First it was the driver’s license bureau, and now it’s Southwest Mississippi Community College. So tell me, why do some of the state’s leaders appear so eager to remove valuable services from Pike County?
Maybe that’s overstating it a bit, but I can’t shake the feeling that a growing percentage of cost-cutting efforts are coming right through this part of Mississippi. And it just doesn’t seem fair.
Plans to close the driver’s license bureau in Summit are more of a disappointment and a nuisance. Still, you would think there are enough drivers in Pike County, not to mention those in neighboring counties, to merit an office here.
Driver’s license services have been on thin ice in Pike County for a few years. A while back, county supervisors agreed to a bailout for the apparently financially strapped Department of Public Safety. The supervisors paid the rent for the office in Summit.
The motivation was good politics, an idea that sometimes eludes decision makers at the state level. Without a driver’s license office here, people in southern Pike County would have a long drive to Brookhaven to get their renewal.
Recently, DPS decided to close the office. I’ve heard they didn’t think the location had enough parking, but that’s a lame excuse. There are other available commercial buildings in Pike County with more parking. Rent one of them! The supervisors probably would pay for that one, too.
Once the Summit office closes, the only ones remaining in Southwest Mississippi will be in Brookhaven and Natchez. In fairness, drivers can renew their license online, but eventually must appear in person to do it.
As noted earlier, the loss of the Summit office is a disappointment, a nuisance that must be endured every few years, perhaps even an error in judgment by the state. But no more than that.
However, a House bill that would merge SMCC with Copiah-Lincoln Community College is a much bigger slap. Taking away the identity of one of the few institutions that unifies people in this area? That’s just wrong.
This is not to criticize Co-Lin. It’s a good school, as far as I know. But I don’t see how the proposal to turn Southwest into “the Summit campus” of Co-Lin will improve anything.
If the Legislature and governor were to approve this, there surely would be some savings from administrative salaries. And then, assuming the motivation is to reduce state spending, what else would be cut?
The most obvious thing would be to offer fewer courses and programs in Summit. You’d save some money, but you’d be providing fewer services to area residents, or forcing people to travel further to get them.
Maybe local people could renew their driver’s licenses as they’re traveling elsewhere for education or training. I guess that’s efficiency in action.
More seriously, almost everything else about this proposed merger stinks.
For starters, the state has invested millions of dollars in Southwest over the years. The Work Force Training Center, new dormitories, the student union building and more.
This has helped make Southwest an excellent community college, one that makes a difference for many local residents, both adults and those of college age. Why should we tinker with something that’s clearly working?
The answer to that question is obvious. Southwest has the smallest enrollment of any of the state’s 15 community colleges, about 2,100.
Maybe that’s because it represents only four counties. But the low numbers are why Southwest is included in this bill. It’s an easy target.
If the point is to save money, stop right there. We are told repeatedly that state government is flush with extra millions of dollars. Why must we tighten this belt?
Local opposition, thankfully, already has started. Remember, just because a bill gets introduced doesn’t make it law. We will soon see how much clout local legislators have with their peers.
If the Summit driver’s license office must close, OK. But a Southwest merger? Please drop this silly idea.
