Prince Frederick, MD – A controversial plan to build a county government office building on a parcel that is envisioned as a location for commercial development was the focus of remarks delivered at the Tuesday, May 8 meeting of the Calvert County Commissioners. Commissioners’ President Evan K. Slaughenhoupt Jr. [R – District 3] was responding to a recent letter to the editor in which several statements were made critical of the majority of county commissioners’ decision to have the proposed structure located at Armory Square, a parcel where a landmark school building once stood. The tract is being developed commercially by a local company called Bargo
Slaughenhoupt noted that the Maryland General Assembly recently granted the commissioners bonding authority—with the governor signing the measure—to begin planning the construction of the huge building. The county leaders’ aim is to move local government offices out of the county courthouse, the three-story County Services Plaza and several leased offices to a new structure at Armory Square.

Slaughenhoupt addressed two “assertions” he stated were made in the citizen’s letter. As to the proposal to expand the County Services Plaza on Main Street and build a second building on the same site, the board president stated, “[county government] staff performed due diligence analyzing this parcel as an option for the new building. However, this parcel is not conducive to meeting the parking requirements or the stormwater management requirement. Logistically, there’s no room to build on this site without taking up a large part of existing parking area for construction. Relocation of employees during construction and costs associated with leasing additional commercial and parking space for employees while maintaining services would be costly.”

The other “assertion” Slaughenhoupt cited was that county officials were locating the government office building at Armory Square in order to “drive pedestrian traffic to the Bargo development. County government would be the anchor and with approximately 1,000 employees it will stimulate business growth.” The letter writer also stated the public has not been given a change to weigh in on the plan. Slaughenhoupt stated that “supporting a landowner” was not a factor in the location decision and “it is important to note that the parcel is owned by the county. The new proposed county administration building is a concept. County staff are developing conceptual drawings and exploring funding options, which is what Governor Larry Hogan gave the county when the bonding authority bill was signed into law. The public will receive a presentation in the near future. That presentation will outline plans, cost and due diligence performed.”

Other points Slaughenhoupt made in his statement were that Calvert’s government employees “are currently scattered in 11 facilities, making it difficult to access services. The combined with the dire need for court space to meet the judiciary needs and provide adequate space for the sheriff’s office is the driving force to consolidate county government offices.” The board president added that the county leaders have delayed the project several times in order to prioritize other needs such as schools, public safety and infrastructure.

Slaughenhoupt affirmed that the government office space currently being leased on Main Street “costs taxpayers $356,580 annually and increases 3 percent each year. When you calculate the cost of leasing versus building a centralized complex, the decision to build justifies itself.”

A group opposed to the plan to build a government office building at Armory Square—Keep Calvert Country—has produced a video presenting their arguments about county government strategy. The opposition group described the proposed building as 12,000 square feet and, “very expensive and unnecessary.” Keep Calvert Country officials have stated the county’s plan was “not consistent” with the Prince Frederick Town Center Master Plan and the Calvert County Comprehensive Plan. Relocating hundreds of county government workers to Armory Square, Keep Calvert Country stated, would halt efforts to bring “Old Town Prince Frederick back to life.” The group’s presentation also affirms that the current government office buildings “are less than a five minute walk from each other” and there is plenty of county-owned land in Old Town Prince Frederick.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com