Got out to Clermont County SO right at 9am today. Good thing, because by 9:10 or so there was a line starting to back up. Dad and I were first and second.
Things I liked:
1) They are friendly enough.
2) The jail is close by, in case your fingerprints aren't scanned properly by the electronic gizmo. This happened with dad, but didn't cause us too much extra delay. The deputy at the jail appeared to do an excellent job, said this was a common thing with older folks. (Something to "look forward to" down the road for some of us.
)
Things I didn't like so much:
1) First thing you have to do is fill out
another piece of paper: A form that says you agree to the background check. This takes a couple of extra minutes, right there at the pay window, where there isn't much room to write. Would have gladly filled that out ahead of time, if it was available, which of course it isn't.
2) If using cash, you MUST give them exact change. After four years of CHLs and several years of doing other background checks, why don't these SOs have a cash drawer/register? Employee trust issues?
Dad and I had the right amount, but a fellow behind us didn't and would have had to drive into Batavia to visit a bank. (Fortunately I was able to help him, getting my good deed of the day out of the way early!)
3) They said the renewals were running three weeks to 45 days. What the deuce? The original licenses were taking about a week (sometimes much less) for Clermont Co. to process. Hard to understand. They're running a background check this time that theoretically only needs to cover the last four years, especially if you've been at the same address since the original CHL was issued. (That's the case for dad and I.)
4) Dad's fingerprints went through electronically last time, due to them using an oil/moisturizer of some kind. No offer to do that today, just "You'll have to go over to the jail".
5) Going into the jail requires even further disarming, according to the signage on the lobby wall, and the drop box for commonly carried items such as pocket knives, pepper spray, etc., even though you're not going into the "population area" of the facility. Plus in some places, the Sheriff's Office and the jail aren't exactly right next door to each other. Could be a royal pain keeping that fingerprint card dry on a rough weather day.
Clermont County is going to have to do a record-fast renewal for me to bother driving out there again, nearby gun club or not.
Rant over.