Gov.-elect Jay Nixon, a Democrat, just announced today that he’s naming Karen K. Mitchell, of Columbia, Mo., to be the new director of the Missouri Department of Revenue.

As his e-release notes, “In that position, Ms. Mitchell will be instrumental in carrying out Gov.-elect Nixon’s plans to streamline and modernize the Department’s operations.”

Mitchell has been with Nixon in the attorney general’s office for the last 16 years. Said Nixon in a statement: “I’ve worked closely with Karen Mitchell for the past 16 years, and I couldn’t ask for a better manager and professional to assume this important position in my administration…”

One of Mitchell’s tasks will be to end the state’s longstanding system of political patronage for license fee offices and put many motor vehicle transactions online.

As the Democratic Web site Firedup notes, at least one patronage operator is closing shop early. (To give credit where it’s due, the original report was in the Mexico, Mo. Ledger.

Said Mitchell in that same e-release: “From Day One, we’re going to hit the ground running. We’ll start the process of competitively bidding all the state’s license fee offices and expanding online services. As the national economic crisis continues, we’re going to use taxpayer dollars responsibly, and we will look for additional opportunities to save time and money for Missouri families….”

Meanwhile, Gov. Matt Blunt’s deputy general counsel — Nicholas G. Frey – left as of last month, and now is returning to the Jefferson City office of Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, where Frey worked before joining Blunt.

As the firm says in an e-release:

Frey’s practice will focus on assisting clients with all aspects of Missouri state government regulation. He concentrates on professional licensing, health care industry issues, government litigation and lobbying the Missouri General Assembly.

“Nick brings great experience with the executive branch to our Government Solutions practice,” said Chuck Hatfield, managing partner of the Jefferson City office. “Nick is a great lawyer with an excellent understanding of Missouri state government. He is a great enhancement to the services we can offer clients firm wide and from the Jefferson City office in particular.”

As Fixers know, Hatfield is Nixon’s former chief of staff and campaign manager, and a close friend of incoming attorney general Chris Koster.

Also among Stinson’s lawyers, when last we checked, is the Republican who lost to Koster: outgoing state Sen. President Pro Tem Michael Gibbons.