MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the county and clerk’s office continues to point fingers at each other for the tag backups this summer, the clerk’s office now says they’re putting their foot down.
In a Tuesday afternoon press conference, county clerk Wanda Halbert said her staff packed up 22,000 plates just last week.
She said that they’re seeking to separate from the county mail services altogether for a handful of reasons.
“We don’t, we’ll take the licks, but not for someone else’s decisions,” Halbert said.
For the last two months, the Shelby County Commission and county clerk’s offices have gone back and forth about who takes responsibility for the backlog of tags.
Last week, Halbert said there were about 8,000 they still had to work through.
“We just passed a holiday weekend where a host of families were on trips. They wanted to go out of town, visit family members, loved ones, and they had to cram in at the last minute to try to get a replacement license plate because Shelby County government, not the county clerk’s office, stopped performing the mail services until they received additional moneys,” she said.
She said after reports of people passing out while standing in line for hours, they’ll allow 30 people in line, and then everyone after that will take a number.
“It’s going to be cut off at a certain place, and then we’ll call in the customers. Doesn’t matter if you want to go home, sit in your car, go exercise, go to lunch, we’ll give you a 30, 40-minute call in advance,” she said.
She said this would not only keep people from waiting out in the hot weather but would also ensure fewer people inside the buildings at one time.
Halbert says the two-week stretch from back in May, where no plates were mailed out, is because the county stopped mail services. For that reason, she said people who paid online should get their $5 service fee back.
“As a result of this unforeseen situation, it is only fair. It is only right that Shelby County returns the $5 fee that online customers paid back to them. But we did not provide the service properly regardless,” she said.
Halbert said the problems have gotten to the point where state agencies are beginning to notice, including the Auto Dealers Association.
“I am begging the State of Tennessee to come in because I think they need to have a look at this. I will join the Auto Dealers Association to ask the state, the governor to come in. Why do you think it’s gotten to that point that you’re willing to see it after four years? You all have seen me,” she said in response to a release from the group.
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