Bad news for Shelby County residents who have yet to get a car tag — you’re on your own.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office tells KWAM that they have no authority of Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert.Under Ms. Halbert’s leadership, the clerk’s office has been turned into a raging dumpster fire. Motorists have been waiting months for their tags. Many have been forced to stand for hours in the sweltering summer heat.
Last week Halbert announced she was shutting down the office so that her staff could get caught up on their work.
Instead of working alongside her staffers, Halbert took off on a vacation to Jamaica.
County leaders have been pleading with the state to intervene, but it turns out — there’s no legal precedent.“Our Office understands the desire for state intervention, but, after careful research, we have determined there is no statutory authority or precedent that would allow the State of Tennessee to take over the operational duties of the clerk’s office,” Comptroller Jason Mumpower said in a statement to KWAM. “The clerk was elected to do the job.”
The Shelby County Clerk must work harder to serve her customers, he said.
“I certainly share the frustration of the citizens, businesses, and the numerous elected officials who have spoken out or have been impacted by the clerk’s inability to get the job done,” said Mumpower.The comptroller did suggest that citizens could rise up and demand the clerk’s ouster.
“I believe the mayor and county commission should continue to explore what legal remedies may be available to help better serve Shelby countians. State law does afford local officials the ability to pursue an ouster, and it may be time for them to consider whether or not that is appropriate,” he said.
The broader question is why Shelby County voters put Halbert back into office in the first place. There was a very capable Republican candidate who had decades of experience in the clerk’s office.
However, voters rejected competence.
