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Board weighs license cancellation, fine for small Harrisonburg dealer after repeated missed inspections
Summary
Staff recommended notice of cancellation or assessment of the previously waived $1,000 penalty for Valley View Motors after repeated missed inspections and fluctuating posted hours; the board ordered staff to issue a notice and pursue cancellation if the dealer fails to respond.
Board staff updated the Motor Vehicle Dealer Board on Valley View Motors, a small independent dealer in Harrisonburg whose owner, Karen Mums, has a long saga of non‑compliance with inspection and recordkeeping requirements.
Staff said DMV records showed six probable retail sales for which the dealer did not provide corresponding records during an attempted inspection. Field representatives reported difficulty securing access — the dealer repeatedly changed posted business hours and was closed when inspectors arrived on multiple visits. A field rep observed conditions that suggested the business might not be operating as a retail dealership.
Staff proposed two paths: enforce the previously recommended $1,000 civil penalty (which was waived earlier pending a satisfactory inspection), or issue a notice of cancellation requiring the dealer to respond within 20 days and explain why the license should remain active. Staff said a failure to respond would be followed by license cancellation and possible collection of the civil penalty.
Board members discussed the tension between strict enforcement and the humanitarian context: several members observed the owner appeared overwhelmed and that the business may be a marginal livelihood rather than an ongoing car operation. "If you suspend her dealer license, she can still do the U-Haul business," one member observed in debate. The board directed staff to send the notice of cancellation with a 20‑day response window and to proceed to cancellation if the dealer does not show cause.
What happens next: staff will issue the notice of cancellation and set a 20-day deadline for a response; if the dealer does not respond or fails a required reinspection, board staff will proceed with cancellation of the dealer license and pursue outstanding civil penalties through standard administrative collection channels.
