Cuts at 2 Secretary of State Branches

The Michigan Department of State is trying to save money by cutting hours in a pair of U.P. branches.

Starting Monday, the Munising and Manistique branches will share a staff person and go to part-time hours.

Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land says this is an attempt to use increasingly limited resources as effectively as possible.

She says the Department of State has done this successfully elsewhere.

The Manistique branch will be open from 9 to 5 Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, closing an hour for lunch.

The Munising branch will be open 9 to 5 on Mondays and 11 to 7 on Wednesdays, again with closures for a lunch hour.

One person will operate the 2 offices, alternating between them on the days each branch is open.