Shuttered license office to reopen under new management

One of Springfield's three license offices closed abruptly this week, and new management is incoming for a reopening at a different location, a state official says.

Missouri Department of Revenue spokesperson Anne Marie Moy said via email that the Glenstone License Office would reopen July 17 at 525A S. Glenstone Ave. The contract for the office was awarded to CGB Holdings LLC on Feb. 15, Moy said.

Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks, the previous operator of the Glenstone License Office at 1002 S. Glenstone Ave., announced the Tuesday closure on Facebook.

"It's been a wonderful 13 years serving you at the Glenstone License Office at Grand and Glenstone. The money we raised while running this office as a contractor has helped Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks pay the daily living expenses of thousands of families in the (Ozarks) who are dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis," the post reads. "Even though the state of Missouri has made the decision to close this office, we will continue our mission to help Ozarks families battling breast cancer."

BCFO is engaged in litigation against the DOR in regard to its licensing processes, said Joe Daues, the nonprofit's CEO, via email. He provided a statement to Springfield Business Journal on behalf of BCFO.

"During the past four years, BCFO has seen countless examples of how the DOR bid process is broken, and that is currently the source of litigation, which we will not comment on," the statement reads.

The case type, according to records on file with Missouri Case.net, is a state agency review. A request for comment from the DOR was not answered by deadline.

CGB Holdings, the new Glenstone License Office operator, is organized by former BCFO Executive Director Crystal Webster, according to past SBJ reporting.

In the statement provided by Daues, BCFO officials said staff of the 1002 S. Glenstone Ave. office have set up outside to answer customer questions.

"Beginning Wednesday and continuing today and for the foreseeable future, they are standing outside the Glenstone office – even though it’s closed – to answer questions and make sure customers know where to get their licenses and titles taken care of, even though the state said they do not have to do it," the statement reads. "Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks is proud of the work they do … and we offered jobs to staff who wanted to stay in the BCFO family in our other offices in Republic, Nixa, Ozark and Joplin so none of them suffered a lapse in pay and benefits."

The open bidding process for license offices began in 2009 under Gov. Jay Nixon, according to past reporting. Bid results reportedly have been impacted by delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.