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Shore Progress news archive
Stark choices could confront OPA in Yacht Club, Country Club projects
Tom Stauss
Publisher
Details of the Ocean Pines Association’s new five-year funding plan with cost estimates for various capital projects pegged at $4.243 million through 2015 have been widely reported, but hardly noticed is this intriguing possibility: Instead of renovating the aging Yacht Club and Country club amenities, at least some members of the task force who drafted the new plan are making little effort to disguise their interest in tearing these 1970s-era buildings down and replacing them with new energy-efficient structures that are more appealing architecturally and would be designed to meet the needs of Ocean Pines in the new millennium.
No one is flat-out advocating new buildings as opposed to renovating the old, but Task Force chair Ted Moroney told these assembled for the public unveiling of the funding plan Feb. 20 that, were it his decision to make, he might very well tear down the Yacht Club in particular, replacing it with something new, probably a one-story building of roughly 11,000 square feet. In comments about possible rehabilitation of the Country club, he made some disparaging references to the building’s lack of appeal and poor design, which could imply that there, too, he might personally prefer starting over.
The Country Club renovation is two or three years away from moving out of the planning stage to implementation, so there Moroney’s musings about new versus renovation have little immediate import. But the Yacht Club renovation project, which has already gone out for design/build bids with proposals due for submission March 15, could easily morph into something far more ambitious than a relatively straightforward, and probably less expensive, renovation.
OPA treasurer and board of directors member Pete Gomsak disclosed that, at a recent meeting of potential Yacht Club project bidders, at least two contractors asked whether they could submit, in addition to plans for a renovation, plans for a Yacht Club tear-down and replacement with a new building.
Published: March 04, 2010
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Hike in EDU charges likely in Ocean Pines Service Area
Tom Stauss
Publisher
Ocean Pines ratepayers will be paying an additional $26 per year, or $6.50 per quarter, in water and wastewater equivalent dwelling unit fees if a proposed service area budget is approved by the Worcester County commissioners later this year.
There would be no increases in water and wastewater user fees in the fiscal year beginning July 1. The increase would be reflected initially in the quarterly billing that would be mailed to ratepayers in September/October.
At a meeting of the Ocean Pines Water and Wastewater Advisory Committee meeting last month, members were advised that revenues generated by the rate increases would help finance two capital projects that have been on the service area’s to-do list for years.
At a public hearing last fall, the county commissioners heard no opposition to the proposal to spend up to $2.5 million for the long-delayed Northside fire hydrant project, which would ensure that all homes on the Northside would have fire hydrants in close proximity, such as they are in Ocean Pines section south of Route 90.
Published: March 04, 2010
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OPA asks county for almost $1 million
Rota L. Knott
Editor
In order to help meet operating expenses for the police department, correct drainage problems and maintain roads in Fiscal Year 2011, the Ocean Pines Association is requesting nearly $1 million from the Worcester County Commissioners when projected revenues are declining
The homeowners association presented to the Worcester County Commissioners on March 2 its request for a subsidy for the Ocean Pines Police Department.
The OPA is seeking $400,000 in funding from the county to help cover the cost of operating the Ocean Pines Police Department. OPA General Manager Tom Olson said the OPPD has a $1.4 million operating budget for the police department, which is now covering more territory than ever outside of Ocean Pines. Through an agreement with the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, the OPPD assumed the responsibility for providing coverage in the area of Manklin Creek Road.
Published: March 04, 2010
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OPA approves contract for S&R pool deck project
Rota L. Knott
Editor
With a contract approved by the board of directors, work is expected to get under way immediately on reconstruction of the swimming pool deck at the Ocean Pines Association’s Swim and Racquet Club.
Directors during a Feb. 17 meeting authorized General Manager Tom Olson to sign a $415,600 contract with the firm of Harkins Construction for a new concrete pool deck and some repairs to the pool itself. Concrete was chosen over an composite wood option. The old decking was wood.
A structural inspection last year showed piling deterioration at the Swim and Racquet Club pool deck, which had to be removed to undercover the extent of the piling damage.
“The pilings that were holding up the deck of the Swim and Racquet club pool showed considerable rot,” Olson said. He said the contract will specify that the work be completed by May 1.
Published: March 04, 2010
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Pines aims to improve customer service
Rota L. Knott
Editor
The Ocean Pines Association is putting on a happy face. OPA General Manager Tom Olson and a select group of staffers are developing a comprehensive customer service plan for the association that will be implemented this summer.
The overall objective of the program is to improve Community wide customer experience for residents and guests.
“We’re looking to achieve a measurable improvement,” Olson said during the Feb. 17 meeting of the board of directors.
