Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
For 36 years, Kerry Schanzenbach has operated the Department of Licensing Vehicle and Vessel sub-agency in Rosalia and for 33 of those years, Dixie Burnham has been the one to greet and help customers. Both are set to retire from the state agency July 31, and that started the process for seeking a replacement through the state competitive bid process.
“Dixie and Kerry have been phenomenal. We’re going to miss them greatly,” said Eunice Coker, Whitman County auditor who oversees the licensing in the county.
After receiving permission from the state office, Coker began advertising for the sub-agency in Rosalia last week through an open competitive process. The position will be open for 30 days with a May 25 closing date.
Interviews are expected to be finished June 8, at which point everything will be turned over to the state DOL to make the final call. Coker expects a new person to be appointed by Aug. 1 so there is no lapse in service after the Rosalia retirements.
“Dixie has a following,” Schanzenbach said. He noted some people come from as far as 100 miles to deal with her.
“She loves doing this; she’s a problem solver and people helper,” Schanzenbach said.
He noted a truck company from Montana that sends its Washington business to Rosalia, all because of the quality of work Burnham does.
Schanzenbach became owner of the sub-agency in May, 1982, when he and a partner bought the Jaeger Insurance agency which houses the DOL office. He was appointed the new agent.
“It was just one of those little things you do in a small town,” he said of taking over the licensing. Burnham came on the scene in 1985 to help out temporarily, but she never left.
“She’s still temporarily helping out,” Schanzenbach joked.
At that time, many more sub-agencies operated throughout the county. When things moved to computer programs in the early 1990s, the state closed most of them down.
Licenses now are also issued at Coker’s office in the courthouse and the other sub-agency in Pullman.
Although retiring from the DOL, Schanzenbach will continue working in the insurance agency.
He plans to offer the same DOL space to the next person.
After receiving the Rosalians’ letter of resignation in December, Coker had to go through state channels to show the agency in the north part of the county needed to remain in operation.
Burnham issues the licenses four days a week, and Schanzenbach covers on Wednesdays to give her a day off.
For most of the time, the sub-agency has been located in the same office it was when Schanzenbach bought the insurance business. They moved away for a short time, but then came back home to roost.
“That space was built for the licensing,” he said.
The best part for him over the decades has been hiring Burnham and having her there to take care of people. She has devoted clientele and will be missed, he noted.
“Hopefully whoever takes it over has that same drive to help people,” he said.
“He was the best boss,” Burnham said.
“It was fun,” she said of her time at the DOL. In retirement she plans to spend her time in pursuit of her grandchildren.
For those interested in taking over the service, applicants must get a packet from the auditor’s office to fill out and submit. Interviewing will be done locally, but the state will make the final call. Coker noted usually the state follows the county’s recommendation for the new person, but that is not always the case.
The new person will also have to go through a certification process. Coker was unsure what that would look like, given the location and nature of the Rosalia office. She encouraged anyone interested or with questions to call her.
“It’s not going to be a piece of cake for a year, year and a half,” she predicted on the change of agents.
Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.
Reader Comments(0)