JC’s Abernathy is making progress

Okay, let’s acknowledge from the start that government efficiency is far from the sexiest topic for an editorial.
And let’s go one further and acknowledge that the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles is one of those agencies that most folks would prefer not to think about.
But think about this: A very bright Jay County guy — put in place by the Pence administration — has been spearheading bureaucratic changes that are going to make every Hoosier’s life easier when they deal with the BMV.
His name is Kent Abernathy. He’s a Redkey guy, and he has a resume almost as long as he is tall. This guy has excelled at virtually everything he has taken on, and the BMV is his current challenge.
If you missed Abernathy’s guest opinion on this page on Saturday, dig through the newspapers set aside for recycling and see what he has to say.
Abernathy’s specialty is identifying duplication, bottlenecks, redundancy and outright stupidity in government and corporate systems, then cutting through the knots and tangles to create something more streamlined.
He has been able to do it every step of the way in his career, and he’s in the process of doing it with the BMV.
Why the BMV? Simply because, historically, it has been the least efficient government agency imaginable.
Patronage jobs were standard procedure as recently as the 1970s, with the party of whichever governor happened to be in office reaping the benefits. Attempts to reform the system have been valiant and mostly futile. For decades, service was lousy and employee morale was worse.
But now, things are changing.
BMV employees would be the first to tell you that. Patrons who have seen waiting times diminish would be close behind.
Abernathy’s most recent target has been the mare’s nest of overlapping, sometimes contradictory and nearly nonsensical laws on the books telling the BMV how to do business.
As his Saturday piece pointed out, one bill that made its way through the legislature is a great first step. It streamlined the system, eliminated fees and generally created the framework for a more workable bureaucracy going forward.
Abernathy’s goal, always, is efficiency. That means making the most of the dollars spent and providing the best possible customer experience for folks who are renewing licenses or transferring titles or whatever.
Don’t know about you, but we’re awfully proud he’s a Jay County guy. — J.R.