Eastern Missouri 2 Active Investigations

St. Charles County

County Seat: St. Charles sccmo.org Pop. ~415,000 (2020) Last updated: April 2026
9
Entities Tracked
2
Investigations
14
Records Requests
6
Pending Responses
Active Monitoring: METG314 currently has two open investigations involving St. Charles County entities. Records requests have been submitted and responses are pending as of April 2026.

County Overview

St. Charles County is the third-most populous county in Missouri and one of the fastest-growing counties in the Midwest. Located immediately west of St. Louis County along the Missouri River, it encompasses a mix of suburban communities, small towns, and rural areas. The county seat, St. Charles, is one of Missouri's oldest cities and the site of the first Missouri state capital.

The county government is led by an elected County Executive and a seven-member County Council. Multiple special purpose districts, a robust port authority, and numerous boards and commissions operate within county boundaries, creating a complex web of public entities with significant fiscal authority and limited public oversight.

METG314 began monitoring St. Charles County in January 2025 following tips related to port authority contracting practices and planning & zoning decision processes. Since then, 14 sunshine law records requests have been filed covering financial disclosures, vendor contracts, meeting minutes, and correspondence.

Key Issues Under Review

Port Authority Contract Transparency
Concerns regarding sole-source vendor contracts awarded by the St. Charles County Port Authority without competitive bidding. METG314 has submitted records requests for vendor selection documentation dating back to 2021.
Planning & Zoning Decision Process
A pattern of large commercial rezoning approvals with minimal public comment periods has drawn scrutiny. METG314 is reviewing meeting minutes and communications between developers and planning staff.
Assessor's Office Valuation Disparities
Irregular commercial property assessments flagged by multiple businesses suggest potential inconsistencies in valuation methodology. Three appeals are currently pending before the Board of Equalization.
Sunshine Law Compliance Delays Monitoring
Six outstanding records requests have exceeded the Missouri Sunshine Law's 3-business-day acknowledgment requirement. METG314 is documenting all delays and may refer to the Missouri Attorney General.

Government Entities

County Executive

Executive Office · Elected
Chief executive officer of county government. Oversees budget, appointments, and administration of all county departments.
No Active Issues

County Council

Legislative Body · 7 Members · Elected
Seven-member legislative body responsible for passing ordinances, setting the tax rate, and approving the county budget.
No Active Issues

Assessor's Office

County Office · Elected Assessor
Determines the assessed valuation of all real and personal property within the county for tax purposes.
Under Review

Collector of Revenue

County Office · Elected
Collects real estate and personal property taxes, as well as merchant's license fees and other county revenues.
No Active Issues

Sheriff's Department

Law Enforcement · Elected Sheriff
Primary law enforcement agency for unincorporated county areas; also operates the county detention center.
No Active Issues

Prosecuting Attorney

Prosecutorial Office · Elected
Prosecutes criminal cases on behalf of the State of Missouri within St. Charles County. Also handles civil enforcement for the county.
No Active Issues

Recorder of Deeds

County Office · Elected
Maintains official records of property transfers, mortgages, plats, and other legal documents filed within the county.
No Active Issues

Port Authority

Special Purpose District · Appointed Board
Manages port and industrial development, issues revenue bonds, and oversees economic development projects along the Missouri River corridor.
Under Investigation

Planning & Zoning Commission

Commission · Appointed Members
Reviews and makes recommendations on land use applications, rezoning requests, comprehensive plan amendments, and subdivision plats.
Under Review

Active Investigations

Opened: Feb 14, 2026 St. Charles County Port Authority Lead: M. Harrington

METG314 is examining whether proper competitive bidding procedures were followed for a $4.2M riverfront development consulting contract awarded in December 2025. Records obtained under the Sunshine Law show the winning vendor was the only firm to receive an invitation to bid.

Opened: Nov 3, 2025 Planning & Zoning Commission Lead: T. Walczak

Analysis of 38 commercial rezoning decisions since 2022 reveals a higher approval rate for applicants represented by a small number of connected land-use attorneys. METG314 is reviewing ex-parte communications and recusal records.

Recent Records Requests

Date Filed Record Type Entity Status Due / Received
Mar 28, 2026 Vendor contracts, 2024–2025 Port Authority Pending Apr 2, 2026
Mar 15, 2026 Meeting minutes, Q1 2026 Planning & Zoning Overdue Mar 20, 2026
Feb 22, 2026 Bid documents — Riverfront contract Port Authority Received Mar 5, 2026
Feb 14, 2026 Vendor selection communications Port Authority Partial Feb 21, 2026
Jan 30, 2026 Assessor valuation methodology docs Assessor's Office Overdue Feb 4, 2026
Jan 12, 2026 Ex-parte communication logs Planning & Zoning Received Jan 18, 2026
Nov 20, 2025 Rezoning vote records, 2022–2025 County Council Received Dec 3, 2025

Missouri Sunshine Law (§ 610.023 RSMo) requires acknowledgment within 3 business days and production within a reasonable time. "Overdue" indicates no response has been received past the acknowledgment deadline.

Key Officials

Name Title / Office Method Term Contact
Steve Ehlmann County Executive Elected 2023–2027 Website
Joe Brazil County Council — District 1 Elected 2022–2026 —
Mike Elam County Council — District 2 Elected 2024–2028 —
Dave Hammond County Council — District 3 Elected 2022–2026 —
Suzanne Lemen County Council — District 4 Elected 2024–2028 —
Matt Lewis Assessor Elected 2022–2026 Website
Michelle McBride Collector of Revenue Elected 2022–2026 Website
Tom Nolan Sheriff Elected 2021–2025 Website
Eric Fey Recorder of Deeds Elected 2023–2027 Website
Timothy Lohmar Prosecuting Attorney Elected 2022–2026 Website

Official information sourced from public county records and sccmo.org. METG314 makes no representations regarding the conduct of any individual official.

Know Something About St. Charles County?

Help us track accountability in your county. Tips can be submitted anonymously. All submissions are reviewed by METG314 volunteers.

Submit a Tip