The state says the Bureau of Motor Vehicles license office could close by June 30, 2012.
When contacted by phone Tuesday, Ohio Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Lindsey Bohrer said this is one of three or four BMVs the state is looking to close.
“Their transactions are a little lower than what was expected,” she said. “We’re in the process of evaluating some under-performing deputy registrars and this was one of them.”
She said the office had 37,726 transactions in 2010 and that the state saves approximately $100,000 closing an office.
“I have no idea why they’d want to do it,” said Mike Heitzman, standing outside his business, L&M Automotive behind the title bureau Tuesday.
He believes the bureau brings in people from Springfield, Fairborn and Huber Heights because the service is friendly and efficient.
“It’s the only one you can go in and out, and you don’t have to bring your lunch,” he said.
The state contracts with a local deputy registrar to operate the license bureau. The adjoining title office is operated by Clark County Clerk of Courts Ron Vincent, though he said he’d have to shut down without the BMV.
Vincent said his side of the office handled nearly 30,000 transactions last year and roughly 53,000 the year before. Vincent said the title office pays $1,000 a month in rent for the office and employs 2 people. The BMV employs another four to five.
Vincent said the fees the office collects covers the workers’ salaries. But he doesn’t know if they cover the cost of rent.
“That wasn’t the intent when we went out there,” he said. “The intent was to provide some services and get things build up in the New Carlisle area.”
This is one of three BMV offices in Clark County. The others are in Springfield at 1221 Sunset Ave. and 1109 North Bechtle Ave.
This is déjà vu to some. The state closed New Carlisle’s BMV as part of a state-wide cost-savings under Gov. Dick Celeste in 1989 and re-opened in 1995 because of heavy volume at the Bechtle office, according to Springfield News-Sun archives.
If the New Carlisle office closes, the nearest will be in Huber Heights, Springfield and Urbana.
“Most people in New Carlisle I don’t think would relish the thought of driving 20 miles to Springfield and 20 miles back for license services,” New Carlisle Vice Mayor Barry Kilburn said, noting it was especially a burden for older folks.
“I know the state’s trying to save money where it can, but I think that’s the wrong way to do it,” he said. “I just think it’s important to do whatever we can to keep it there.”
Staff Writer Tiffany Y. Latta contributed to this report.
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