By Jack Chavez, Staff Writer

The success of Ocean Pines’s amenities, especially tennis and pickleball, are among the chief reasons that the association continues reporting positive budgetary numbers. FILE PHOTO  

(Oct. 6, 2022) Ocean Pines’s finances continue to outperform expectations.

After reviewing the numbers at its Sept. 26 meeting, the Ocean Pines Budget and Finance Committee found no cause for concern as the association enters the final quarter of the calendar year.

“We have a positive operating variance of $161,000 (for the last month) and $693,000 on the year to date,” committee Chair Harold Dick Keiling said. “By and large, these results are really good. A lot of the questions were answered on the favorable side. There’s not a lot to pick at.”

Every amenity and department reported outperformed its budget.

The Department of Public Works is $103,000 favorable to its budget, which is partially explained by the department searching to fill open positions, Keiling said.

Tennis on the year is “slightly” favorable as well as pickleball, Keiling said. Platform tennis is $8,000 favorable to the budget while pickleball is favorable at $16,000 with a positive variance of $49,000.

“Pickleball membership has really taken off,” Keiling said. “It’s 33 percent over last year and continues to lead racquet sports. They all look good for the month and year to date.”

Golf is exceeding the monthly budget numbers by $36,000, compared to an operating budget of $3,000.

“Of course, golf is tied to good weather, but the course is in great shape and people are playing there,” Keiling said.” A lot of outside factors are going very well, along with the clubhouse, which kind of goes along with it. It’s really busy as well — positive operating variance for the month.”

The Beach Club finished the season with a net positive of $225,000 versus a budget of $152,000, even topping last year’s bottom line of $203,000.

Parking is performing at $448,000 over its $430,000 budget. The prior year was at $412,000.

The Yacht Club revenues has a positive variance of $171,000 — $718,000 over $548,000.

“It’s good activity (at the Yacht Club) as far as food and beverage, banquets,” Keiling said. “What did come out of the meeting is that it’s a busy banquet season — there are 18 booked. So you’ll see more positive results moving forward.”

Perhaps the most surprising positive performer on the year to date is the marina, which has dealt with gas line leaks that shut down some of its pumps for repairs recently.

“Even with that, the marina finished up $268,000 year-to-date versus a budget of $251,000,” Keiling said. “So, a favorable variance there, keeping good margins in the guest sales. It’s all there.”

Keiling also endorsed the successful request General Manager John Viola made last month for a transfer of surplus funds to the association’s reserves — $150,000 for mailbox maintenance and replacement, $75,000 for renovating existing pickleball courts and $350,000 for the roads reserve.

“(Our committee) has been pretty consistent in wanting to build reserves up to $1 million,” he said. “I think with this $350,000 and next year’s casino funds coming in, it’ll be at or above that. That’s something (we are) always pushing for and the board is supporting us in that regard.”

Next month, Keiling said he hopes to start digging into the beginnings of the budget review process. The committee, which will meet next on Oct. 26, is also expecting to confer with representatives from the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department to look at its operating results for the year to date.