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Willcox MVD office set to close Feb. 12:
City looks at options to keep some services here
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The Willcox Motor Vehicle Division office is expected to close next Friday, however, Willcox leaders plan to work with the Arizona Department of Transportation to have some services available in the community.
Several options for that scenario were laid out in a Jan. 29 letter to Mayor Sam Lindsey from ADOT Director John S. Halikowski. However, the closure will still occur.
In the letter, Halikowski said, "The MVD office in Willcox will close at the end of business on (Friday), Feb. 12. Signs will be posted in the office on Feb. 1 to notify customers of the office closure."
Given the ongoing fiscal crisis facing Arizona, ADOT "continues to conduct a comprehensive review of the department's financial situation, mission critical functions, staffing levels and all facilities to determine closures," said Halikowski, adding that one outcome of that analysis includes closing the Willcox MVD office.
Willcox fought back after ADOT announced in November 2009 its intention to close the MVD offices in Willcox, Benson and Bisbee, as well as nine others across the state to balance the department's budget.
Halikowski offered three options to "continue to work with the community."
Option One - installing a Service Arizona kiosk in a secured location, preferably a government office.
"This will allow citizens to transact business online during the hours the office is open," said Halikowski, adding that "most common transactions are available online."
Option Two - establishing a third-party MVD operation in Willcox.
"If necessary, the community may choose to offer incentives to a third party for providing service given the low volume of transactions in the area."
Option Three - "The community could provide a no-cost location by covering all facility and operational expenses and MVD would staff an office to be open up to two days per week," Halikowski said.
McCourt recommended Monday night that council look at "a combination of two of the options," namely the kiosk system and staffing a space two days a week.
Since it was not a decision item on the agenda, Norris directed staff to "set a council meeting as soon as possible" to discuss the issue.
A special council meeting has been tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5 in council chambers, 300 W. Rex Allen Drive, McCourt told the Range News Tuesday morning.
In December, Willcox City Councilman Jimmy Norris began circulating a petition against the closure around town.
His petition said, "We are in a remote, rural area and with a large elder population, of many which are not computer literate and depend on the office for all their MVD needs," it continues.
"This will create a hardship on our community as a whole," Norris' petition stated.
"The closest office will be in Safford, which is 50 miles away, or Sierra Vista, which is 80 miles away. I hope with this petition, that state would please reconsider closing the Willcox office."
"We took over 470 names last Thursday to our state legislature in Phoenix," Vice Mayor Larry Schultz announced at the Jan. 19 council meeting.
"It has not been decided yet, and we still have a chance."
At the Dec. 21 meeting, Norris and his fellow council members had voted unanimously to send a letter to ADOT asking to reconsider its decision.
That letter began, "It was with some disappointment and dismay that we read in the local paper, the Arizona Range News," about the plans to close MVD offices throughout the state.
"We do recognize the difficult financial time that the State of Arizona is in, and we do recognize that services will have to be reduced to address the financial hole that state government has found itself in."
The Dec. 14 letter said that the city is facing similar problems, what with "shortfalls in income and the ever rising costs of operations."
"We also have to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions to remain financially solvent."
The council requested the opportunity to discuss "any proposals to keep the existing licensing office services available in Willcox."
"The closure of this office will have a very negative impact on the quality of life of the people in this area. This area is already lower income and economically stunted. Moving this closest office an hour or more away will only further lower the standard of living of the people and further inhibit the development and future of the area."
In his Jan. 29 letter to Lindsey, Halikowski said, "I understand and appreciate the concerns of the community, and I will certainly work with you and other community leaders to meet the needs of our citizens."
"Nevertheless, our budget issues are severe - continuing cuts to the department's budget and declining revenues will only exacerbate the situation and likely lead to additional MVD office closures."
According to a chart obtained from the ADOT website in November, it appeared that Willcox was one of three of the 12 Arizona communities that will suffer the greatest hardship in terms of distance from the nearest MVD office. The other two were St. Johns in Apache County and Ajo in Pima County.
Linda Ritter, ADOT public information officer, announced Monday that the St. Johns MVD office will remain open two days a week.
