WEST POINT, Miss. (WTVA) -- Signs still point the way to Clay County's only drivers' license station, but for the time being, it's closed.
Corp. Criss Turnipseed of the Mississippi Highway Patrol said that's because the facility's high-speed DSL line was malfunctioning.
"I think that's where the problem was, with the linkup between there and the Jackson office," Turnipseed said.
Turnipseed explained that a constant connection has to be maintained with Jackson to relay important drivers' license information to other agencies across the state, as well as other state troopers.
Because of the issue, Department of Public Safety officials closed the location temporarily, citing "infrastructure issues" that DPS spokesperson Warren Strain said were Clay County's responsibility. However, county officials say it's something DPS has to fix. So who's right?
Turnipseed said those infrastructure issues are actually problems with the phone lines, which the Department of Public Safety pays for, but it's not that simple.
"I know it's our employees there, [but] it's not our building," Turnipseed said. "To my knowledge, we're not responsible for maintaining the phone service or utilities there. We use what we have there."
Turnipseed also said any utility repair would have to be approved by the county, since it owns the building.
Clay County Chancery Clerk Amy Berry said the issue is DPS' responsibility.
"We don't provide the phones. They pay for the phones," Berry said. "We just provide the building."
Sheriff Eddie Scott says he's using county resources to help speed things along.
"We're trying to work with them right now to resolve the problem. Our IT people have been working over there," Scott said. "Hopefully they can figure it out and get it going, because that place serves the people of Clay County."
Until it's fixed, residents will have to drive to Starkville to get their licenses issued or renewed.
Residents can also renew their drivers' licenses by going online to the Department of Public Safety website.
Turnipseed said you can only do this if your address and other information has not changed since you last renewed.
