AN OPEN LETTER
TO ANNIE RABBITT FROM MRS. LO: PLEASE DON’T
CLOSE THE NEWBURGH DMV! For those of you
not up to speed, there are currently 3 DMV offices in Orange County: Port Jervis, Middletown, and Newburgh. The Goshen DMV closed in 2010. The DMV Commissioner, Annie Rabbitt has
recommended that: “(w)e should merge the
three Departments of Motor Vehicle offices into one location, preferably the
Middletown location while discussion of the Government Center continues.” In other words, create a Mega-DMV for Orange
County.
I have an idea: why not build the mega-DMV in Newburgh and
make that the Central Office? And just
leave the other offices open for now.
The disruption to the City of Newburgh would be a kick in the teeth. Why should Goshen get the mega DMV, why not
Newburgh? Given the choice, I for one
will not be going to Middletown, I will be going to the Beacon DMV, as will
many people in this part of the County, and taking our money right out of Orange
County and into Dutchess County.
The problem is that so many people
in Newburgh will be disenfranchised by the closing of the DMV here. Here is how the number of transaction stack
up, according to the DMV’s most recent report:
Year
|
Goshen
|
Newburgh
|
Middletown
|
Port Jervis
|
2010
|
414 / day
|
304 / day
|
295 / day
|
100 / day
|
2011
|
394 / day *
|
361 / day
|
364 / day
|
101 / day
|
2012
|
|
390 / day
|
508 / day
|
120 / day
|
2013
|
|
354 / day
|
484 / day
|
117 / day
|
2014
|
|
356/day
|
506/day
|
154/day
|
So, when all
four offices were open back in 2010, Goshen did the most transactions (414),
followed by Newburgh (304), followed by Middletown (295), then Port Jervis (100). With the closing of Goshen, transactions in
Middletown AND Newburgh increased, as well as Port Jervis.
Why is Newburgh being targeted? Here is what is proposed for the new
Middletown Super-Office, which is absolutely something that can be built right
here in Newburgh:
“Middletown has
ten window stations and with the merge we can keep every window open and
operating all day without disruption of service. We presently do not have that
capability. The DMV would do early
morning, evening and Saturday hours with staggered work shifts … We could add
four windows just for licenses and renewals, two enforcement windows and two
dealership windows. An information window and the two permit windows can remain
open all day.”
Wow, sounds this new proposed Mega-DMV that is 50 miles away
round-trip will be a great way to spend the day (NOT).
The people on this end of the county
are going to fall into two categories:
those who are not able to afford a 50-mile round trip car ride to
Middletown and cannot give up half a day of work, and who will be completely
disenfranchised. And those of us who can
afford it but will choose to go to Beacon instead, or do everything possible online.
Either way, it’s a lose/ lose for
Newburgh and this part of the county.
The Newburgh office is always busy, and we do not need to run the DMV
like it’s a for-profit business.
The DMV in Newburgh is vital to our
economy and our way of life. Sure, it a
pain to wait on line there but that’s because the office is so busy, why close
it? Where will the employees go? Are they going to be fired or do they have to
go to the Mega-DMV proposed for Middletown?
Newburgh is hungry for new
businesses and I’m sure the County could get its pick of office buildings. Or, they could possible expand the current
Newburgh DMV, there is a vacant lot next door.
We already have a very active County Office on Ann Street/ Broadway (the
old Armory building) with Orange County probation, District Attorney and other
offices in there. We have a robust City
Hall building across from the DMV and an active City Courthouse. We once had a County Court building
here. Why not have the Orange County DMV
Mega-Office as well? I think it’s a
great idea, who’s with me?
I signed a change.org petition put
forth by Assemblyman Skartados, asking that the Commissioner reconsider and NOT
close the Newburgh DMV. I will go one
step further, and ask that, instead of building a new Mega-DMV in Goshen, build
it in Newburgh!
Here is the Petition, please
consider signing it, thanks everyone, and have a GREAT day! <3 Mrs. Lo https://www.change.org/p/orange-county-clerk-annie-rabbit-don-t-close-the-newburgh-dmv?recruiter=76830306&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive (photo from the Team Mom Mobile, driving up Broadway in Newburgh)