The current manager of the Warrenton license bureau is expressing dissatisfaction after her bid was not selected in a new statewide bidding process implemented by Gov. Jay Nixon earlier this year. The Missouri Department of Revenue announced last Thursday it awarded the local management contract to Wentzville Agency Management, LLC. The company is headed up by Mary Winkelmann, of Labadie, the current agent for the Wentzville license office; Michelle Boyer, of O'Fallon, the Wentzville office manager; and John Harris, of Washington. Harris is Winkelmann's son. The lone other bid was submitted by Warrenton resident Melody Schowe, who has managed the local office since August 2005. Bids were due June 2. Bidding began April 28. "I am very disappointed," Schowe said. "I feel like I've done my job. I was confident I'd done my job." The new management firm will take over Aug. 13, according to the Department of Revenue. One of the biggest changes to take place will be a new location. The license bureau will remain in Warrenton but will move to 609 Veterans Memorial Parkway, in a location that was previously used during the presidential campaign by Barack Obama staffers and volunteers. The current office is housed at 511 West Booneslick. Schowe's staff included three other full-time employees. Boyer indicated the new management plans on retaining the employees. "We're going through that process now," Boyer said. "We do plan on keeping the staff." According to the state, the Warrenton office processed 45,360 transactions in fiscal year 2008. Processing fees totaled $151,671. Each bid applicant was judged on efficiency, customer service, financial stability and past performance. Extra points are given for minority- and women-owned businesses, those willing to return to the state part of the processing fee and if the applicant is a not-for-profit or civic group. Schowe feels the bid may have been decided on how much money from estimated revenues the state was going to receive from the local office. According to the release issued by the Department of Revenue, the winning bid from the Wentzville Agency Management included a 5 percent return to the state - or $7,583. Schowe said her submitted bid included a 2 percent return to the state. She acknowledged she could have increased the amount, but didn't want to decrease the $2,500 she budgets annually for donations to local organizations. "I donate a lot to the community," Schowe stated. "These are little things they might not do. I would have to decide where to make cuts or not give (employee) raises." In the release, an official with the Department of Revenue said the money returned to the state would be used for a "variety of vital state services." A license office is responsible for processing several transactions, including the issuance and renewal of driver licenses, applying for titles for motor vehicles, and the issuance and renewal of registration for motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors. Each office is overseen by the Department of Revenue, but is operated by an independent contractor. Every license bureau in the state went out to bid this year after Nixon's intent to remove political connections to the offices. So far, 48 offices have been awarded bids and the bidding time has closed for another 87.