Volume 125 Issue 2
kansan.com
Monday, August 20, 2012
OLYMPIC DREAMS
HAWK WECU
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION
DMV waives online fees for one year
ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOPEKA, Kan. — To encourage residents to renew their vehicle registrations online, Kansas officials said Wednesday that fees will be waived for the next year for payments made online using credit cards or electronic checks.
The announcement from the state Division of Vehicles came three weeks after a legislative committee ordered an audit of a $40 million upgrade of the computer system that handles annual vehicle tags. Problems following the upgrade's rollout in May led to long lines and hours of waiting in some county treasurers' offices.
Spokeswoman Jeannine Koranda said the division isn't anticipating those long lines into the future and simply wanted to remind people that they can renew their tags online. The state also allows many vehicle owners to mail in renewal forms and payments.
In order to renew online, an owner must have previously registered the vehicle at the same address and have insurance coverage. The division has charged a 2.5 percent fee for using a credit card to renew tags online, or $5 for a $200 payment. It also has charged a flat $3 fee or using an online check.
The state expects the yearlong waiver of fees to save Kansas vehicle owners $1.2 million, though the figure could be higher depending on how many people renew their tags online. Last year, about 2.4 million vehicles were registered in Kansas and about 11 percent, or 269,000, were online renewals.
"Its a convenience," Koranda said. "We're trying to make sure that there's not a barrier."
When the Division of Vehicles division rolled out its upgraded computer system in early May, county treasurers stopped taking vehicle registrations, driver's license applications and other related business for about a week during the installation. That created backlogs, and other problems with the system hampered companies' efforts to deal with the backlog, even as residents came in with new business.
PAGE7
It was the first overhaul of the division's computer systems since the late 1980s. The Department of Revenue, which oversees the Division of Vehicles, is still withholding the final payment of $2.5 million due to its contractor, 3M Co., until the agency feels problems are resolved, State auditors expect to finish their review of the computer upgrade by early spring.
State Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat who pushed for the audit, welcomed the division's decision but said the agency should have done it before rolling out the computer system upgrade to help lessen lines at county treasurer's offices.
"This should have been part of the planning process," Kelly said. "It's pretty obvious to everyone that the rollout was not smooth."
Koranda said lines were "dying down" in counties with long waits. Also, she and other department officials have noted that in dealing with the backlog, the new computer system has handled more transactions in recent weeks than it did in the same period last year.
Kevin Miller, a Topeka painter, was renewing his car tag and took a number and then a break from the line to grab a barbecue beef sandwich from a street vendor a few blocks away. He acknowledged he hadn't considered trying to renew the tags online, and anticipated a three-hour wait and took it in stride saying, "It is what it is."
But in Topeka, residents were still waiting several hours Wednesday morning to renew their tags at the Shawnee County treasurer's office inside the courthouse.
Karlen Peterson, a Topeka teacher, came to the courthouse to register a new car for friends, a couple who between them work three jobs and couldn't take off work. He anticipated a three-hour wait.
As for the division's argument that problems are diminishing, Peterson agreed there's been a slight improvement but still scuffed, saying, "It was chaos before. Now, it's just really bad."
"There's certain things you can't do online" he said. "That the problem."
THURSDAY. AUGUST 16, 2012
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HAWKS POINTE
1421 W. 7th St., Lawrence, KS 66044 www.HawksPointeApts.com
ANSAN
The initiative kicked off Thursday with about a hundred volunteers from six fraternities canvassing the Oread neighborhood with welcome bags. Volunteers, paired with city representatives, placed 2,000 bags on doorsteps with city ordinance information ranging from bike parking and house party protocol.
rance with neighbors can be a challenge, especially between University of Kansas students and permanent Lawrence residents.
The Good Neighbor program, created in unison by the University and the city, aims to strengthen relations between students and residents by providing students with information about good citizenship.
"A big part of going to school is learning how to live on your own," said Joe Monaco, a spokesperson for the event. "We are providing just some basic information about how
"This is the first in a set of many steps," said Tim Caboni, vice chancellor for public affairs at the University and a Good Neighbor co-creator. "We are extending an olive branch today, but it does not end here."
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The Good Neighbor program is the first to fortify the University's connection with the city.
policies as their hometowns, Monaco said.
- Parking. Do not park in the yard or in front of fire hydrants or driveways. Doing so can result in a fine.
"People really care more here," Hess said. "It makes me feel good. It just makes me feel safer and it feels nice to be joining that community."
Brad Hess, a freshman from Wichita and Delta Upson Fraternity program volunteer, said he was impressed by the University's initiative.
While no immediate events are planned for the future, Monaco said the University will continue the initiative throughout the year
Edited by Joanna Hlavacek
*Bicycles.* Bikes cannot be locked to trees or other non-designated structures.
*Safety.* Lock all windows and doors, including your car, and keep electronics and valuables out of view. Call Lawrence police if you see something suspicious.
-Pets: Animals need to be kept on a leash within the city.
ku.edu/goodneighbors
CLASSIFIEDS 10
CROSSWORD 5
Index
-Parties: Notify neighbors before throwing a party. They'll appreciate you cluing them in.
CRYPTOQUIPS 5
OPINION 6
- Sidewalks: Sidewalks must be clear of ice or snow within 24 hours.
Trying to be more neighborly? Follow the advice of the Good Neighbor program.
Source: Good Neighbor program
SPORTS 12
SUDOKU 5
Sarah Glass, a KU journalism school graduate, performs under the name Miss Conception on Friday night for students at the Hawk week Block Party. Miss Conception is the leader of Vibe Tibu KC, a performance company from Kansas City.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
contents, unless stated otherwise, $ \circ $ 2012 The University Daily Kansan
Don't forget
Today's Weather
If you're looking for some extra cash this semester, attend the Part-Time Job Fair, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Kansas Union.
Sunny skys with west northwest winds
HI: 89
L0: 53
A
2
Welcome back to campus!
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