Photo: Mark Lowe and Melissa Spiegel (both on the right side of the photo) discuss the Carroll licensing station closure with Carroll County Supervisors, Gene Meiners (left) and Dean Schettler (middle)
Mark Lowe, Director of the Motor Vehicle Division, and Melissa Spiegel, Director of the Office of Driver Services for the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) addressed a full meeting room this morning (Monday) at the Carroll County Board of Supervisors meeting. The topic of discussion was what is to happen with licensing services since the abrupt announcement on July 12 that the Carroll driver’s license station will no longer offer any services as of Sept. 1. The proposal before the county right now is to offer these services through the Carroll County Treasurer’s office. Supervisors, guests at the meeting and Iowa House Representative Brian Best requested an extension on the closure date be made to DOT Director, Paul Trombino.
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Lowe said that since the legislature only allocated less than half of the requested $9.7 million for the new fiscal year which began July 1, they have had to cut 67 full-time positions within their organization in addition to the closure of the licensing stations in Carroll and Spencer and seven maintenance garages (Sabula, Akron, Soldier, Corning, Gowrie, Rock Valley and Centerville). And though Lowe said he would take the request for an extension to Trombino, he does not believe there is a chance that it will be granted as they need to take care of the six employees that will be impacted by the Carroll office closure and the other locations that have been working short-staffed.
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Lowe explained that the next step for the county is to seek legislative approval to have the treasurer’s office issue licenses. Best said he thinks the odds of an extension are at best 50/50, but he will be meeting with the director again in the next week on this and it will be a high priority for legislators.
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The issuance of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) in Carroll County is substantial, with a recorded average of approximately 1,200 per year. Community leaders and elected officials are all concerned about losing the testing for those types of licenses. Lowe said each location can provide the knowledge testing, the obstacle becomes where the vehicle walk-around, the basic maneuvers testing and the actual road testing takes place. The DOT has been in contact with community colleges to offer these services on their own fee structure, which will create more access points.
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Carroll County Treasurer, Jean Seidl, has already contacted the Carroll DMACC campus and provost, Joel Lundstrom, has indicated that they will be shooting for a starting date of Oct. 1, with a cost estimate that would be between $100 and $200 for the testing. There could still be a gap, however, in being able to get the CDL issued in Carroll as the delays in legislative approval and training could mean it will be February of 2017 before licenses can be issued by the treasurer’s office. Until there is a service option provided for Carroll County residents, they will be able to travel to adjacent counties for licensure services and to other Iowa DOT testing stations for CDL licensures without the extra expense.