Dexter Revenue office up for bids

Wednesday, April 8, 2009
By Mike McCoy, Statesman Staff Writer

The Dexter motor vehicle/license office is one of six of the latest revenue offices to be put up for bid as part of Governor Jay Nixon's plan to increase the efficiency and accountability of revenue offices across the state. The others being put up for bids are Bolivar, Bowling Green, Clinton, Oakville and Sugar Creek.

One of Nixon's first actions as governor was to implement the bidding process for revenue offices. The first offices were put up for bids on Jan. 13 this year. There are 183 revenue offices in the state.

"The era of license office patronage ends today," Nixon said at the time.

Nixon followed a process started by former Governor Matt Blunt after complaints were made about the political nature of the selections and the use of subcontractors to actually operate the offices.

Information from the Department of Revenue shows that the Dexter Revenue Office generates 46,290 transactions a year and $152,929 in fees. License offices, commonly called fee offices, make money by charging a transaction fee in addition to the charges imposed by the state.

Ray Rowland, contract agent of the Dexter office, said in January that he intended to submit a bid to continue the office in Dexter.

"When a person walks into a local license office, what he or she cares most about is how quickly and accurately they can get their driver's license or license plates renewed," Gov. Nixon said. "Customers don't care about the political affiliation of the person running the office, and neither should the state. The comprehensive bidding process implemented by my administration lets any person or group bid for the right to manage an office, and the customers will be the ultimate winners."

Interested bidders will have five weeks (or until May 12) to reply to the Request of Proposals (RFPs) released this week by the Office of Administration. Karen King Mitchell, director of the Missouri Department of Revenue, noted some of the criteria that the department will be looking for when reviewing the bids.

"Employee experience, a solid business plan, good customer service, financial stability, an accessible, secure office location and, if possible, a return of some of the profits to the state, are the criteria that matter the most," Mitchell said.

Common transactions that are processed at local license offices include renewing or applying for a driver's license, renewing or applying for registration on motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors, and applying for titles and paying sales taxes on these units.

Copies of the RFPs that bidders will use to develop their bids can be viewed at https://www.moolb.mo.gov/. To review an RFP, select "Guest" on the home page, click on "Open Bids By Agency," then scroll through the list of bids until you locate the appropriate one. Additional information regarding the bidding process can be obtained at http://oa.mo.gov/purch/vendorinfo/DORoff... or by calling OA at (573) 751-2387.

The bidding time for 42 of Missouri's 183 license offices has already closed.

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So, NOW where is the license bureau going to be? Back in the county seat where it belongs? Political favors HAVE to stop!

-- Posted by bobby wayne on Wed, Apr 8, 2009, at 7:59 PM

If it goes back to Bloomfield, they need 1) better parking, 2) a larger office with more waiting room, 3) nice people.

-- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Apr 8, 2009, at 9:38 PM

Nicer people, wouldn't that be lovely.

-- Posted by bobby wayne on Thu, Apr 9, 2009, at 7:16 AM

Hey, I got an idea. How about we put the license bureau in the old county court house. There should be lots of room there! Just think, a couple of years ago nearly all the county's business was ran from the square in Bloomfield (in one of the buildings). Surely enough office space could be found in a building that the county already owns.

I think Jay Nixon should keep marching and get rid of some more of the oxygen wasting tax sucking parasites that work for the gov't. Everybody should realize that these are the same people who always want new buildings (and higher taxes). Just look around. The ambulance district is building some sort of super structure that looks like it belongs in a major city (not to mention that they have the fanciest office in town to top it off) and we have a new "justice center" and all this is still not enough! We are even getting another monstrocity structure in Bloomfield. But Bloomfield is not alone. Dexter has a bunch of the same parasitic breed of tax sucking leaches within it's bounds too. Just look at all the new infrastructure improvements they have! The new pool, the new multi-purpose building by the pool, the new national guard armory (state project), and the new building going up by the high school. WHO DO YOU THINK PAYS FOR THIS??!! JUST LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!!!

From this, let's take this move by Jay Nixon to get a new attitude on gov't people who just hit the "easy button" when they want us, the very people who pay their wages to pay for anything they dream up no matter how much it cost.

Government can't keep running like it has been going. That goes for the state, federal, and all local forms. No other business functions and survives like any of our gov't branches do. Can anybody name one, well, except maybe GM, Chrysler, or one of the big banks (all of which should already be out of business)!!?

I know having the license people change with the party in power is how we have alway done it. But stop and look around. Look at the mess we are in!!

-- Posted by drifter on Fri, Apr 10, 2009, at 6:52 PM

Drifter: You think Nixon is looking to CUT the size of government?

This petty hack of a politician is a joke. Pay attention to how well he represents rural Missouri, which is where we live and you will find the scumbag will ONLY cater to his electoral base: Columbia, KC, and St. Louie. He and Barney Frank, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid loving Claire McCaskill have little in common with the folks in this area.

Government spending will NOT go down over next four years, Eductation will remain a joke, Welfare numbers will ONLY go up, taxes will go up, and social program spending will sky rocket. Mark it down.

-- Posted by shannonhoon on Mon, Apr 13, 2009, at 10:43 PM