this board basically said ‘no’ to. I think it was uniform,” he said. “When it came to the meeting, you decided that, and presented to the board, that you were going to break it up into phases.”
Stevens said the first phase did not include platform tennis, which was pushed aside despite board instruction to explore it.
Director Tom Terry offered a history lesson, saying the original plan for the racquet sports complex “blew up” on the day it came to a public meeting and took the directors more than a year to get back on track – and that was before the $750,000 estimate came back.
Now, it appeared the board was verging on a similar position.
“We are now in a situation where we are, in fact, taking parts of that master plan that was voted on by the board and now trying to implement them,” Terry said. “We now have in front of us an opportunity where I think we have some cooperation going on amongst the various racquet sports … that would allow us to take action and get pickleball [on two tennis courts.”
The board also had an option to build “above-ground” platform courts, although pricing was not available at the time of the meeting.
“Until we know what the impact of that raised court is, we don’t know the answer to what the stormwater impact is,” Terry said. “I see two things on the table … I see an option for us to find a home for the pickleball players, and I think we have an option to now finalize what the step would be for platform.”
Following public comments, the board returned to the issue and voted unanimously to turn the two tennis courts into pickleball courts at a cost “not to exceed $25,000.” Terry noted the board would likely have to suspend its normal policy of receiving at least three bids in order to do so.
Director Tom Herrick the moved that the board “price out” stormwater mitigation for two elevated platform tennis courts, and an amendment was added requiring Thompson to have an estimate ready by the next regular board meeting, in June.
“Violating every procedural rule in the book …” Terry said.
“We’re damned good at it,” Director Bill Cordwell added.
“…We’ve revised this motion … to have a proposal and report by the next board meeting,” Terry continued.
That motion also passed 6-0.