Workers Praise New Non-Profit Management of License Office

"It's Improved . . . It's Gotten Better"

ALTERNATIVE OPPORTUNITIES NOW RUNS 10 OFFICES

Despite criticism from the Missouri Republican Party, Alternative Opportunities is getting high praise from its workers on how it's managing the South Fremont license office in Springfield.

A new Missouri law has paved the way for more non-profits to run the state's license fee offices. But that doesn't mean the new reforms -- designed to end the patronage system -- isn't without critics.

WATCH THE KY3 NEWS @ 10 REPORT HERE

KEY BYTES:

"It's just an honor for me to be here and Alternative Opportunities helped me. Alternative Opportunities is basically the reason I'm here," said 17-year old worker Kristina Beller, who was hired on full-time through the group's employment program.

"We gave them raises, 401ks, paid time off. We offer health benefits that they've never been able to offer before. We had a lot more to offer these license offices, more than any individual or most groups could offer," said Gary McMurtrey of Alternative Opportunities, explaining why he thinks the group has won so many bids.

"It begs the question, what are they trying to get from the Nixon administration? More importantly, how much of an influence have their donations and high-powered lobbyists had on Nixon,?" said MOGOP executive director Lloyd Smith, questioning the $11,000 in campaign contributions Alternative executives donated to Gov. Jay Nixon's campaign.

"Everybody's happy. They're happy with it now. It's improved. It's gotten better, and we definitely enjoy that," said Kelsey Kruzel, a fee office employee who worked under the previous management. Asked whether any employee would want to go back to the old management, Kruzel replied, "No. They didn't get health insurance or raises."

"I think you have to wait awhile to see if the reforms worked," said Rep. Shane Schoeller, who supported the reforms put into place. Schoeller declined to comment on Alternative specifically because his wife runs a fee office in Nixa. Alternative is competing for that office as well.

Smith was unavailable for a phone interview Tuesday night and Springfield Rep. Bob Dixon did not return a call for comment.

Nixon Close To Fee Office Reform

Governor Jay Nixon is lauding the passage of legislation that will require Missouri's license fee offices to be put up for competitive bid.

UPDATED @ 9:40 PM: BUT GOP CALLS FOUL ON REFORM

Says Major Nixon contributors have now become the new contractors for HALF of all the license offices

Nixon's fee office reform was one of the first policies he announced as Governor. In January, the South Fremont office in Springfield was one of the first he put up for bid. The passage of House Bill 683 is expected to make those changes permanent.

To date, the Governor's office says 102 of 183 of the state's license offices have been put out for competitive bid. 11 offices have been awarded; the bidding process has closed on another 61 offices.

"Four months after I ended the system of political patronage for fee offices, the General Assembly has ensured that its vestiges will be gone under future Governors as well," Gov. Nixon said. "Missourians deserve to know that the management of their local fee office has been chosen based on merit and how well they serve their customers, not on political affiliation. This is a great day in making our reforms permanent."

MOGOP RESPONDS:

"In the wake of criticism surrounding Governor Jay Nixon's appointment of his moneyed supporters to plum government positions and his attempt to bribe state lawmakers, he is now falsely boasting that he somehow 'ended' Missouri's patronage system when, in fact, he has rewarded multiple license offices to his political cronies," said GOP spokesman Jonathan Prouty. "Nearly half of the license offices awarded by Nixon to date have been doled out to his campaign donors—donors linked to more than $40,000 in contributions to his 2008 gubernatorial campaign. This figure could increase exponentially as a number of wealthy, well-connected Nixon donors have placed bids for license offices that have yet to be awarded," said Prouty.

PLUS: Tony Messenger TWITTERS that two conflicting fee office bills have now passed.

Robinson vs. Hervey

Take a look at these two statements -- one sent out by Gov. Matt Blunt's office, and another sent out by the state Republican Party spokeswoman, following Jay Nixon's announcement of his license fee office reform plan.

Which makes you smirk quicker?

First Tina Hervey, @ 12:53 PM: "Governor-elect Nixon has yet again proven that he talks the talk but cannot walk the walk. Hopefully Nixon will continue to hold fee offices to high customer service standards as Governor Blunt has done and only time will tell how many Nixon contributors and supporters are rewarded," said Mo. GOP spokeswoman Hervey in a statement.

Then, Jessica Robinson, of Gov. Blunt's office, @ 2:03 PM: "Gov. Matt Blunt was the first governor in Missouri history to open contract offices to a competitive bidding process and today he applauded Gov.-elect Jay Nixon for announcing his intention to continue this open and transparent process. So far we have opened twelve offices to this competitive process and eight contracts have been awarded. This open process has been good for state government and good for taxpayers and Governor Blunt applauds Gov.-elect Nixon for continuing these open bids."

First things first, while Blunt did open some contracts for bid. As noted, that involved a total of 12. Nixon's plan is to open up ALL of the license fee offices to a competitive bidding process.

Secondly, obviously Robinson's praise of Nixon is mainly meant to get across the point that this is something Blunt has already been doing. It's like sarcastically saying, "You're so awesome for stealing my idea. You're right, it really is smart!"

Hervey doesn't offer any praise, but rather, takes Nixon to task "for failing to walk the walk." But how do we know if he's walked the walk, before he's even putting on his running shoes? (Nixon's inaugurated Jan. 12th).

It makes bipartisans all warm inside to see Blunt praising Nixon, even if it's with a slight jab.

Either Hervey has to get more sarcastic or Robinson should just go back to being mean.

But, let's stay on the same page here people.

Or not.

In an e-mail to the Notebook, Hervey put it this way: "Jessica and I work for different people and have different jobs."