By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

The County Board of Commissioners, on Feb. 9, approved the hiring of a license center specialist for the County Motor Vehicle Department.

There are currently five counter employees. One person handles driver’s licenses and four employees handle motor vehicle transactions and fill in for driver’s license work when needed.

A supervisor fills in to cover lunches and breaks.

“It has been tough in recent months due to COVID-19, long lines of county residents needing services, computer snags that took place at the state level which our county employees had no control over, and stress and strain on our county employees,” said County Board Chairman Lee Rogness who said the new hire is indeed warranted.

The County Motor Vehicle Department has an expected retirement in 2022. By filling this position now, the department is able to train the new employee well in advance and also cross train the driver’s license staff member.

Assistance to the department has come from the county treasurer’s office and county human services office when motor vehicle employees are on vacation and when there are illnesses.

The motion to hire the new employee for the County Motor Vehicle Department passed unanimously by the five-person county board of commissioners.