The Office of Motor Vehicles in Jennings will open on Monday, May 18, state Rep. Troy Romero and Jennings Mayor Henry Guinn confirmed on Wednesday.

Romero, R-Jennings, said Karen St. Germain, commissioner of Louisiana’s Office of Motor Vehicles, told him the Jennings office would open on Monday with temporary sneeze guards to protect employees.

Prior to St. Germain’s confirmation, Guinn said the Jennings office wasn’t likely to reopen because employees didn’t have access to sneeze guards.

After hearing the confirmation, Guinn said he appreciated Romero and the OMV for resolving the issue.

Guinn said the city of Jennings owns the building that houses its OMV and only earns revenue from transactions at the office, instead of the rental agreement. He said the city lost in excess of $3,000 in revenue by being closed for April alone.

Reopening the office is necessary to serve the elderly who may lack internet access, along with larger trucking companies that rely on its services, Guinn said.

“It’s about convenience for our residents and the people of Jeff Davis Parish,” he said. “The closest office to us would be Crowley. If they don’t go there, they would go to Lake Charles.”