County scuttles master plan, sells court buildings

If you blinked, you would have missed it.

In the bat on an eye, the county commissioners reversed their plans to conduct a master plan on the old Plymouth District Courthouse and Registry of Deeds building in downtown Plymouth, dissolved the Courthouse Reuse Committee, and decided to sell the Registry building to the highest bidder.

As to the fate of the courthouse, the "piece of Americana," as Commissioner John Riordan of Marshfield called it, Riordan wants the town of Plymouth to buy it.

"To preserve the courthouse, it has to be owned by a government entity," Riordan said. "The best candidate is Plymouth. We need to work with them toward advantageous terms."

Riordan had originally voted with Commissioner Tim McMullen to give the Reuse Committee until the first week of December to find a funding source and a planner to perform a master plan on both buildings, and wait until then to make a decision whether to sell the buildings or go ahead with the study, but Riordan said he simply changed his mind.

"I know a lot of hard work has been done by the Reuse Committee, but I think we should sell the Registry right now," Riordan said.

McMullen was not happy about Riordan's switch.

"The Reuse Committee has been working very hard," said McMullen, who serves on the committee. "I can still see the merits of a master plan for both buildings, and we have until the first week of December to complete our research."

He asked the other commissioners to postpone any decisions until they hear from the committee, but both felt they needed to act now.

Not so fast, said Selectman Ken Tavares, who attended the commission's meeting Tuesday.

Tavares has voiced the town's desire to ensure the courthouse goes to a buyer that will maintain the building's beautiful facade and the second floor courtroom, but hesitated when Riordan said he wanted Plymouth to buy it.

"The town is interested in saving the courthouse," he told Riordan. "We're interested from the front door of the courthouse to the back door of the old police station. But the town has a lot to consider," he said.

There has been no vote taken by the selectmen or Town Meeting regarding purchasing the courthouse. Town Meeting would have to approve a purchase. The town also has to find a way to purchase the parcel. Selectmen Chairman Dicky Quintal has said there is no way the town can afford the courthouse. Community Preservation Funds could be used, but the price depends on for how much the courthouse is appraised.

Riordan said he'd like to sell the courthouse for the appraised value, but Tavares said a deal will probably have to be made for less. That has not been completed as of early this week.

"That building needs a lot of work," Tavares said.