MARVIN MANDEL, Governor                            2573

this was denied by the College. The next best
alternative is to build a new building in close proximity
to the existing one. This would serve the three purposes
of (1) allowing the existing building to be used in
conjunction with the new one, (2) because of the
continued use of the existing building, allowing the new
building to be smaller and therefore less expensive than
if a complete new structure had to be built to house all
of the records, and (3) keeping the archives within
convenient proximity to the agencies most needing them.

The condition attached to the appropriation would
require the abandonment of the existing facility (which
would then revert to the College), since it would not be
administratively feasible to operate the existing
facility together with a building outside the State
Office Complex. This new building, as noted, would have
to be much larger and more expensive than is presently
planned or than is necessary. Although I appreciate the
concern over placing too many new buildings in the
Complex, I think that this condition is both unwise and
unnecessary.

(2)    With respect to Item (A)(1)(e), this
appropriates $72,500 for the design and renovation of the
Did Armory Building on Bladen Street in Annapolis. No
plans describing the proposed renovation have been
submitted for review by the Department of State Planning;
no particular use for the building has been agreed upon;
and the continued existence of the building is totally
inconsistent with the master plan for the Statehouse
area.

(3)    With respect to Item (A)(3)(e), this
appropriates $2,050,000 for the State's share of the cost
of constructing a District Court — Multiservice Center
Building in Centreville. This building is needed;
however, the General Assembly amended the appropriation
as submitted to require that the building be constructed
on a particular site in Centreville.

The selection of a suitable site for the building
has been a matter of considerable controversy in Queen
Anna's County, and the County Commissioners have
indicated their adamant objection to the site required by
the amendment to the appropriation. I have, in fact,
been informally advised that the Commissioners will not
presently approve the county share of the project if
required to accept this particular site. Under these
circumstances, the appropriation would be meaningless.

I intend to request the County Commissioners to
appoint a balanced site selection committee including
appropriate State officials to attempt to find an
agreeable site for the building. The appropriation can
then be resubmitted to the General Assembly.

(4)    With respect to Item (D)(3)(d), this