KANSAS CITY — The former husband of State Auditor Susan Montee is expected to run a driver's license fee office in suburban Kansas City.
James Montee plans to operate the Lee's Summit fee office at the Summit Shopping Center. Montee's management team pledged to return about $42,000 in first-year revenues to the state.
Potential operators submit bids to Gov. Jay Nixon, who awards contracts to run the offices. They're called fee offices because operators charge motorists a fee to process driver's license and motor vehicle registrations.
Mike Smith, the previous Lee's Summit fee office operator, told The Kansas City Star on Tuesday that he is "blown away" by the decision. Smith sought to keep the fee office. He said that awarding it to the ex-husband of a statewide officeholder was keeping politics involved in the process.