DMV - safe for now!

Parish President Gordon Burgess said Monday night February 8 that efforts initiated by Senator Ben Nevers and Representative John Bel Edwards to save the Amite driver's license bureau from closure may have been successful, for now.
Burgess told parish council members that Amite lawmakers have successfully lobbied Louisiana State Police Col. Mike Edmonson to stop a proposed March 1 closure of the office on Mulberry Street near the Amite courthouse. "Senator Never's met with state officials in Baton Rouge to inquire why local officials were not consulted before the decision was made to close the office," Burgess said. "A similar situation is brewing in St. Tammany Parish where state officials have targeted closing the Mandeville DMV office and flushing all traffic to the Slidell branch," Burgess explained.
Burgess said the closures, which were designed as part of the state's mid-year budget cut options, could be postponed at least through the end of the June 30 fiscal year. "There is a meeting scheduled for March 17, where officials will be discussing the closures of several DMV offices," Burgess told council members. "We plan on being there asking officials to keep the Amite office open," Burgess said.
While that may not cure the situation, Burgess said northshore lawmakers will be busy lobbying to keep these offices open and available for their constituents.