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Tulelake DMV office scheduled to close
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| Tulelake DMV office manager Sue Farthing believes the impending closure of her office is more bad news for the town. |
published Oct. 23, 2003
By LEE JUILLERAT
TULELAKE - Tulelake Basin people needing to take driver's license tests, register vehicles and handle other matters with the California Department of Motor Vehicles will soon have to drive more than an hour for those services.
The long-rumored closure of Tulelake's DMV office is set for Oct. 31.
"I think it's a done deal," said office manager Sue Farthing, who will lose her job. "There's not much we can do about it. It's going to have a big, big impact."
Protests are expected when California State Assemblyman Doug Lamalfa, whose 2nd District includes the Tulelake Basin, holds a town hall meeting today at the Honker Community Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
If the closure moves ahead as scheduled, Tulelake Basin people will have to drive to Alturas, a distance of about 75 miles, or Yreka or Mount Shasta, which are even longer drives that can require more difficult winter driving conditions.
"This is really going to hurt the community because we cover a big geographic area," Farthing said. She said the office serves people from Canby northward and such Butte Valley communities as Dorris and Macdoel.
In addition to greatly complicating matters for Tulelake-area people, Farthing believes the action will further harm the economically stressed region by taking business out of town.
People traveling to Alturas or Yreka, for example, might also have mandatory smog tests done in those cities, where people might also do other shopping.
"Irate," said Farthing of the reaction from townspeople as word of the pending closure has circulated. "Simple transactions that take five minutes to do will now mean that people will have to travel two hours."
Farthing predicts the closure will most affect senior citizens, who often have restricted licenses, young motorists taking first-time driving tests, and farmers. She said many farmers often have back-up vehicles that are not registered because they sit idle.
"There's going to be a lot of revenue lost," Farthing said. "I can't see where they (the state) are going to gain anything.
Farthing had no information on annual costs of operating the Tulelake office, or the income it receives, because those are handled through the regional DMV office in Redding. Those officials are in Sacramento and could not be contacted.
By LEE JUILLERAT
TULELAKE - Tulelake Basin people needing to take driver's license tests, register vehicles and handle other matters with the California Department of Motor Vehicles will soon have to drive more than an hour for those services.
The long-rumored closure of Tulelake's DMV office is set for Oct. 31.
"I think it's a done deal," said office manager Sue Farthing, who will lose her job. "There's not much we can do about it. It's going to have a big, big impact."
Protests are expected when California State Assemblyman Doug Lamalfa, whose 2nd District includes the Tulelake Basin, holds a town hall meeting today at the Honker Community Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
If the closure moves ahead as scheduled, Tulelake Basin people will have to drive to Alturas, a distance of about 75 miles, or Yreka or Mount Shasta, which are even longer drives that can require more difficult winter driving conditions.
"This is really going to hurt the community because we cover a big geographic area," Farthing said. She said the office serves people from Canby northward and such Butte Valley communities as Dorris and Macdoel.
In addition to greatly complicating matters for Tulelake-area people, Farthing believes the action will further harm the economically stressed region by taking business out of town.
People traveling to Alturas or Yreka, for example, might also have mandatory smog tests done in those cities, where people might also do other shopping.
"Irate," said Farthing of the reaction from townspeople as word of the pending closure has circulated. "Simple transactions that take five minutes to do will now mean that people will have to travel two hours."
Farthing predicts the closure will most affect senior citizens, who often have restricted licenses, young motorists taking first-time driving tests, and farmers. She said many farmers often have back-up vehicles that are not registered because they sit idle.
"There's going to be a lot of revenue lost," Farthing said. "I can't see where they (the state) are going to gain anything.
Farthing had no information on annual costs of operating the Tulelake office, or the income it receives, because those are handled through the regional DMV office in Redding. Those officials are in Sacramento and could not be contacted.
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