WALLACE – After earlier discussions about relocating the driver’s license office, Shoshone County Sheriff William Eddy has shifted course. 

Eddy met with county commissioners on Tuesday and told them he wants to keep the department under his supervision. 

“I definitely want to keep it where it’s at,” Eddy said. “The reason for that is that she’ll (the clerk) be more secure there than she would be over here.” 

During a meeting with commissioners last week, Eddy had expressed interest in moving the department from the public safety building to the Shoshone County Courthouse, which would have placed it under the supervision of the Shoshone County Assessor’s Office. 

In the wake of December’s shooting, county leaders have been exploring ways to make their buildings more secure for both the public and county staff. 

Assessor Jerry White was reluctant to take over the department, citing a pay discrepancy for the clerks he currently supervises and the additional supervisory responsibilities the move would require. He acknowledged, however, that relocating the department would likely improve service for taxpayers. 

The driver’s license department also handles the county’s sex offender registry, concealed-carry weapon permits and fingerprinting. 

Reaction from the public following last week’s meeting was mixed. Some supported placing the driver’s license department in the same building as the county’s motor vehicle department, while others raised concerns about limited courthouse space and the cost of outfitting the building to accommodate another department. 

Local resident Dawn Wiksten supported the move and disagreed with White’s objections. 

“When our concern is more about who’s got the bigger slice of cake than the security of the community and the natural flow of departments, I think we’ve lost our way,” she said on Facebook. 

Another resident, Danny Christmann, opposed the idea, arguing that certain records should not be handled by certain departments and expressing concerns about potential added costs. 

“So who will be doing the CCW licensing and the background checks associated with them as they are done by the same personnel?” he asked. “The sheriff’s office should be the one maintaining those records and not the assessor's Office. Now with this plan we will need to add more cost to the taxpayer’s shoulders.” 

According to Eddy, the matter is still being discussed internally.