(March 23, 2017) Ocean Pines Association Interim General Manager Brett Hill presented six capital purchases for discussion during a public work session on Monday.
The two largest items, improvements at the golf and country club and administration building, were presented as a series of blueprints. Specific costs were not provided during the meeting, but the board budgeted $417,000 for renovations at the country club, $288,000 for renovations to the police station – which is inside the administration building – and an additional $72,000 for office renovations.
Hill said public works would perform all of the work and that most of the costs associated would fall below the $15,000 required to trigger a formal board vote.
The plan is to eliminate meeting space inside the administration building to facilitate expansion of the police station, and then establish new meeting space on the second floor the country club. Because of that, Hill said construction at the country club would start first.
The new layout at the country club would include a 60-seat permanent meeting room for the board of directors as well as several smaller meeting spaces and one large room for golf banquets.
Final plans, while discussed at length during previous meetings including during budget hearings earlier this year, were not presented to the public ahead of time. Board Vice President Dave Stevens said he objected to that and called for a public hearing on the matter.
“It’s not just the money,” Stevens said. “Considering the fact that we’re making fairly substantial changes, I think some community feedback would be appropriate.”
While he said the plans were done well, “nobody has seen [the plan] except us, this week.”
Hill said the revised plans would be posted on the Ocean Pines website before the end of the day. A motion to accept the plans could be on the agenda for Saturday’s regular meeting.
Three other capital items were vehicle purchases, although specific figures were only given for one of those items during the meeting. The board budgeted $39,000 for a passenger van for recreation and parks. Hill provided three bids and said the staff recommendation was for the cheapest, at $30,293 from Hertrich Fleet Services, Inc.
A work session packet available online included two bids for a police vehicle and three bids for a public works truck. The board budgeted $34,000 for a police vehicle and $30,000 for a public works truck. Hill said staff recommendations were also for the lowest bidders for those items.
The final item up for consideration was a portable stage for Mumford’s Landing. The board budgeted $18,000 for a pergola at that location, but some board members asked Hill to look into alternatives. The pergola was proposed as a bandstand and as a possible backdrop for weddings and other special events.
Board President Tom Herrick called photographs of the portables “ugly … and over budget.” Director Pat Supik agreed they were “quite unattractive.”
Director Cheryl Jacobs, however, said she favored the portable stage because it could be removed when not in use and would not permanently obstruct the waterfront views at Mumfords.
Hill said he would offer a motion during the meeting on Saturday, although he did not specify whether it would be for the portable or permanent option.
The two largest items, improvements at the golf and country club and administration building, were presented as a series of blueprints. Specific costs were not provided during the meeting, but the board budgeted $417,000 for renovations at the country club, $288,000 for renovations to the police station – which is inside the administration building – and an additional $72,000 for office renovations.
Hill said public works would perform all of the work and that most of the costs associated would fall below the $15,000 required to trigger a formal board vote.
The plan is to eliminate meeting space inside the administration building to facilitate expansion of the police station, and then establish new meeting space on the second floor the country club. Because of that, Hill said construction at the country club would start first.
The new layout at the country club would include a 60-seat permanent meeting room for the board of directors as well as several smaller meeting spaces and one large room for golf banquets.
Final plans, while discussed at length during previous meetings including during budget hearings earlier this year, were not presented to the public ahead of time. Board Vice President Dave Stevens said he objected to that and called for a public hearing on the matter.
“It’s not just the money,” Stevens said. “Considering the fact that we’re making fairly substantial changes, I think some community feedback would be appropriate.”
While he said the plans were done well, “nobody has seen [the plan] except us, this week.”
Hill said the revised plans would be posted on the Ocean Pines website before the end of the day. A motion to accept the plans could be on the agenda for Saturday’s regular meeting.
Three other capital items were vehicle purchases, although specific figures were only given for one of those items during the meeting. The board budgeted $39,000 for a passenger van for recreation and parks. Hill provided three bids and said the staff recommendation was for the cheapest, at $30,293 from Hertrich Fleet Services, Inc.
A work session packet available online included two bids for a police vehicle and three bids for a public works truck. The board budgeted $34,000 for a police vehicle and $30,000 for a public works truck. Hill said staff recommendations were also for the lowest bidders for those items.
The final item up for consideration was a portable stage for Mumford’s Landing. The board budgeted $18,000 for a pergola at that location, but some board members asked Hill to look into alternatives. The pergola was proposed as a bandstand and as a possible backdrop for weddings and other special events.
Board President Tom Herrick called photographs of the portables “ugly … and over budget.” Director Pat Supik agreed they were “quite unattractive.”
Director Cheryl Jacobs, however, said she favored the portable stage because it could be removed when not in use and would not permanently obstruct the waterfront views at Mumfords.
Hill said he would offer a motion during the meeting on Saturday, although he did not specify whether it would be for the portable or permanent option.