The Honorable Marvin S. Kaminetz, left and

above with St. Mary’s Commission  President

Tommy McKay.   The Bay Net photos by Sean Rice
           

St. Mary’s Board of Commissioners became the legitimate owners of the Circuit Courthouse in Downtown Leonardtown last week.

The five-man Board had a brief ceremony where the three circuit court judges officially handed over the deed to the commissioners, ending 275 years of ambiguity.

For 50 years prior to the establishment of the county board government style in 1782, the county justices at the courthouse acted as the judicial and executive overseers of the county, explained County Attorney John Norris.

Due to human error somewhere down the line, the ownership of the county courthouse property stayed with the county justices.

Though ownership was never transferred to the county commissioners, the board has spent millions improving the courthouse through the years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Honorable C. Clarke Raley, and the Honorable Karen H. Abrams, during the

 ceremony Tuesday, below the St. Mary’s Board of Commissioners.