By Greg Ellison

(Feb. 25, 2021) With one quarter remaining in the current budget year, the Ocean Pines Association continues to chart operating favorability while also completing offseason facility updates.

General Manager John Viola provided updates on both fronts during the Board of Directors’ virtual meeting on Saturday.

Regardless of revenue reductions tied to coronavirus the 2020-2021 operating budget continues to trend in the black by more than $1.1 million through the end of January.

Viola said the ledger sheets for last month closed with a positive operating fund variance of $1,282, with revenues under budget by $5,482 that was offset by expenses to end the month under budget by $6,764.

“We were basically flat for the month,” he said.

Looking at year-to-date figures, Viola said revenue is tracking ahead of budget by roughly $230,000, while expenses are currently under projections by more than $916,000 for a positive variance of $1,146,978.

Viola said the association remains on pace to end fiscal 20/21 in the black by approximately $650,000.

Drilling down on specific department budget figures for January, Viola said Public Works ended the month ahead of budget by more than $37,000.

That number is anticipated to drop in the next few months as the association completes pending work.

Viola also noted the Ocean Pines Yacht Club showed a positive variance of $16,555 for January, with a projected monthly loss of more than $71,000 coming in at roughly $54,000.

“We shut down the Yacht Club and will work out of Clubhouse,” he said.

The Clubhouse Bar and Grille, which is currently the only food amenity the association has operating, offset the Yacht Club numbers with a negative budget variance of more than $17,000.

Director Tom Janasek asked if either the association or food contractors the Matt Ortt Companies qualified for the latest round of pandemic-related relief funding from federal or state agencies.

“We looked at it … but we don’t qualify,” he said.

OPA President Larry Perrone said Matt Ortt CEO Ralph DeAngelus indicated the food company would also likely fail to qualify for emergency funding.

Shifting to project updates, Viola said paving and asphalt work at the White Horse Park parking lot would resume closer to spring.

“The parking lot project will pickup again in spring when asphalt plants reopen,” he said.

Viola said renovation work at the Robin Hood Park playground is set to commence by the end of March.

In progress board replacements at the Ocean Pines Marina are on pace for completion by April, Viola said.

Offseason improvements are also underway at the Ocean Pines Golf Course.

“The maintenance team continue work on greens, fairways and trees near holes two and three,” he said.

While not currently in operation, work is also underway at the Yacht Club to remove wallpaper and apply fresh paint, along with switching the facility to use LED bulbs.

Viola also noted the planned court expansion at the Manklin Meadows Racquet Sports Complex is in the review process with Worcester County.

Lastly, Viola said dredging work for 18 properties that applied last year remains on the horizon with a response from state officials still forthcoming.

“We submitted all the information to the state on Sept 23, 2020,” he said.