The Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce will no longer run a license office in Festus.
“After nearly 50 years, the Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce will no longer operate the Twin City License Office, effective Monday, April 30, 2018. The Chamber of Commerce will cease License Office operations on Friday, April 27, at 6 p.m.,” the organization reported.
The chamber lost the contract to continue operating the license office at 114 E. Main St. in Festus, and the Department of Revenue instead awarded it to York Management Group, which is expected to open a new license office in the next 45 to 60 days, the company reported today (April 27)..
York Management would not say where the new office would be, except that it would be somewhere in Festus.
The DOR had solicited bids to run the office, and the chamber and York Management were among three bids. When the chamber learned in February that it lost the contract, it appealed the decision and received an extension to continue operating the license office through April 28.
The chamber, which had run the office since 1973, learned today that it had lost its appeal.
Chamber leaders would not comment today about losing the contract and appeal. However, state Rep. Becky Ruth (R-Festus), who helped the chamber with the appeal, said she was sorry to hear that the DOR ruled against it.
“I have been working very hard on this matter to try to reach some sort of conclusion for everyone involved,” Ruth said. “I have tried as hard as I can to keep it a business operation of the chamber. I’m very disappointed.”
Chamber leaders previously argued that it was in the community’s best interest to have the chamber continue operating the license office because the nonprofit organization used the proceeds to fund scholarships, put on local events and fund other local charitable endeavors.
Angela Gualdoni and Bill Hediger, partners with York Management Group, said the company would consider supporting community causes.
“They (charitable organizations) would need to contact us,” Hediger said.
Gualdoni said the company has a site in Festus targeted for the new office, but are still in negotiations and cannot yet release the address.
York Management currently operates four other license offices in Missouri and is scheduled to begin operating another in Ferguson in May.
Gualdoni said York Management plans to add staff when the new license office opens in Festus.
The chamber currently has seven employees working at the office, and York Management could keep some of them on, Gualdoni said.
“We’re currently in negotiations with some (of the current office staff),” she said.
Gualdoni said York Management plans to add some Saturday hours when it opens the Festus office and will have the following hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and tentatively 8 a.m. to noon on two Saturdays a month.