Many of us knew there were alternative plans for the Ward Museum site. As listed in the Public Notice:

PUBLIC NOTICE 

NOTICE OF HEARING BEFORE THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF WICOMICO COUNTY, MARYLAND

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, in compliance with Chapter 22 of the Wicomico County Code and the Local Government Article, Section 10-312, of the Annotated Code of Maryland, that the County Council of Wicomico County, Maryland will hear public comments on the following proposed Resolution at their regular meeting in the County Council Chambers, Government Office Building in Salisbury, Maryland, on:

TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2024

Commencing at 10:00 a.m.

The County Council proposes to lease from the State of Maryland University System on behalf of its constituent institution, Salisbury University, property known as 909 S. Schumaker Drive, Salisbury, MD 21804; the former Ward Museum, consisting of two parcels, as shown on a plat titled “Ward Foundation Museum Boundary Survey” DWG No. 88-033, recorded among the Land Records of Wicomico County, Maryland in Plat Cabinet M.S.B. No. 9, Folio 37-147.

The property shall be used by Wicomico County for the use of the Wicomico County Public Library. The initial term of the lease shall be 10 years with the option to renew for two additional periods of 10 years each. The base rent for the initial term and each renewal period shall be $1.00 annually.

WICOMICO COUNTY, MARYLAND

A public hearing is essential, I am sure there will be much discussion between now and then.  

More importantly, this is our first notification of Salisbury University's intention to NEVER reopen the property as a Museum.  While there is a new University Museum in downtown Salisbury that can exhibit some artworks, the vast collection artwork owned by SU/State of Maryland will not fit there, and it is not the "Ward Museum."

Salisbury University MUST disclose its plans concerning the collection of art that has been stored and displayed at 909 South Schumaker Dr and will be displaced as part of this move in of the Wicomico Public Library.

Salisbury University MUST announce its closure of an accredited University program, the Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. University Ethics and Integrity obligations requires the University to communicate in a timely and accurate fashion substantive changes affecting institutional mission, goals, programs, operations, sites, and other material issues.  The closure of the Ward Museum, the loss of its accreditation, and the change of use of the site meets this standard.

Wicomico County has done us a favor for telling us what the University was too chicken to do since March of 2023 when they evicted the Ward Foundation: The Ward Museum at Schumaker Pond will not be reopened; it was eliminated as a University program.  

I know I am not alone in concerns about this proposed alternate use, please mark your calendar for the public hearing to express these concerns.