Story Created:
Jul 15, 2008 at 9:25 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Jul 16, 2008 at 9:51 AM CDT
Minnehaha County Treasurer Pam Nelson trades barbs with the county commission over the state's new license plate renewal system and only KSFY cameras were there..
The new computer program went live July 1st; Pam Nelson says it doesn't work and says the state is to blame for the long lines, not her office.
"This is the deal. You all seem to be an expert on running that office but frankly you're clueless. You have no concept of what it takes to make that operation work." Minnehaha County Treasurer Pam Nelson didn't hold back, telling Commissioner Jeff Barth she's tired of being ganged up on by the commission and Governor Rounds.
Nelson: "The Governor whines to you and then you decide its our fault and that is not the problem."
Barth: "I am not deciding it's your fault and i don't believe the governor was whining."
Nelson denied requests from the commission to create an express lane for simple transactions and to open all 12 windows at the treasurers office...saying both would cripple other office functions.
Then Commissioner Carol Twedt tried to bring Nelson's time to an end.
Twedt: "One more minute."
Nelson: "Well do you want to hear...do you want to understand or do you just want to tell me what to do when you don't run my office?"
Twedt: "I've heard this before you know what you run your office and I run this meeting and you have one more minute and then were done with this conversation."
Nelson: "Well if you want to know what its gonna take to make things better we gonna have more people to run that office until we get this fixed."
Nelson ended by telling the commissioners the biggest problem with the new system: it's slow.
Nelson: "What used to take 30 seconds takes 2 minutes. What used to take four seconds take four minutes."
Twedt: "OK thank you. End of discussion."
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Tuesday, Jul 15 at 10:16 PM taxpayer wrote ...
I think maybe a recall election might be in order. She obviously forgets who she works for by taking her anger out on the "customers". No one is placing blame...they just want us to do everything we can to make it better. She seems to think she is the only one affected by the changes...and anyone who stood in line for 3 hours will tell her she is not. Her lack of respect for the comissioners is unacceptable in my opinion.
Tuesday, Jul 15 at 10:18 PM Anon wrote ...
May I just say, Good job Governor Rounds and the team that put together this monstrosity of a system. It is the state's fault. 100%... Good job Twedt... Go sit in a county workers chair, doing their job! Won't be so high and mighty eh?
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 7:28 AM mg wrote ...
Who chose this new system??
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 8:59 AM Rudy wrote ...
I would tend to believe that Ms. Nelson correct. The commission is clueless as to the headaches of the new system. In my discussion with a member of the Dept. of Revenue, reasonable logic for the change has not been given. Where are the sponsors of this change? We haven't heard from anyone who was behind the change. Where are they hiding? Do you think the media can find them? It appears the media is fascinated with the controversy but isn't interested in locating the source!
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 10:30 AM There you go wrote ...
OK who decided to go this new system? KSFY can you find out? The State has this huge mess why did they change to the plate follows the person? What was wrong before with the old way?
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 12:09 PM pepper wrote ...
Shame on the commissioners for blaming Pam and giving her a hard time. She didn't want this fiasco of a new computer system. Shame of the State Dept. in Pierre for forcing it through when it reallt wasn't ready.
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 1:07 PM taxpayer wrote ...
It is easy for people to sit in a chair and give orders maybe they should get in Pams shoes to see what is really going on. I am for Pam she is trying her darndest. The old system worked fine but I guess when things run smooth people do not like it so they come up with a plan that has not even been tested. Good job Pam hold your footing
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 1:16 PM Monty wrote ...
10:16 The "customers" also includes the people who mailed in their stuff for tags. If all the staff is working windows, the mail-in stuff doesn't get processed. The Commission is responsible for chronically understaffing the office and it has caught up with them.
Wednesday, Jul 16 at 7:01 PM taxpayer wrote ...
Great comment Monty you are a 100% right. They expect miracles with very little staff. It does catch up when they try to run with the bare minamum. I did not hear that any of the commissioners offer to help Pam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thursday, Jul 17 at 4:48 AM Anonymous wrote ...
In States where the system works good it makes the process easy. You trade your car put your plates on the new car, the dealer takes care of your title and registration and you have to do nothing but wait for your registration to come. No going to the courthouse at all. But appearently the software programmer did not do his research and check out a good working model to do his programming from. Don't think I need to know if he tested it. He likes to use live bait to do that.
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