Crane License Bureau scheduled to close March 30
DOR says office does too little business and customers should go to Aurora or Branson West
Thee Crane License Office, located at 103-2 South Street in Crane, will close on Friday, March 30, unless the Department of Revenue changes course. The Crane location employs 5 people part-time and is well known for customer service.
February 15, 2018
Isaac Estes-Jones
The Crane License Bureau is set to close at the end of March due to lack of transactions, the Crane Chronicle has learned.
The Crane License Bureau, located at 103-2 South Street, next to Walker Realty and Insurance and The Pirates Hangout, learned last week that the Missouri Department of Revenue is set to close the location on March 30.
“It’s kind of a shock to everyone,” said Sally Reavis, office manager at the Crane License Bureau. Reavis has been office manager for around five years.
Cara McMenamy is the contractor awarded by the state to run the office. “We got the call last Wednesday,” she said.
“I think our strong hold is customer service,” said one employee in Crane. “We have people drive down from Springfield, people drive up from Lampe and Blue Eye and Nixa, where they drive right past other offices just to come here,” the employee told the Chronicle.
“Crane needs all of the opportunities we can get,” Reavis said. “When people come in from out of town, they ask about good places to eat, or they get gas at the gas stations or shop at the flea markets. Having people come in is good for the town.”
For the DOR, the decision reportedly came down to whether they thought the contractors could make money.
In an email to Representatives Phillips and Fitzpatrick and Senator Sater, Mark Siettmann, Legislative Director for the Missouri Department of Revenue said, “Because we bid every office to a contractor, we have an obligation to make sure that contractor can be successful.” The letter also states that the DOR came up with “clear, objective criteria” on whether to keep or close an office. Those criteria are 1 - the number of transactions and revenue and 2 - how many offices are within 20 miles (a “relatively easy distance to drive from the farthest point”).
According to estimated transaction counts obtained from the DOR, the Crane bureau had 16,168 total transactions in 2017. The total processing fees collected in 2017 were estimated at $52, 681. In 2016, total fees brought in were almost $49,000 and there were 13,441 transactions and $44,486 in fees in 2014. This indicates that the Crane branch was continually increasing revenue, year over year.
According to news releases from the Department of Revenue, under the agreement signed between the DOR and McMenamy Ventures LLC in 2014, the contractor operating the license office committed to return 1 percent of processing fees to the state. In 2017, this was approximately $526.
According to a fact sheet sent to elected officials by DOR, hey estimate the Crane office would lose money and therefore should be closed.
The DOR computed this using “average contractor costs for rent, electricity, payroll, etc.” estimating that the office would lose over $20,000/year.
Siettmann told the Senator and Representatives, “there is another office within 20 miles of Crane (Aurora) and one other office in Stone County (Branson West.) Several others are close by.
...
We believe this office meets the objective criteria, and, while there may be subjective reasons to keep it open, we believe the objective criteria are paramount to good management of our offices in general.” He also said, “Low transaction offices have difficulty making a profit, which means they more regularly close mid-contract. We can’t force an office into an area where the transactions don’t sup- port it.”
The Crane license office has been operated by Cara McMenamy since 2009, when she took over from her parents, the Walkers. Cara started as the office manager in 2005.
“It’s been 13 years,” McMenamy said. “I had a baby just before it opened. I had been watching for it to go up for bid this year, but it never did, then we got the call about it closing.”
2009 was the first year that contracts for license offices were awarded based on a comprehensive bidding system. Former Governor Jay Nixon championed the process when he was running for office. McMenamy was awarded the contract in August of that year.
The Missouri Department of Revenue oversees 182 license offices, which are each operated by independent agents. The state estimates it costs $4,992 per year to support the Crane office.
“It’s really a shame. I think it will be a hardship on older people, too,” Reavis said. Reavis also spoke about the hours offered by the office. “We are open a half-day every Saturday. That way, people who work during the week can still make it in to get what they need done without missing work.”
For oversight, the office is has a field coordinator that will drop in every four to six weeks, to make sure everything is being done correctly and to do any training required for new initiatives by the state. This makes up the majority of the $5,000 the state sees itself saving if this office is closed.
Some have contacted the paper, wondering if there is any way to keep the office open.
Some concerned citizens have suggested contacting their Representatives Phillips or Fitzpatrick, as well as State Senator David Sater.
One individual shared the email response they received from Sater’s office. The message said, “I shared your concern with our liaison and his response to me was that they chose not to bid Crane and only reference the three offices within 20 miles as one of the reasons they could do so. He assured me that none of those are being closed. Hope this answers your concern. Thank you for contacting our office.”
While there is no guarantee it will change the fate of the Crane office, we at The Chronicle always encourage citizens to let their elected officials know how they feel about decisions made by the state. Senator Sater’s phone number is (573) 751-1480. Representative Phillips can be contacted at (573) 751-3851. Those who live in Shell Knob or Barry County can reach your representative, Scott Fitzpatrick, at (573) 751-1488.
If the Crane office does close, the closest license offices will be in Branson West, Aurora, Republic or Cassville.
The Branson West and Cassville offices are managed by License Office Services, LLC of Jefferson City. Aurora is managed by the Mt. Vernon Area Community Foundation, and Republic is contracted to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, which is headquartered in Springfield.
We will be monitoring this situation closely in the coming weeks and will follow up when any new information becomes available.
Share your thoughts and opinions on this closure with us. Do you think the state is right to close the office when the contractor was willing and able to keep the office running? Do you drive from out of town to do business at the Crane office? Other comments on the Crane License Office?
