The head of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles resigned Monday, a few weeks after the fledgling agency that handles vehicle registrations and other services was criticized for not fixing organizational flaws quickly enough.
"I've got some personal issues I need to address," Executive Director Edward Serna told the Star-Telegram in a voice mail Monday, explaining his departure effective Aug. 31.The DMV was created two years ago to remove some administrative functions from the Texas Department of Transportation. It is a contact point for millions of motorists who buy, sell and register vehicles, as well as law enforcement agencies and county tax assessors and collectors.However, an organizational review published July 29 by Dallas-based Azimuth Group concluded that the DMV administration had failed to create a "retail-oriented vision" in which customer service was paramount.DMV board members had not asked for Serna's resignation but will likely accept it, said Chairman Victor Vandergriff of Arlington. The next regular meeting is not until Sept. 8. Vandergriff said he didn't know whether a special meeting would be needed before then."The board has a real vision of this agency and how aggressively it should move in getting a retail feel," Vandergriff said. "In so many of our functions, we are a mass marketer of merchandise, a distributor, with 22 million vehicles. We have a huge relationship with tax assessor-collectors and the public. We were clearly created to make that process better, and we've made strides in that, but we want to keep moving more."The agency has tackled hot-button issues. This year, the board debated whether to allow a specialty plate commemorating Texas' Confederate heritage.Also, a massive overhaul of license-plate fees took effect in August, which dropped annual renewal costs for some motorists but raised them for others.Gordon Dickson, 817-390-7796Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
