SAVANNAH, Mo. — On Wednesday, the Missouri Department of Revenue closed down the licensing office run by an independent contractor in the southeast corner of the Andrew County courthouse basement.

The closure is because a new contract has been awarded to Cathy Bowman, who was one of two individuals who submitted business plans, said David Griffith, a spokesman for the Department of Revenue. The office will remain closed for about two weeks to allow for removal of equipment, an ordinary review of records and installation of Ms. Bowman’s equipment.

“Rumors to the contrary, there was no forcible removal. We simply couldn’t come to terms,” said Heather Spicer, the interim office manager. “I’ve worked there for four years and they’d changed everything. It’s nothing more than we couldn’t come to terms on the bid process and there is no ill will.”

Ms. Spicer has been the interim contractor since her mother, Cyndee Merritt, was appointed in March to be Andrew County clerk. Before that, Ms. Spicer worked as an employee to her mother. Mrs. Merritt wrote a note to the Andrew County commissioners releasing the office space she’d leased through December for the license office. Ms. Bowman will have to negotiate a new lease with the county.

Area residents arriving at the office door on Thursday were vocal and confused about why the state would close the office.

The office was closed without any prior notice in the newspaper, said an upset Bryan Crippen, who’d been trying to get a license for the pickup he’d just bought.

State Sen. Brad Lager said Thursday he’d received complaints about the office’s hours of operations and passed them on to the department.

“There have been customer-service complaints, but they had nothing to do with the awarding of the new contract,” Mr. Griffith said.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Andrew County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday that they haven’t been asked to investigate any alleged wrongdoing.

Marshall White can be reached

at marshall@npgco.com.