COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners are on record as to being strongly opposed to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s “by appointment only” method of operating Secretary of State branch offices.
They passed a resolution on a 4-1 vote Tuesday which took Benson to task for making changes without input from constituents who are directly affected.
Commissioner Leonard Kolcz cast the only no vote.
The resolution was along the same lines as one which was passed by Commissioners in Chippewa County.
It stated many older residents and those without computers or internet will simply be turned away at the Secretary of State door.
It added the appointment only system defied common sense in serving the public and “is a significant reduction in convenient service.”
The resolution was passed just hours after Benson announced 350,000 appointments were opening up at Michigan branch offices.
It’s an attempt to try to ease a recent problem of extremely long delays for residents trying to get various vehicle related paperwork taken care of. She says half of the appointments will be online and half for the following day. Benson spoke on it Tuesday, pushing a lot of blame on her predecessors and current legislators.
She says you can also walk up to a branch office to see if an appointment is available from a greeter. If not, that greeter will help you schedule a future appointment.
(Brandon James contributed to this report)
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