Let us know. Call the office at (417) 723-5248 or email me, Isaac Estes-Jones, at screditor@centurylink.net. We want to know how this will affect our readers.
Isaac Estes-Jones
The Crane License Bureau is set to close at the end of March due to lack of transactions, the Crane Chronicle has learned.
The Crane License Bureau, located at 103-2 South Street, next to Walker Realty and Insurance and The Pirates Hangout, learned last week that the Missouri Department of Revenue is set to close the location on March 30.
“It’s kind of a shock to everyone,” said Sally Reavis, office manager at the Crane License Bureau. Reavis has been office manager for around five years.
Cara McMenamy is the contractor awarded by the state to run the office. “We got the call last Wednesday,” she said.
“I think our strong hold is customer service,” said one employee in Crane. “We have people drive down from Springfield, people drive up from Lampe and Blue Eye and Nixa, where they drive right past other offices just to come here,” the employee told the Chronicle.
“Crane needs all of the opportunities we can get,” Reavis said. “When people come in from out of town, they ask about good places to eat, or they get gas at the gas stations or shop at the flea markets. Having people come in is good for the town.”
For the DOR, the decision reportedly came down to whether they thought the contractors could make money.
In an email to Representatives Phillips and Fitzpatrick and Senator Sater, Mark Siettmann, Legislative Director for the Missouri Department of Revenue said, “Because we bid every office to a contractor, we have an obligation to make sure that contractor can be successful.” The letter also states that the DOR came up with “clear, objective criteria” on whether to keep or close an office. Those criteria are 1 - the number of transactions and revenue and 2 - how many offices are within 20 miles (a “relatively easy distance to drive from the farthest point”).
According to estimated transaction counts obtained from the DOR, the Crane bureau had 16,168 total transactions in 2017. The total processing fees collected in 2017 were estimated at $52, 681. In 2016, total fees brought in were almost $49,000 and there were 13,441 transactions and $44,486 in fees in 2014. This indicates that the Crane branch was continually increasing revenue, year over year.
According to news releases from the Department of Revenue, under the agreement signed between the DOR and McMenamy Ventures LLC in 2014, the contractor operating the license office committed to return 1 percent of processing fees to the state. In 2017, this was approximately $526.
According to a fact sheet sent to elected officials by DOR, hey estimate the Crane office would lose money and therefore should be closed.
The DOR computed this using “average contractor costs for rent, electricity, payroll, etc.” estimating that the office would lose over $20,000/year.
Siettmann told the Senator and Representatives, “there is another office within 20 miles of Crane (Aurora) and one other office in Stone County (Branson West.) Several others are close by.
...
We believe this office meets the objective criteria, and, while there may be subjective reasons to keep it open, we believe the objective criteria are paramount to good management of our offices in general.” He also said, “Low transaction offices have difficulty making a profit, which means they more regularly close mid-contract. We can’t force an office into an area where the transactions don’t sup- port it.”
The Crane license office has been operated by Cara McMenamy since 2009, when she took over from her parents, the Walkers. Cara started as the office manager in 2005.
“It’s been 13 years,” McMenamy said. “I had a baby just before it opened. I had been watching for it to go up for bid this year, but it never did, then we got the call about it closing.”
2009 was the first year that contracts for license offices were awarded based on a comprehensive bidding system. Former Governor Jay Nixon championed the process when he was running for office. McMenamy was awarded the contract in August of that year.
The Missouri Department of Revenue oversees 182 license offices, which are each operated by independent agents. The state estimates it costs $4,992 per year to support the Crane office.
“It’s really a shame. I think it will be a hardship on older people, too,” Reavis said. Reavis also spoke about the hours offered by the office. “We are open a half-day every Saturday. That way, people who work during the week can still make it in to get what they need done without missing work.”
For oversight, the office is has a field coordinator that will drop in every four to six weeks, to make sure everything is being done correctly and to do any training required for new initiatives by the state. This makes up the majority of the $5,000 the state sees itself saving if this office is closed.
Some have contacted the paper, wondering if there is any way to keep the office open.
Some concerned citizens have suggested contacting their Representatives Phillips or Fitzpatrick, as well as State Senator David Sater.
One individual shared the email response they received from Sater’s office. The message said, “I shared your concern with our liaison and his response to me was that they chose not to bid Crane and only reference the three offices within 20 miles as one of the reasons they could do so. He assured me that none of those are being closed. Hope this answers your concern. Thank you for contacting our office.”
While there is no guarantee it will change the fate of the Crane office, we at The Chronicle always encourage citizens to let their elected officials know how they feel about decisions made by the state. Senator Sater’s phone number is (573) 751-1480. Representative Phillips can be contacted at (573) 751-3851. Those who live in Shell Knob or Barry County can reach your representative, Scott Fitzpatrick, at (573) 751-1488.
If the Crane office does close, the closest license offices will be in Branson West, Aurora, Republic or Cassville.
The Branson West and Cassville offices are managed by License Office Services, LLC of Jefferson City. Aurora is managed by the Mt. Vernon Area Community Foundation, and Republic is contracted to the Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, which is headquartered in Springfield.
We will be monitoring this situation closely in the coming weeks and will follow up when any new information becomes available.
Share your thoughts and opinions on this closure with us. Do you think the state is right to close the office when the contractor was willing and able to keep the office running? Do you drive from out of town to do business at the Crane office? Other comments on the Crane License Office?
Let us know. Call the office at (417) 723-5248 or email me, Isaac Estes-Jones, at screditor@centurylink.net. We want to know how this will affect our readers.