VIDALIA — The Vidalia Board of Alderman Monday declined to increase the fee the town receives for maintenance of the Department of Motor Vehicles building.

Town Manager Bill Murray said the DMV sent a letter to the town requesting renovations to the town-owned building including desk repairs and painting. In exchange, the DMV would offer to pay the town an additional $1.50 on transactions.

The additional fee amount would likely be passed on to the customers, attorney George Murray said after the meeting. The fee is not tacked on procurement or renewal of licenses, but other services the DMV provides.

The town receives $3 for certain transactions, which amounts to approximately $25,000 per year, as part of a rental agreement with the DMV. The town performs all the maintenance including cutting the grass, air conditioning and structural repairs.

Murray said the town had not calculated what the additional $1.50 would provide, nor if the $25,000 per year was enough for the town to even break even at the current rate.

Vidalia resident Pam Olier Clayton said she ships her packages to the Natchez office because it is cheaper. Clayton said adding to the fee might make more people do that.

“I think you need to come down,” she said. “It is too high.”

Alderwoman Sabrina Doré said the fee sounds like taxation without calling it a tax. Doré asked Bill Murray if the DMV was threatening to leave if the town did not approve this increase for renovations, and Murray said no.

Murray said since the town was planning to have a special meeting at the end of the month to potentially adopt a budget, that he would like additional time to find out if the town was at least breaking even on the $25,000 per year the fees are recouping.

Doré said she did not need a special meeting, as she was ready to vote against it. Alderman Tron McCoy said he was also ready to vote no, and Alderman Tommy Probst seconded Doré’s motion to keep the fee at $3.

The vote passed unanimously.