BERLIN – Though discussions regarding the future of the entire building are ongoing, Ocean Pines Association officials have approved some first floor changes at the country club.
Last Friday, the board approved a $125,000 capital request to replace the building’s HVAC system. That was followed by approval of a motion that will allow management to spend $105,000 improving the Tern Grille.
“Functionally we’re not adding anything that’s not there, just reconfiguring it,” Director Dave Stevens said. “What we do on the second floor is up for further consideration.”
In a work session prior to Friday’s meeting, Brett Hill, the association’s acting general manager, told the board staff recommended the expansion of the Tern Grill so that it could accommodate more patrons. If the association’s public works crew does the work now, the eatery, which is at the Ocean Pines Golf and Country Club, will be up and running when the spring golf season kicks off.
“We have a six- to eight-week window we can modify the facility without impacting golf operations,” Hill said.
He explained Friday that staff proposed decreasing the size of the little-used locker rooms at the country club to give the Tern Grill space to expand. Its footprint will roughly double with the changes.
As for the HVAC system, Hill said staff planned to install a mini split system on a room-by-room basis. By installing the system gradually, the public works team could address the most important areas first. The split system will also ensure that new HVAC isn’t installed in an area that has yet to be renovated.
“We’re going to replace the system on a room-by-room basis,” Hill said. “If the upstairs is still undecided nothing will be done to the upstairs.”
Much of the board’s discussion related not to the proposed Tern Grill or HVAC changes but rather the remainder of the building. Director Cheryl Jacobs said she thought the board should make a decision regarding the entire building.
“We don’t know what the whole package is going to be and so you’re carving out this on the first floor without a decision on the second floor,” Jacobs said. “When we do the whole renovation there are all kinds of issues that factor in. My concern is we don’t know what the whole cost is going to be. Putting aside the fact that once you start tearing these walls apart God only knows what you’re going to find in there.”
Hill said what was to be done with the rest of the building was up to the board. He thought a decision would be reached by the association’s next budget cycle.
“I cannot see there’s anything in this configuration that’ll have an influence on what we choose to do,” Stevens said.
Hill said he had no objections to the board deciding on the building’s future now but didn’t want his peers to feel backed into a corner.
“If there’s other suggestions the door is not shut,” he said.
Director Slobodan Trendic said the board needed to consider both the requests of Landscapes Unlimited, the association’s golf management company, as well as the desires of residents as it rehabilitated the building.
“How do we decide what’s the priority?” he said.
Hill said that one of the three options he’d presented the board with regarding the facility’s second floor would accommodate the banquet layout Landscapes Unlimited wanted but would also provide the community with much needed meeting space.
“Just because it can hold banquets doesn’t mean it’s only for banquets,” Hill said.
When asked if banquet space at the country club would hurt business at the community’s yacht club, Hill replied that it would not. He said parties interested in holding events at the yacht club were charged a set fee regardless of the size of their gathering.
“The way the yacht club is set up there’s a minimum price to walk through the door,” he said, adding that people interested in hosting smaller events often deemed the waterfront facility too expensive.
Hill said the association’s food and beverage manager would be able to offer the country club to smaller parties that were more budget-conscious.
“He’d be able to attract a crowd he’s not currently able to serve,” Hill said.
Stevens said he thought the board needed more community input before a decision was made regarding the second floor of the country club. He also said a business plan should be considered.
“It needs more thought,” he said.
Jacobs again advocated for making a decision regarding the entire facility.
“I think we ought to do the whole thing and get on with it,” she said.
After much discussion the board agreed to hold a special meeting to discuss the building’s future Dec. 15.
“I think we all agree we want to move forward,” said Tom Herrick, president of the board.
