Sand Mountain Reporter

SARDIS CITY — The Etowah County Revenue Commission’s satellite tag office at Sardis City Hall is closed during the month of December as it is every December.

However, a Sardis City official said City Hall received more than 30 complaints on Tuesday and Wednesday about the temporary closure.

Revenue Commissioner Linda Barrett-Vaughan, who took office in October, said the satellite offices are not open in December and never have been. The revenue commission has satellite offices in Rainbow City and Walnut Grove as well.

The offices will reopen Jan. 4.

“Our tag renewals are January through November,” Barrett-Vaughan said. “It does not justify having a person there in December. They would be sitting there not doing hardly anything.

“I do apologize for the inconvenience.”

A Sardis City official said elderly people unable to pay for their tag renewals due in November now must drive to Gadsden to pay.

“It’s not fair to older people who are on a fixed income,” Sardis City magistrate Sherry Wilson said. “They come here, see the sign on the door and yell at us. We can’t do anything about it.”

On Thursday, The Reporter called the voicemail of the Sardis City satellite office and it still said the office is open Monday through Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., which may be causing some of the confusion.

Sardis City Clerk Doug Gamblin said he thought the satellite office is busy enough to open five days a week instead of three and remain open in December.

“I bet there are a hundred cars that pull up here and leave every month on Thursdays and Fridays, and fifty will come here and complain,” Gamblin said. “Maybe I wish the satellite office could offer better customer service because it does reflect on our city.”

Barrett-Vaughan said the only situation people would need to use the satellite office in December is if they purchased a vehicle. She said people who buy a vehicle have 20 days from the date of purchase to acquire tags.

“Any vehicle they buy after Dec. 13, they can come in Jan. 4 at the satellite office and still get a tag,” she said.

Barrett-Vaughan said the revenue commission is using the December closing time to service satellite office vehicles and to upgrade office computers.

“That way we’ll be on top of the job come Jan. 4,” she said.

Barrett-Vaughan said anyone with questions can call her office at 256-549-8114.

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Serving Albertville and the Sand Mountain region

Publisher: Ben Shurett

1603 Progress Drive
Albertville, Alabama 35950

Tel: 256-840-3000 | Email

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