A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..
A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.
WESTERLY — Members of the town's state legislative delegation say a mobile unit should go a long way toward filling the void left by the departure of the once-per-week Division of Motor Vehicles office in Town Hall.
A malfunctioning elevator in Town Hall followed by social distancing protocols brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic saw the DMV stop offering services in Town Hall in March 2020. The division had offered office hours on Fridays since 2012.
State Rep. Sam Azzinaro, D-Westerly, took up the cause of resuming a DMV presence in the town following the 2020 departure, just as he had following the permanent closure of a full-service DMV office on Franklin Street in late 2008 as the state looked to shave its budget. Those efforts led to a state law that requires the DMV to have a presence in the town and to the Town Hall arrangement.
"I spoke to the Speaker (Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi), I bumped into the governor and asked him about it, and I talked to Walter R. Craddock (DMV administrator), and I kept on asking," Azzinaro said.
State Rep. Brian Patrick Kennedy, D-Westerly, and state Sen. Dennis Algiere, R-Westerly, also pushed hard for the return of a DMV presence in the town. During interviews on Wednesday, the three said they were pleased that the 2022-23 state budget includes $750,000 for a mobile unit that will serve Warren three days per week and Westerly once per week. Warren's previous DMV outlet also fell victim to the pandemic.
A mobile unit should make life easier for residents of the region, Kennedy said.
"This service will provide a portable unit that can be located where needed. It will offer all the services of a full service branch. People seeking a Real ID, to register a vehicle, or other services will be able to do so in Westerly, and it will make the town an accessible location once again for weekly DMV services," Kennedy said.
Having a mobile unit will also relieve the state of the potential need to pay rent for a weekly space, Kennedy said.
"Local residents have been asking for a return of DMV services to Westerly, and we're happy that this mobile unit was included in the state budget," Kennedy said.
Algiere said he helped pave the way for funding the mobile unit and bringing it to Westerly through discussions with Dominick J. Ruggerio, president of the state Senate.
"Many DMV transactions can be completed via computers, however some people want to visit in-person. This should make it easier for them so they don't have to spend a lot of time getting to an office," Algiere said.
Azzinaro estimated it will take several months for the DMV to follow the state bid process, purchase a vehicle, and prepare it for the DMV's needs. It is not yet clear where in the town the unit will be stationed, he said.
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