Sheriff explains wait at drivers license office
Sheriff Ben Wolfinger responds to criticism re: long lines at driver's license department:
"Yes, I know that the lines are long I waited as well for my driver's license renewal. We have the same number of staff in Driver's License that we did 15 years ago. Turnover, sick days, vacations all add to lack of staff in the office. Additions to the staff have previously fallen off of the budget table over the past several years. This upcoming fiscal year, there is a tentative (budget not yet approved) remodel of the current Post Falls Motor Vehicle office and addition of two personnel for Driver's License. If approved, this will most likely allow us to open both offices four days a week - 10 hours a day sometime next spring. We had asked for four additional staff in order to open both offices five days a week, but will work with what we get. We have looked at other options like open Saturdays or one evening a week, but the Department of Transportation nixed those ideas. Unfortunately, we are only the vendor for the Transportation Department, we don't get to make the rules."
DFO: So, Ben, does this mean that Hucks Nation needs to turn up heat on commissioners to properly staff driver's license department?