"Through a partnership with the City of St. Johns, the MVD customer service office in St. Johns will be open part-time, starting Feb. 16, to serve customers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays," Ritter said in her Feb. 1 statement.
"The office was initially proposed to close," she said.
As ADOT and the state "continue to confront these unprecedented fiscal challenges, I am committed to identifying solutions that we can sustain while still meeting the core needs of our communities," Halikowski said in his Jan. 29 letter to Lindsey.
"We will explore long-term opportunities to partner with the community to consolidate operations and provide government services."
"ADOT no longer has the personnel or financial resources to continue maintaining 61 MVD customer service offices throughout the state," he said.
"In addition to the loss of employees through attrition since the state's hiring freeze took effect in February 2008, more than 70 MVD customer service personnel were laid off last year as part of a plan to close the $100 million shortfall in ADOT's operating budget, due to declining revenues and fund transfers to address the state budget deficit," said Halikowski, adding, "As a result, MVD customer service staffing has been depleted by one-third."
"ADOT developed a plan to consolidate operations and the number of MVD customer services offices to provide more staffing available at remaining offices in each region to serve customers more efficiently and assure the security of customers and staff."
In November, ADOT MVD requested clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice to close 12 offices that offered voter registration services in conjunction with driver license applications.
That approval has now been granted, Halikowsi said.
The two full-time employees who staff each of the offices in Cochise County scheduled to close will be given the option to relocate to one of the nearby offices, ADOT Spokesman Doug Nintzel said in November.
Those who are unable or unwilling to work at other locations will be reimbursed for any unused leave time, he added.
Jan Kortsen, owner of Shotton Insurance, still intends to open a third-party office.
She told the Range News in December that would be "if and only if they close. I would love to see them stay open."
Kortsen, who bought the building she occupies in 2007, leases space to the MVD office.
"I would retain that location and provide title and registration services," she explained.
Kortsen said Tuesday that she hoped to open the third-party office as soon as the MVD closed, but didn't find out herself until she received notice on Monday, Feb. 1.
McCourt went to Kortsen's office Tuesday morning.
"We were trying to work on ways we could work together," she said, given the list of options presented by Halikowski.
McCourt invited Kortsen to the special council meeting on Friday, where "I want to talk about my intentions," she said.
"I want to do what works best for everybody."
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The Willcox Motor Vehicle Division office is expected to close next Friday, however, Willcox leaders plan to work with the Arizona Department of Transportation to have some services available in the community.
Several options for that scenario were laid out in a Jan. 29 letter to Mayor Sam Lindsey from ADOT Director John S. Halikowski. However, the closure will still occur.
In the letter, Halikowski said, "The MVD office in Willcox will close at the end of business on (Friday), Feb. 12. Signs will be posted in the office on Feb. 1 to notify customers of the office closure."
Given the ongoing fiscal crisis facing Arizona, ADOT "continues to conduct a comprehensive review of the department's financial situation, mission critical functions, staffing levels and all facilities to determine closures," said Halikowski, adding that one outcome of that analysis includes closing the Willcox MVD office.
Willcox fought back after ADOT announced in November 2009 its intention to close the MVD offices in Willcox, Benson and Bisbee, as well as nine others across the state to balance the department's budget.
Halikowski offered three options to "continue to work with the community."
"This will allow citizens to transact business online during the hours the office is open," said Halikowski, adding that "most common transactions are available online."
"If necessary, the community may choose to offer incentives to a third party for providing service given the low volume of transactions in the area."
McCourt recommended Monday night that council look at "a combination of two of the options," namely the kiosk system and staffing a space two days a week.
Since it was not a decision item on the agenda, Norris directed staff to "set a council meeting as soon as possible" to discuss the issue.
A special council meeting has been tentatively scheduled for 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5 in council chambers, 300 W. Rex Allen Drive, McCourt told the Range News Tuesday morning.
In December, Willcox City Councilman Jimmy Norris began circulating a petition against the closure around town.
His petition said, "We are in a remote, rural area and with a large elder population, of many which are not computer literate and depend on the office for all their MVD needs," it continues.
"This will create a hardship on our community as a whole," Norris' petition stated.
"The closest office will be in Safford, which is 50 miles away, or Sierra Vista, which is 80 miles away. I hope with this petition, that state would please reconsider closing the Willcox office."