A report submitted in November by an ad hoc committee appointed to study the OPA’s amenities found that customer service needs improvement across all amenities and through all employees and OPA committees. The committee said the OPA must address the issue of customer satisfaction and find a way to measure it. The board of directors handed that job to Olson.
To get the job done, Olson has appointed a task force of OPA employees from each department to help formulate, implement and evaluate the customer service plan. The campaign’s goals are to heighten staff awareness of the importance of customer satisfaction, make the public aware that we are trying to make customer service priority one and achieve a measurable improvement in customer satisfaction across all service areas.
Published: March 04, 2010
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Pines board to talk with golf management firms
Rota L. Knott
Editor
While not actively seeking proposals for outside management of the Ocean Pines Association’s golf course, the board of directors has agreed to talk with two firms that have expressed interest in running it for the OPA.
Directors approved a motion made by Director Bob Thompson during a Feb. 17 meeting to allow the two outside management companies to make a presentation to the board. Thompson’s motion said “In an effort to stabilize our under performing facility …” the companies would be invited to meet with the board so directors can see what they have to offer.
Both of the golf management companies, Kemper and RDC Golf Group, which is affiliated with Golf Profit Builders, approached the OPA offering to make a presentation. The OPA did not solicit proposals from them. Golf Profit Builders was the firm retained by the OPA to review and make recommendations for improvements to the golf course under the association management.
“We ought to consider all options” for managing the golf course, Thompson said. He said a golf task force created by the OPA last year did not consider outside management an option when it make recommendations for improvement to the operation. However, he said various other golf related reports over the years have mentioned considering outside management as an alternative.
Published: March 04, 2010
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School board drafts $89.2 million FY 11 budget
Rota L. Knott
Editor
In an effort to create a budget with reduced funds while sustaining the high-performing school system, the Worcester County Board of Education has given initial approval to an $89.2 million spending plan for next fiscal year.
The proposed operating budget for next year includes reductions of $320,000 in textbooks and classroom supplies, $230,000 in instructional salaries, $16,300 in instructional support and $9,070 in student transportation.
During a February meeting, the board adopted the proposed FY 2011 operating budget, which satisfies the minimum Maintenance of Effort mandate. MOE uses the per-student funding of the current year to calculate minimal local funding levels for the next fiscal year.
The budget includes a $614,992 decrease in county Maintenance of Effort funding and uses an estimated increase in State aid of approximately $640,000. The increased state aid is due to an increase in the number of our students living in households of poverty.
Published: March 04, 2010
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School board prevails in contract dispute
Rota L. Knott
Editor
The Worcester County Board of Education has won its appeal of a legal dispute with the contractor hired to perform site work for construction of Ocean City Elementary School more than five years ago.
“We are very pleased that the Court of Special Appeals thoroughly reviewed the basis of our appeal and found that the trial and ruling of the Circuit Court was to be remanded or reversed,” Robert Hulburd, Board of Education president, said. “We are grateful to our Board attorney for his diligence in representing us, as well as to our county commissioners for their support throughout the process.”
The Maryland Court of Special Appeals reversed an earlier judgment by a substitute judge for the Circuit Court of Worcester County against the Board of Education in its contract dispute with BEKA Industries. Local sitting judges recused themselves from hearing the case.
The Court of Special Appeals agreed with the school board’s position that the Circuit Court should have allowed the board to pursue its claims against BEKA and that the Circuit Court’s judgment against the board in the sum of $1.1 million was not substantiated by evidence in the judge’s ruling.
Published: March 04, 2010
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Dem committee chair signals more partisanship
Press Release
Press Release
If the chairman of the Worcester County Democratic Central Committee has his way, elections for Worcester County Commission this year will have a more partisan tone, at least by the relatively non-partisan standard of past campaigns.
A press release issued in early March by Charles “Chuck” Herbert, chair of the Democratic Central Committee of Worcester County (DCCWC), said “the Democratic Party and its candidates must serve as a voice for what the voters want in county government.”
Herbert said Democrats should be able to vote with confidence “that if they support a Democratic candidate, that candidate is committed to working to solve the county’s problems. We believe that you should be able to tell the difference between a Republican and a Democrat and expect Democrats to work hard making government work for Worcester County citizens.”
Published: March 04, 2010
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Ocean Pines voters will have lots of choices in 2010 elections
Tom Stauss
Publisher
Ready or not, 2010 promises to be a political year with more than the usual drama and uncertainty, as races are shaping up for the state House of Delegates and state Senate, as well as Worcester County Commissioner, that will give Ocean Pines voters some real choices at the ballot box.
It’s even possible, before the dust settles, that local voters will help decide whether the state reelects its governor, incumbent Gov. Martin O’Malley, or goes back to the future with a new “old” one.
Published: February 07, 2010
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Only news stories that were published from December 05, 2008 are currrently in our archive database. We apologize for the inconvenience.
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