The Stevens County Auditor's Office announced the Chewelah Auto Licensing sub-agency will permanently close Jan. 31.
It is located in the same building as the Chewelah Insurance Agency, and has offered services for Chewelah and surrounding rural communities that includes vehicle registration, license plate issuance, and title transfers.
Sub-agencies are private businesses contract with county auditors to provide licensing services for the State Department of Licensing.
Lori Larsen, auditor of Stevens County, said the decision was made by Kevin Schalock, who has been operating the sub-agency since 1981, although he didn’t share with her specific reasons for closing the location.
Schalock didn’t immediately respond for a comment.
In the coming weeks, the Stevens County Auditor’s Office will conduct an analysis of customer demand for vehicle and vessel licensing services in the region. Based on what they find, the office may open a new competitive bid process to identify a new appointee, according to the news release.
Tamara Bowman, office manager at the Chewelah Insurance Agency, said with the sub-agency closing they will be using the space to hire a receptionist.
"It is a possibility that someone else will apply for the licensing sub-agency and reopen at a new location in Chewelah,” Bowman said. “That would be best for the community… it's sad to lose the licensing service in our town.”
The Chewelah Auto Licensing will also be closed from Jan. 14 to 26 before its final day.
