Harlan County Clerk's Office Receives New Technology

Technology upgrades have been made at the County Clerk's office in Harlan County.  Governor Ernie Fletcher and The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) announce the installation of new computer equipment for the office.  The KYTC is installing the equipment as part of a statewide Automated Vehicle Information System (AVIS) computer upgrade that will take place in Kentucky during the next three years.  "It's hard to imagine, but in some counties this old computer equipment has been in use for about a quarter of a century," said Transportation Cabinet Secretary Bill Nighbert. "Governor Fletcher's commitment to this project has made the system upgrades possible.  The county clerks desperately need new equipment so they can do their jobs more efficiently."

As the result of a Transportation Cabinet initiative, the state's budget now includes $750,000 over the next two years to replace old terminals, printers, and networks in county clerk's offices all across the Commonwealth.  The two-part AVIS upgrade will include replacement of network equipment and hardware, as well as software enhancements.  The network used by the county clerks will be updated, old terminals will be replaced with PCs, and mainframe printers are being discarded in favor of new PC printers that will be used for vehicle registrations.

"I am very pleased to see these much needed improvements become a reality,"said Harlan County Clerk Wanda Clem. "Taking advantage of modern technology will enable our office to serve the people of Harlan County more efficiently."

"These much-needed improvements will make a world of difference for the county clerks," said Department of Vehicle Regulation Commissioner Roy Mundy.  "This project will bring all the county clerks on board with the same modern computer network.  It is the foundation for the new AVIS computer system, as well as future consumer services like digitized plates, on-demand registration stickers, and expanding internet transactions."

The PC's and ongoing technical support are provided by the Commonwealth office of Technology (COT).  The KYTC and COT have now completed the hardware and software upgrades in at least 60 County Clerk's offices, which is well ahead of schedule. The process for installing new equipment in larger counties is expected to begin later this summer, with the new AVIS system operational statewide within three years.

Greg Thomas and Caleb Young, with the Commonwealth office of Technology (COT), explain to Harlan County Clerk Wanda Clem, seated, how to use the new AVIS system as employees Rachael Williams, Darlene Skelton and Donna Hoskins observe.