The Nixon administration today awarded a contract to run one of the most lucrative driver's license fee offices in the state.

James Montee, ex-husband of Democratic state Auditor Susan Montee, will operate the Lee's Summit office.

The contract brings to 19 the number of fee offices awarded under Gov. Jay Nixon's new system aimed at ending the decades-long fee office patronage system.

Under the new system, office operators must submit bids to win the right to run an office. Four parties submitted bids to run the Lee's Summit office, the state said.

Montee and his team will return 8 percent ($42,424) of its first-year revenues.

The license office will stay at its current location at 196-A Northwest Oldham Parkway in the Summit Shopping Center.

Mike Smith, who ran the office in recent years and had bid to run it again, said he was "blown away" by the announcement. He said he had recommendations from both Democrats and Republicans to continue running the office.

He said his record was very strong in that the office was open Saturdays, had a reputation for providing fast service and received few complaints.

Smith, who is also chair of the Jackson County Sports Authority, questioned how Nixon was removing politics from the process by awarding an office to the former husband of the state auditor.

"(Nixon) wants to take the political process out of it," Smith said. "I’d say there’s a political process still involved in it. I don’t want to sound like a cry baby, by no means."

He also questioned how James Montee could return $42,000 to the state the first year.

"There's not $42,000 to give back if you do it right. I could’t give back 8 percent."

Details about days of operation and transitional changes in the operating hours of the offices, if any, will be announced by the agents.