"We took over 470 names last Thursday to our state legislature in Phoenix," Vice Mayor Larry Schultz announced at the Jan. 19 council meeting.
"It has not been decided yet, and we still have a chance."
At the Dec. 21 meeting, Norris and his fellow council members had voted unanimously to send a letter to ADOT asking to reconsider its decision.
That letter began, "It was with some disappointment and dismay that we read in the local paper, the Arizona Range News," about the plans to close MVD offices throughout the state.
"We do recognize the difficult financial time that the State of Arizona is in, and we do recognize that services will have to be reduced to address the financial hole that state government has found itself in."
The Dec. 14 letter said that the city is facing similar problems, what with "shortfalls in income and the ever rising costs of operations."
"We also have to make difficult and sometimes unpopular decisions to remain financially solvent."
The council requested the opportunity to discuss "any proposals to keep the existing licensing office services available in Willcox."
"The closure of this office will have a very negative impact on the quality of life of the people in this area. This area is already lower income and economically stunted. Moving this closest office an hour or more away will only further lower the standard of living of the people and further inhibit the development and future of the area."
In his Jan. 29 letter to Lindsey, Halikowski said, "I understand and appreciate the concerns of the community, and I will certainly work with you and other community leaders to meet the needs of our citizens."
"Nevertheless, our budget issues are severe - continuing cuts to the department's budget and declining revenues will only exacerbate the situation and likely lead to additional MVD office closures."
According to a chart obtained from the ADOT website in November, it appeared that Willcox was one of three of the 12 Arizona communities that will suffer the greatest hardship in terms of distance from the nearest MVD office. The other two were St. Johns in Apache County and Ajo in Pima County.
Linda Ritter, ADOT public information officer, announced Monday that the St. Johns MVD office will remain open two days a week.
"Through a partnership with the City of St. Johns, the MVD customer service office in St. Johns will be open part-time, starting Feb. 16, to serve customers on Tuesdays and Wednesdays," Ritter said in her Feb. 1 statement.
"The office was initially proposed to close," she said.
As ADOT and the state "continue to confront these unprecedented fiscal challenges, I am committed to identifying solutions that we can sustain while still meeting the core needs of our communities," Halikowski said in his Jan. 29 letter to Lindsey.
"We will explore long-term opportunities to partner with the community to consolidate operations and provide government services."
"ADOT no longer has the personnel or financial resources to continue maintaining 61 MVD customer service offices throughout the state," he said.
"In addition to the loss of employees through attrition since the state's hiring freeze took effect in February 2008, more than 70 MVD customer service personnel were laid off last year as part of a plan to close the $100 million shortfall in ADOT's operating budget, due to declining revenues and fund transfers to address the state budget deficit," said Halikowski, adding, "As a result, MVD customer service staffing has been depleted by one-third."
"ADOT developed a plan to consolidate operations and the number of MVD customer services offices to provide more staffing available at remaining offices in each region to serve customers more efficiently and assure the security of customers and staff."
In November, ADOT MVD requested clearance from the U.S. Department of Justice to close 12 offices that offered voter registration services in conjunction with driver license applications.
That approval has now been granted, Halikowsi said.
The two full-time employees who staff each of the offices in Cochise County scheduled to close will be given the option to relocate to one of the nearby offices, ADOT Spokesman Doug Nintzel said in November.
Those who are unable or unwilling to work at other locations will be reimbursed for any unused leave time, he added.
Jan Kortsen, owner of Shotton Insurance, still intends to open a third-party office.
She told the Range News in December that would be "if and only if they close. I would love to see them stay open."
Kortsen, who bought the building she occupies in 2007, leases space to the MVD office.
"I would retain that location and provide title and registration services," she explained.
Kortsen said Tuesday that she hoped to open the third-party office as soon as the MVD closed, but didn't find out herself until she received notice on Monday, Feb. 1.
McCourt went to Kortsen's office Tuesday morning.
"We were trying to work on ways we could work together," she said, given the list of options presented by Halikowski.
McCourt invited Kortsen to the special council meeting on Friday, where "I want to talk about my intentions," she said.
"I want to do what works best for everybody."
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