The Iowa D-O-T is closing driver’s license stations in Carroll and Spencer on August 31. The closures in Spencer and Carroll are part of an overall downsizing plan. State Representative Brian Best, a Republican, is from Carroll.
Representative Best hopes some workers might shift to the county treasurer’s office, where some Carroll County residents will now go to renew their driver’s license. The department announced the closings Tuesday, saying that 67 positions will be permanently removed. The D-O-T will close seven maintenance garages, too. Those facilities are located in Akron, Centerville, Corning, Gowrie, Rock Valley, Sabula and Soldier. The 28 employees who work out of the soon-to-close D-O-T facilities will be given a chance to work in other D-O-T offices with “higher service demands.” This downsizing follows a budget fight in the legislature. Republicans in the House were skeptical of the D-O-T’s request for nearly 10 million dollars extra to cover negotiated union salary increases and would agree to only provide half that much. House Speaker Linda Upmeyer explained in late April.
D-O-T officials say the extra tax revenue from last year’s increase in the state fuel tax must be used on roads and bridges and cannot be used to cover salaries. Republican Governor Terry Branstad talked with reporters about the budget conflict in April.
In mid-May, the D-O-T’s director announced he would hire more private consultants rather than full-time state employees, to save on salary costs. D-O-T officials announced this week that nearly 70 full-time positions in the department will remain vacant for the next 12 months as well. Assistant News Director, Nathan Konz, is conducting interviews at this time and will bring you a local report in an upcoming broadcast this afternoon.
