Executive Summary
The St. Charles County Port Authority (SCCPA), a quasi-governmental special district created under RSMo Chapter 68, oversees waterfront development and economic development initiatives along the Missouri River corridor in St. Charles County. METG314 opened this investigation in January 2026 following a tip from a former port authority employee alleging that board members had directed contracts to companies in which they held direct financial interests.
Based on publicly available meeting minutes, financial disclosure forms obtained through prior Sunshine Law requests, and Missouri Ethics Commission records, METG314 has identified at least three instances where board members participated in contract votes that appear to benefit businesses connected to them. If confirmed, these actions would constitute violations of Missouri's ethics statutes governing conflicts of interest for public officials (RSMo 105.450–105.470) and could expose the involved individuals to both civil and criminal penalties.
This investigation is currently Under Review. Sunshine Law requests for complete financial disclosure records, board resolution documents, and vendor payment records were submitted on January 28, 2026. As of this update, the Port Authority has partially responded but has withheld certain records under claimed exemptions that METG314 is challenging.
Background
The St. Charles County Port Authority was established in 1997 to promote economic development along the Missouri River within St. Charles County. The authority has a seven-member board appointed by the county commission and St. Charles City Council. The SCCPA controls a budget of approximately $4.2 million annually and manages several grant programs, including federal Economic Development Administration funds.
Under Missouri law, the Port Authority is subject to the Missouri Sunshine Law (RSMo Chapter 610), must hold open public meetings, and board members are required to file financial interest disclosures with the Missouri Ethics Commission. Board members are public officials under RSMo Chapter 105 and are prohibited from participating in votes on matters in which they have a direct or indirect financial interest.
The current investigation was triggered by a confidential tip received in December 2025 from an individual with direct knowledge of board operations. The tipster alleged that at least two board members had voted on contracts awarded to companies they owned or in which their family members held material interests, and that this practice had been occurring for multiple years without disclosure or recusal.
Timeline of Key Events
Key Findings
- Board member Richard Collier voted on a $380,000 contract awarded to River Bend Infrastructure LLC, of which he holds a documented 34% ownership interest per Missouri Secretary of State records, without disclosing this interest or recusing from the vote as required under RSMo 105.452.
- Board chair Donna Pfeiffer voted on a $225,000 contract awarded to Coastal Planning Associates. Her spouse is listed as a named principal on the company's public website. No recusal was noted in meeting minutes for December 2023 or March 2024 sessions.
- Board member James Kettler voted to approve a $95,000 contract with Missouri Wetlands Group, LLC. Secretary of State records identify Kettler's brother-in-law as registered agent and co-manager of the LLC. This interest was not disclosed on Kettler's 2024 Ethics Commission filing.
- Missouri Ethics Commission records confirm that none of the three board members disclosed the relevant company interests on their annual financial disclosure forms for 2022, 2023, or 2024 — a potential violation of RSMo 105.483.
- The Port Authority's response to METG314's Sunshine Law request withheld board-vendor correspondence under a blanket attorney-client privilege claim. Legal review by METG314's advisor suggests this claim is not supported by Missouri Supreme Court precedent on governmental privilege assertions.
- The combined contract value at issue totals approximately $700,000 in public funds awarded to entities connected to board members who did not recuse and did not disclose their interests.
People Involved
Source Documents
Relevant Missouri Laws
Questions for the Public
As METG314 continues to investigate, we are seeking public assistance in answering the following questions:
- Did any Port Authority board member or staff member ever informally disclose a financial interest in a vendor to other board members before a vote?
- Were any concerns about conflicts of interest raised internally and subsequently suppressed?
- Are there additional contracts — before 2022 or after mid-2024 — involving the same board members and connected vendors?
- Did any Port Authority staff member raise procurement concerns and face adverse employment consequences as a result?
- Are there communications between board members and vendors occurring outside official channels (personal email, text, informal meetings)?
Have Information About This Investigation?
If you have direct knowledge of Port Authority operations, additional documents, or information relevant to this investigation, METG314 wants to hear from you. Your identity is always protected — we will never publish your name without your explicit written consent.