SALISBURY — The county district bar approved a resolution this week opposing moving county departments out of downtown Salisbury.
Moving county and state offices associated with the judicial system to the Salisbury Mall, the resolution said, “would create unnecessary burdens and negatively impact citizens’ rights for access to an effective and efficient judicial system.”
In a press release, attorney Richard Reamer, secretary and treasurer for the 19-C Judicial District Bar, said the resolution passed without a single nay vote, although a number of attorneys abstained from voting. Those included members of the judiciary and County Attorney Jay Dees.
The local bar association has about 150 members, the release said.
Rowan County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jim Sides told court staff during a meeting this week that moving the county courthouse to the mall was “definitely a possibility,” the resolution said.
County officials have remained mum on talks of moving the courthouse, but have openly talked about intentions to move the sheriff’s office, register of deeds, tax administration and board of elections departments to the Salisbury Mall.
When asked two weeks ago about moving the county courthouse, Vice Chairman Craig Pierce said there wasn’t a master plan.
“I can’t say, ‘No’ and I can’t say, ‘Yes.’ We haven’t developed a master plan that we want to do at this time,” Pierce said. “There’s so many options that we can do with the mall that it would be foolish for me to sit here and put a guideline out that as time comes forward may never come to fruition.”
County officials are expected to finalize a deal for the mall on Dec. 2.
Contact reporter Nathan Hardin at 704-797-4246.