FBI still in Independence, asks for records on controversial power plant project
FBI agents last week sought records from Independence City Hall that relate to a public contract that went to a politically connected firm, despite being twice the cost of the other bidder.
The FBI asked the Independence city clerk on March 12 for copies of a request for qualifications issued in 2016 to decommission a power plant in Missouri City belonging to Independence Power & Light.
The FBI also asked for the minutes of two Independence City Council meetings held in 2016 where the Missouri City project was discussed, as well as a 2014 resolution calling for the city manager to study options for what to do with the aging coal-fired power plant.
The Star obtained a copy of the FBI’s request through a Missouri Sunshine Law request. The records show that the FBI continues to inquire about the Missouri City Power Plant project.
Independence City Council members and others have previously told The Star that the FBI has been asking questions about the Missouri City project and other deals involving city council decisions.
The Independence City Council in 2017 awarded Environmental Operations, a St. Louis company, the contract to tear down the Missouri City Power Plant, which IPL was no longer using.
Environmental Operations got the job with a $9.75 million bid, which was more than twice that of Commercial Liability Partners, the other bidder that submitted a $4.45 million bid.
Environmental Operations, run by businessman Stacy Hastie, has political connections. The company lists as its general counsel John Diehl, a former Missouri House speaker who resigned in 2015 after it was revealed that he had sent sexually charged text messages to an intern.
A detailed 2012 story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch described Environmental Operations as a firm that dominated projects under the state’s brownfields tax credit program, designed to assist with costs of cleaning up contaminated sites. The story identified instances in which Environmental Operations would win bids on projects upon which it had previously been hired as a consultant.
The Post-Dispatch story also reported Hastie and his executives were frequent donors to Missouri politicians in both parties, including $27,000 to former Missouri House speaker Steve Tilley. Tilley, now a lobbyist, has counted IPL as a client since late 2016.
Neither Hastie nor Tilley responded to requests for comment.
The Independence City Council meeting minutes sought by the FBI each include discussions about the Missouri City project.
The first, a work study session held on June 27, 2016, shows that Hastie gave a presentation to the council on remediating the power plant.
Then, about three weeks later on July 18, 2016, Independence City Council members Tom Van Camp and Curt Dougherty made a motion at the end of regular council meeting to direct the city manager to advertise a request for qualifications to decommission and repurpose the power plant site, according to the meeting minutes requested by the FBI.
Van Camp, when reached on Tuesday, said “I’m not here, no comment,” before hanging up. Van Camp came in last in a three-way primary election in February, meaning he will lose his seat later this year.
Dougherty said he had never been to the Missouri City site but added that it was a contaminated mess from which the city couldn’t just walk away. Dougherty did not attend the June 27, 2016, meeting during which Hastie made a presentation to the council, according to the minutes.
Asked Tuesday about Environmental Operations, Doughtery said, “They were very impressive, they knew what they were doing,” before declining to discuss the matter further.
Council member Karen DeLuccie was the only vote against the motion, saying the measure should be postponed until the council could get more information and time to discuss the proposal, according to the meeting minutes.
The contract went to Environmental Operations against the recommendation of the Public Utility Advisory Board, an appointed board that gives advice to the council on IPL matters.
“It’s just troubling that we’re proposing having the ratepayers pay an extra $4 million with no justification for it,” said advisory board member Garland Land at a meeting in June 2017. “At least no justification has been provided to us.”
The Star’s Jason Hancock contributed reporting to this story.
