Fairgrounds may host license facility at some point
The abrupt closure of the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) driver’s licensing facility in Aurora as of Sept. 4 has left county officials frustrated and local drivers having to travel out of the county to get their licenses renewed. But now it appears a plan is being worked out to move the testing facility to the Hamilton County Fairgrounds where it will resume its regular every Tuesday schedule.
The problem began several months ago when the county commission worked out an arrangement with DMV officials to move the licensing facility previously located in a large room on the west side of the first floor of the courthouse down the hall to the office occupied by county veterans service director Mike Irons. (Irons is not in the office on Tuesdays.)
The reason for the move was for County Attorney Douglas Dexter and his staff to move from his current rented office across the street into that space temporarily, while new quarters are being constructed for the county Extension Service. Once the Extension Service moves out, Dexter plans to move into their current offices which are also on the first floor. In March commissioners discussed allowing the DMV to use the second floor room where they meet on Mondays, but it was said to be too small and moving the facility off site away from the courthouse was deemed to be impractical because drivers would still need to come to the County Treasurer’s office to pay their fees.
After discussions, DMV officials approved the move, arranged for a new internet connection for the new office and moved in earlier this summer. However, by the end of July District 3 Supervisor for the Nebraska DMV, Janie Johannes was telling the commission the new space “definitely is not working for us.”
“It is just absolutely not working,” Johannes said, noting that the office was serving 35 to 40 people each week with many of them driving in from Grand Island because it is more convenient that using the facilities in Hall County.
At the time commission chairman Rich Nelson expressed his frustrations with the state over the situation, and speaking last week he said those frustrations continue.
“They had seen the room that we were suggesting that they use, and they approved that room and thought it would work,” Nelson said. “But due to the number of people coming over to Hamilton County at the request of Grand Island DMV – or that’s our understanding; that’s what we were told – they were having a tough time handling the number of people coming into the DMV in Aurora and so they were requesting more space. They wanted the their old space back. They felt that no one was using it, however, Doug (Dexter) was moving into that office, and we needed time to get that set up... When they closed it, we really didn’t have any notice of that whatsoever.”
DMV officials sent the county a notice to be posted on the courthouse doors stating that the office would be closed as of Sept. 4 and until further notice. It advised drivers to travel to the DMV facility in York which it said would be open additional hours on Tuesdays (8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) during the Hamilton County closure. In addition, the state DMV website listed the Aurora office as temporarily closed, stating that reasons for the closure might include “inclement weather, staff shortages, or other unforeseen complications.”
“I guess the only thing that really frustrated me was part of the reason the room we had suggested and they had approved wasn’t working out was because they were referring Grand Island, Hall County, people to Hamilton County,” Nelson said. “Because the DMV did not require appointments in Hamilton County, they were sending a lot. There were some pretty high estimates as to the number of Hall County people that were coming into Hamilton County on Tuesdays.”
Nelson said he most feels sorry for Hamilton County residents who have to travel at least 20 miles now to get their licenses renewed.
“I really do feel bad that our folks have to go to a new surrounding county for their DMV services,” Nelson said. “That was not our intent. It never was our intent, but the DMV notifies us that they’re closing the office and there’s not much we can do about it.
Calls and messages from the News-Register in an effort to obtain comment from Johannes or her boss, Nebraska DMV Director Rhonda Lahm, have not been returned. An administrative assistant for Lahm did say, however, that Nebraska drivers can renew their licenses twice online before having to come into a physical office and have their photo retaken.
A possible solution
A temporary solution to the situation may be in the works, however. Hamilton County Ag Society President Justin Hermanson said last week that the county had approached the organization about the possibility of allowing the DMV to use the 4-H building on the northeast side of the fairgrounds on Tuesdays for the time being.
“We said we would be open to that, and more or less, it was kind of left with the county to come up with a formal arrangement, some sort of agreement that we could review,” Hermanson said.
He said the society wanted to make sure that the expectations for both sides were clear and understood regarding what needed to be provided and other specifics of the rental.
Hermanson noted that, as with the move down the hall at the courthouse, the DMV would need to arrange for its special internet service to be installed at the building. He said some of the DMV’s equipment would also be locked in a rolling cabinet in the building between Tuesdays. He said he had not had any contact himself with state officials but believes the DMV to be open to the plan. He also said he has no idea how soon such an arrangement might come to pass.
Nelson said once the new Extension offices are constructed at the fairgrounds (see the County Commission story elsewhere in this edition of ANR), and the county attorney’s office moves into their space in the courthouse, the plan is to allow the DMV to move back to its former location on the first floor of the courthouse. He said when that happens, the commission would also use that space for its meetings on Mondays as it did during the COVID pandemic when social distancing was called for. Nelson said public attendance at recent commission meetings indicates the commissioners need more space for their meetings also.