St. Louis News Blog

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Florissant: What would Shandi do?

A group calling themselves Friends of Florissant has delivered 3,211 signatures to Missouri State Auditor Susan Montee requesting that her office audit the north county suburb. 

Friends of Florissant has a complete list of grievances on its Web site, but here are a few of the highlights they want examined:

• Mayor Robert Lowery Sr. and his alleged use of a Florissant police officer as a full-time personal assistant and chauffeur.
• The Florissant Golf Course, which they say is a perennial money-loser.
• A real-estate transaction between the City of Florissant, auto dealer Johnny Londoff and Matthew Burghoff, a Kirkwood developer who was sentenced in December to two years in prison for bank fraud. 

I can't say whether the city's finances are awry, but I do chuckle every time I drive into Florissant and see that huge sign off Interstate 70 welcoming people to town. The placard boasts two things about Florissant. A. Its mayor is Robert Lowery. B. It's the proud hometown of Miss USA 2004 Shandi Finnessey.

Seems to me Lowery (or whoever approved that sign) went a little overboard on that one, especially since Finnessey traded in the crown years ago.