Ocean Pines staff told the Budget & Finance Committee they will begin phased increases on racket-sports memberships and daily fees to move toward a more consistent, market-aligned pricing structure over multiple years.

Terry (Racket sports director) and staff said research showed Ocean Pines membership rates were substantially lower than comparable facilities in the region. The committee was presented a staged plan: tennis fees proposed up about 18%, and pickleball and platform increases of roughly 25% in the immediate budget; staff said further consolidation to a single ‘‘all-sports’’ membership could follow over two or three years, not in a single annual step.

‘‘We are extremely underpriced,’’ Terry said, explaining the proposal is intended to fund increased maintenance, staffing and growing service demands. Committee members pressed staff on membership counts and the risk of attrition if the increases were too steep. Staff replied the increases are conservative compared with nearby facilities and noted that many players already use multiple sports, which supports an all-access model over time.

Staff also explained a reclassification of payroll and contracted services across tennis, pickleball and platform budgets to better match where attendants and revenues are allocated. The consolidated racket-sports line shows a projected $40,000 increase in dues revenue under the proposed rates.

Committee members asked staff to phase the changes to avoid one-year price shock and to return if market conditions warrant adjustments.