Court clerk's office in Hall to end passport service

GAINESVILLE - The Clerk of Superior & State Courts in Hall County announced this week that the office will stop offering passport service on June 30.<br /> <br /> Reached by e-mail Thursday, Charles Baker outlined his reasons for ending the service. They included a budget and staff decreases and additional duties for the office during Baker's first five years in office.<br /> <br /> "I appreciate the Clerks of Court in White, Lumpkin, Dawson and Habersham County for offering to assist customers in processing passports and I have posted their contact information on the Hall County website," Baker said in an e-mail statement.<br /> <br /> Baker also said time is also an issue. He said staff has looked at time spent processing passport applications as well as time needed to complete training and provide information during audits.<br /> <br /> "The numbers indicate one full time person would not be able to handle these duties," Baker said.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <i>Statutorily required duties the Clerk's Office assumed in the first five years Baker has been in office. (source: Clerk of Courts.)<br /> <br /> File Division created in 2010<br /> <br /> 2010