NC DMV, Verizon Business reach computer settlement

RALEIGH — A telecommunications company has agreed to credit the Division of Motor Vehicles $1.7 million to settle a dispute over computers for North Carolina’s safety inspection stations.

Verizon Business and the agency on Thursday completed an agreement stemming from a contract for DMV to buy 3,000 computers. The agency ended up needing about 1,900 computers.

DMV’s credit for returning the unneeded computers will pay off Verizon invoices as part of a contract with the state. Verizon Business spokesman Jack Hoey said the company wasn’t required to take back the computers but wanted to work out something with an important customer.

The agreement is separate from an ongoing state probe of whether DMV workers and others received gifts from then-Verizon workers.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)