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Feb. 18, 2000

Glitches cause Beach to offer decal grace

BY MICHELLE MIZAL, The Virginian-Pilot

Copyright 2000, Landmark Communications Inc.

VIRGINIA BEACH -- Police this week offered Virginia Beach drivers a 10-day reprieve for expired city stickers because computer problems in the city treasurer's office caused delays and mix-ups with the decals.

Acting Police Chief A.M. Jacocks Jr. has told his officers not to write tickets for expired stickers until 12:01 a.m. Feb. 26. City Treasurer John T. Atkinson asked police to extend the Feb. 15 deadline because of glitches with a new automated computer system, Jacocks said.

No other South Hampton Roads city has issued such an extension this year.

``When you're bringing up a brand new system, as can be expected, there are problems,'' Atkinson said Thursday.

Atkinson this year unveiled an automated system to speed up processing of tax and other information -- once entered by clerks by hand. But the new system has had glitches, from printer problems to mail service delays. Atkinson even hand delivered one mail-ordered decal to a resident on Feb. 15.

Once the bugs are worked out, he said, next year's crowd of city sticker seekers should move through more quickly. ``I'm looking at 25 percent faster once the system is smoothed out, or maybe even more,'' Atkinson said.

In the meantime, city treasurer clerks and cashiers continue to deal with long lines, impatient customers, and even a pregnant woman or two.

Deloris W. Felton, head cashier at the Virginia Beach treasurer's office, said three pregnant women have had contractions while waiting in line. Two said they had contractions as they stepped up to the counter to get their stickers, while the third woman was at the end of the line. Felton processed her papers and brought the sticker to her. The woman then went to a hospital, she said.

Last week, a man waiting in line suffered from high blood pressure, Felton said, and staff called a rescue squad. ``He said, `If you please get my decals it'll be OK,' '' Felton said. She said she got his papers, ran back to the office to process them and then rushed outside to the ambulance to give the man his sticker.

In Norfolk, security officers escorted two men out of City Hall earlier this week for using profanity with city treasurer cashiers, said City Treasurer Joseph T. Fitzpatrick.

``It's not easy for these employees, they're doing what the law requires and working long hours. My folks have been on 30-minute lunch breaks since last Thursday and they've been coming in 45 minutes early and leaving about 45 minutes late,'' Fitzpatrick said. He said employees usually get an hour for lunch.

City treasurer cashiers in Portsmouth also worked long hours. On Feb. 14 cashiers at the city's Tower Mall Shopping Center location went home at midnight. On Feb. 15 workers left at 1 a.m., City Treasurer James L. Williams said.

``Overall, it has gone well. There's just an awful lot of people that we had to serve during this last week,'' Williams said Thursday at the Portsmouth City Hall. He said about 25 people were standing in line for stickers at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday. ``The line is somewhat slacking off but they're still coming,'' he said.

Barbara O. Carraway, Chesapeake city treasurer, kept her department open for the past two Saturdays. Workers prepped customers in line to move them faster.

Carraway said office computers went down for about an hour last week and earlier this week but workers kept the lines moving.

``People have been very pleasant and appreciate the help,'' Carraway said.

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-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 18, 2000