Fight to keep Evans DMV office
First, the bad news: Unless something is done to break the logjam between Columbia County government and the state Department of Motor Vehicle Safety, the Evans DMV office will close in March.
The good news? Something is being done.
A little background: A couple of months ago, county officials began worrying about a lack of parking at the rear of the Government Complex as the new Building C prepared to open. The tax commissioner's office moved in from Appling, and county information technology and finance offices also share the building. Parking is at a premium, and the 2005 scheduled opening of the new main library, amphitheater and memorial park will only add to the crunch.
Meanwhile, the DMV office has grown from serving 50 customers each day to more than 150, becoming the area's busiest driver's license bureau - busier, even, than Augusta's, as many westside residents come to Evans rather than trek to south Augusta for a license application.
Those changes meant not only that the state DMV was cramped in its 900-square-foot space, provided at no charge by Columbia County, but that the crush of DMV customers squeezed out motorists with county business.
The solution? County officials found a bigger office around the corner, with nearly1,500 square feet of space. County taxpayers would continue to pay the rent, and would even pick up the tab for moving the DMV office.
No way, say state officials. Still too small, says DMV Commissioner James Davis in letters rejecting the county's offer. We'll close instead, he adds.
Astounding: The DMV hadn't been complaining about being cramped; yet when the county offers to pay for a move and provide 40 percent more room, the freeloading DMV says it's not enough!
Can you say "ingrates"?
State Sen. Joey Brush can. "The governor's office was pretty shocked when I told them about what was going on," he says. "Columbia County's offering to pay all this stuff - why are they threatening to close it down?"
Simple: It's the oldest bureaucrat trick in the book. We'll make unreasonable demands, and when you don't give us what we want, we'll cut services in the most painful way possible - and then blame it all on the politicians.
In this case it won't work, because local lawmakers, in a unified front with county officials, are expecting strong support from the governor in settling the dispute. With county taxpayers footing the bill, state pencil-pushers can't credibly claim that a tight state budget is preventing the move, either.
Want to help? Call your lawmakers and give your support for keeping the Evans DMV office open.
Meanwhile, how about if those lawmakers force the DMV to cough up, say, $1 per driver's license to pay back their host communities? In Columbia County, that would provide enough money to more than cover the $1,300 per month rent at the proposed new office - and take the freeloaders off county taxpayers' backs.
Contact your local lawmakers
State. Sen. Don Cheeks, R-Augusta
121-D State Capitol
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 656-0045
dcheeks@legis.state.ga.us
State Sen. Joey Brush, R-Appling
319-A Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 657-0406
jbrush@legis.state.ga.us
State. Rep. Ben Harbin, R-Evans
612 Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 656-0325
bharbin@legis.state.ga.us
State Rep. Barry Fleming, R-Harlem
612 Legislative Office Building
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 656-0325
bfleming@legis.state.ga.us
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