PRINCESS ANNE, MD — Officials in Somerset County are drawing attention to the need for an upgrade to the current Circuit Courthouse.
County Administrative Judge Daniel W. Powell brought a list of concerns to Somerset County Commissioners during their meeting on Tuesday. These included maintenance needs such as ventilation, plumbing and rotting window panes.
Judge Powell gave an example of how the building's aging infrastructure has interfered with courthouse operations. He said a recent pipe burst damaged some records.
The current courthouse was commissioned by the Maryland General Assembly in 1904 and is believed to have been completed by 1905. Once considered state-of-the-art, the facility shows signs of over 100 years of wear.
"The present courthouse is the third courthouse in the town of Princess Anne since the division of Somerset County in 1742," Aaron Horner, the research assistant at Salisbury University's NAAB Center, said.
The original courthouse was located at the corner of Somerset Avenue and Broad Street, now Dr William P. Hytche Blvd.
"What's great about the history of this area ... is that many of the records have survived," Horner said. "Even though we had had the courthouse fire in 1831, we were fortunate enough to have court in a session that day, and so they were able to get pretty much all the records out of the courthouse."
At this time, the second Somerset County courthouse in Princess Anne was built a block away at Prince Williams Street. Horner said the county's justice system likely outgrew that facility, prompting the construction of today's courthouse in the same location.
"The courthouse is old, but it's a mainstay in Princess Anne," Somerset County Sheriff Ronnie Howard said. "Always has been, always will be, but we need, in my humble opinion, a modern courthouse."
Sheriff Howard echoed Judge Powell's concerns to Commissioners during Tuesday's meeting, including inadequate parking. Some more significant court cases can necessitate more than 100 jurors, which Sheriff Howard said the small lot behind the courthouse and surrounding street parking is not conducive to.
Some security concerns have also arisen from outdated elements of the building.
"The elevator that is used in the courthouse is used by both civilians and any prisoners," Sheriff Howard said. "There should be a separate elevator for both civilians and inmates."
Judge Powell asked commissioners to start thinking about the courthouse's future and said that failure to address these issues could jeopardize future court cases.
"It could possibly jeopardize a case," Sheriff Howard said. "Say if another pipe burst and you can't use the courthouse at all."
The Judge suggested constructing a new facility while preserving the historic courthouse at Tuesday's meeting. However, no plans are currently in place for such a project, and Somerset County commissioners have yet to respond to WBOC's request for comment.