Doraville could soon be the first stop for getting out of town.
In a nod to its international vibe and the current economic downturn, the city is applying to become the first in Georgia to handle U.S. passport applications.
If the State Department signs off, would-be travelers could apply for the document at Doraville City Hall — and the city could make as much as $70,000 a year from the $25 processing fee.
“It enhances our services and creates an alternate source of revenue,” said Luke Howe, the assistant to the mayor who came up with the idea. “It’s all good.”
Post offices and Superior Court offices handle the bulk of Georgia’s applications for passports, which are needed whenever citizens leave the country. Those facilities account for 226 of the state’s 229 acceptance facilities.
But Doraville officials who contacted other cities that accept applications — including Virginia Beach — and found they recommended involvement in the program.
Under it, the State Department provides necessary supplies and training. A local employee takes the completed applications and passes them along to the federal agency for processing.
Howe would oversee Doraville’s program, which if approved would launch later this year with three-day-a-week service.
The city’s permits clerk — idled by the drop-off in development — would handle the applications during a three-month trial period to see whether it benefits the city and citizens.
“It would not only be a service and provide some additional revenue, it also attracts people to our center city,” said Chris Avers, a leader in the Northwoods Neighborhood Association. “We could show the great things we have going on to people coming in for their passports.”
The city would have to land 10 to 13 percent of the nearly 21,000 applications filed last year at the seven closest other passport sites to reach its goal of $50,000 to $70,000 from the service, according to Passport Services records.
“We need to get more revenue in the city, so I think this is an interesting way to do it,” said Karen Pachuta, the vice president of the Oakcliff Neighborhood Association in the city. “I need to renew my passport, so I may wait to see if this gets up and running.”
For its part, the State Department looks at availability and cost of space, IT needs, proximity to an international airport/interstate highway system, among other factors.
Doraville ranks high on those criteria and others, such as low cost of living, city officials argue.
If that argument wins, applications at City Hall could begin by year’s end.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
