Department of General Services Tours Projects, Facilities, and Outreach Efforts on the Eastern Shore of Maryland

SALISBURY, MD – The Maryland Department of General Services this week participated in the Maryland Association of Counties 2021 Summer Conference in Ocean City, Maryland. While on the Eastern Shore, Secretary Ellington Churchill, Jr. and executive staff members visited the St. James A.M.E. Zion House in Salisbury, the Salisbury District Court and Multi-Service Center, the Department of Human Services’ new offices in Cambridge, the Showell Elementary Replacement School, and the Salisbury Animal Lab.

“With the MACo Conference this week, General Services is taking the opportunity to visit key projects and facilities on the Eastern Shore,” said Secretary Churchill. “General Services remains committed to working with organizations on the Eastern Shore like St. James A.M.E. Zion House and the Salisbury Animal Lab to provide the resources needed to serve Marylanders not only on the Eastern Shore, but across the state.”

General Services procured the new lease for the relocation of the Department of Human Services Cambridge Office. The relocation is significant because in addition to the rental savings, the new office is centrally located for convenient access by the agency’s clients. The landlord has also incorporated energy efficiency measures, and the space has been designed to accommodate the use of telework.

During the tour of the Salisbury District Court and Multi-Service Center, Secretary Churchill commended the General Services’ employees who operate and maintain the facility. The Facilities Management Division within General Services is responsible for the statewide operation and maintenance of 55 buildings with 6.2 million square feet of space. The Salisbury District Court is one of 20 District Courts and Multi-Service Centers under the authority of General Services.

The Secretary and other executive staff members of the Department of General Services also visited the St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, located in Salisbury. One of the church’s main challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic was the lack of access to technology for their veterans to conduct housing and job searches. Since 2013, the church has run a nonprofit program, Zion House, that provides supportive services for veteran families for homeless prevention, rapid re-housing, and mental and behavioral health. They serve an average of 70 veteran households annually. Their programs were greatly enhanced by the addition of 10 laptop computers provided by General Services’ Federal Surplus Property Division, allowing Zion House digital access for their clients.

Secretary Churchill toured the brand new Showell Elementary Replacement School. General Services’ Public Schools & Community Colleges Construction Program helped facilitate $8.6 million of this $40 million dollar construction project. The project expanded the new Showell Elementary School from 52,610 square feet to 102,409 square feet. The increase in square footage allowed the school to increase student enrollment from 533 students to 649 students, with the maximum capacity of 910 students.

Secretary Churchill and Secretary of Agriculture Joe Bartenfelder made a second visit to the ongoing construction site of the Salisbury Animal Lab. Both Secretaries participated in the February 3, 2020 groundbreaking. The project is currently scheduled for an October 2021 completion date. Once operational, the lab will replace the Department of Agriculture’s original lab with larger work areas, space for public meetings and training, two necropsy suites, a new incinerator, and a biosafety Level 3 laboratory for advanced diagnostic work.

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About DGS: The Department of General Services is responsible for essential services and programs administered on behalf of the state, including procuring goods and services; designing, building, leasing, managing and maintaining facilities; leading energy conservation efforts; administering the state’s Capital Grants Program; and providing essential services such as fuel management, disposition of surplus property and records management. The Department of General Services Maryland Capitol Police maintains safety and security at state buildings.