Board approves new capital projects for Racquet Sports, Police and White Horse Park

(Jan. 21, 2021) The Ocean Pines Board on Wednesday approved several capital purchase requests, including three racquet center upgrades, two new Police vehicles, and repaving at the White Horse Park complex.  

The repaving project, estimated to cost $59,500, will pave over the old Craft Club building space and reorient other areas of the White Horse campus, to add 20 new parking spaces. The lot currently has 44 and, after the renovation, there will be a total of 64 spaces. 

General Manager John Viola said the project was budgeted for $35,000, but bids came in higher because of situations related to the pandemic. 

"A lot of it had to do with increase [costs] in material," he said.  

Morris McNeil Paving Contractor LLC of Millsboro, Delaware was the lowest of the three bidders and was selected to do the work. Viola said paving would start in the spring because asphalt plants are closed during the winter. 

The Ocean Pines Police Department will get two new vehicles, both Chevy Tahoes, at total cost of $76,908. They will replace a 2011 Ford Expedition with major engine issues and a 2014 Ford Explorer in need of major repairs, according to a memo from Police Chief Leo Ehrisman.  

One replacement vehicle was in the budget. Viola said the vehicles were not put out to bid because all police departments in Maryland are able to buy discounted vehicles through a state program.  

The Ocean Pines Racquet Center will get three new improvements: four new pickleball courts ($67,895), one new junior tennis court ($66,087), and fencing for pickleball ($14,859) and tennis courts ($12,000).  

The projects were not budgeted, but Viola said by doing them this year they would not affect assessments. 

Terra Firma of Delmarva, Inc., based in Delmar, Delaware, was the lowest bidder on both projects related to the new courts and was selected to do the work.  

Nanticoke Fence, from Seaford, Delaware, was the low bidder on the fencing and will complete that project. 

Director Camilla Rogers, an avid tennis player, strongly endorsed the Racquet Sports expansion. 

"The pickleball initiative has garnered a tremendous amount of success," she said. "When I'm over at the tennis courts, there is a very long line of people waiting to go onto the pickleball courts. I think we can only enhance our visibility ... by authorizing this recommendation, and I really urge all of us that are on the Board to move forward with this." 

Association President Larry Perrone said the new junior tennis court would help house more lessons and tournaments. Rogers credited Racquet Sports Center Facilities Director Tim McMullen and Tennis Director Terry Underkoffler with helping to grow the junior tennis program.  

"Terry Underkoffler has been the coach at Worcester Prep and certainly knows the junior tennis circuit very, very well, as does Tim McMullen," she said. "If they have endorsed this and feel that the potential is there for growth ... then I would encourage us, again, to vote for this." 

To download slides from the meeting, visit /documents/20124/70275/1-20-21%20Board%20Packet.pdf/480963a7-716b-6ed4-431b-389cb9fbf89b.  

To view a video of the meeting, visit https://youtu.be/WPH-XCH2V28.