More help approved for DMV

Monday, May 19, 2003 | 9:25 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Some relief could be on the way for weary motorists in Clark County who are tired of waiting in long lines to register their cars or to obtain driver's licenses.

The Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees have reached an agreement to provide extra staff for two of the county's four Department of Motor Vehicles offices.

The department also has been given authority to launch an experimental program setting up kiosks in the Clark County offices to allow people with cash or a credit card to conduct their business electronically instead of waiting in line.

The two committees agreed Friday to authorize 129 new employees for the department, or 50 fewer than recommended by Gov. Kenny Guinn.

Under the agreement, the Carey Avenue office in North Las Vegas will receive 31 staffers, and the East Sahara Avenue office will receive an additional 19 employees.

This will provide 100 percent staffing at every window in the two offices, instead of some of them being vacant while breaks or lunch hours are being taken.

Ginny Lewis, director of the department, identified the two offices as having the biggest problem in taking care of customers.

The agreement means the extra money will be in the final state appropriations act that, when passed by the Legislature, becomes effective July 1.

The two committees agreed to put money in reserve to permit hiring of 31 new workers for the West Flamingo Road office and 25 for the Henderson office if a need is shown during the interim. The department will have to approach the Legislative Interim Finance Committee to gain approval for employing those workers.

Legislators say one of the biggest complaints from the public is the long wait at the motor vehicle agency offices.

Lewis said the average wait now in the Clark County offices is 73 minutes but conceded it can be as long as two to three hours.

The department has authority to install a kiosk at the Carey office because that is the location where the most cash transactions are made. The kiosk would accommodate both English and Spanish.

If that one is successful, the department would put kiosks in the three other major metropolitan offices in Clark County.

The two committees agreed that money would be kept in reserve to hire more employees for the major office in Reno. But business there takes an average of less than one hour.

The Senate and Assembly also decided to eliminate 11 positions scheduled for the Carson City office that were to start Saturday service. It also cut seven proposed workers who would act as trainers for department officials.

The Senate committee initially wanted to allow the hiring of employees for all Clark County offices but agreed with the Assembly to hold in reserve the money for two offices to see how effective the kiosks were before allowing additional staff.