Robert G. Lowery

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Robert G. Lowery, Sr.
Mayor of Florissant, Missouri
In office Feburary, 2001 – Present
Preceded by	James J. Eagan
Succeeded by	Incumbent

Born	1940
Political party	Democratic

Robert G. Lowery, Sr. has been the current mayor of the city of Florissant, Missouri in northern St. Louis County, Missouri, since November, 2001. Upon the death of much loved Mayor James J. Eagan in 2000 Council President John Moran was Mayor pro tempore and the successor to the posistion of mayor. But Lowery despite a very definitive City Charter was shown on a local newscast upon the anouncement of Eagan's death, walking down the sidewalk in front of City Hall with his breifcase to take control. Moran was told he would not need to take over as Mayor per the charter, that Lowery would take care of the city.

Lowery succeeded Mayor James J. Eagan who passed away in November 2000. Though an election was held to determine who would succeed Eagan, Robert Lowery's position as the new Mayor of Florissant seemed emminant.

[edit] Law Enforcement Career

Lowery had formerly served as the police chief the of the City of Florissant. This was until his retirement in 2001, when elected mayor in Feburary 2001 and Stephen Kruse became the new police chief. Kruse then resigned to accept a new position working in the private sector. On November 1, 2002, Lowery officially appointed Willian Karabas to be the city's police chief.

Throughout his career as police chief Florissant, MO was consistently ranked as one of the safest cities in America.

Lowery had also worked as part of the Major Case Squad for the St. Louis County Police Department.

[edit] Community Redevelopment

Since taking office, Lowery led the way to many new renovations in the City of Florissant.

The first of these changes came in 2002, in the part of Florissant near Lindbergh Boulevard and New Halls Ferry Road known as Cross Keys. The area had formerly been a small shopping mall with only a few tenants left. The tenants that remain included a supermarket, a pharmacy, and a fashion store, all of which are still located near the area where the new shopping center replacing the mall that once stood their. Adding to the shopping center were several new restaurants and shops including a bookstore.(This had been in the Eagan Florissant city plan prior to Lowery taking office)

Lowery's improvements are not limited to the Cross Keys neighborhood. A new bicylcing and walking path that extendes from the Sunset Park Marina along the Missouri River to St. Ferdinand Park was recently completed in 2006. The path, most of which runs along the same path a some high voltage powerlines, connects much of western Florissant with the main section of Florissant via a foot bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. Much of the city is divided by Coldwater Creek, which has some natural and man-made tributaries that separtate various neighborhoods from Berkley, Hazelwood, Florissant, Black Jack, until pouring into the Missouri River in unincorporated St. Louis County. A similar footbridge plan was slated to connect the Wedgewood subdivision to a foot path leading to St. Ferdinand Park's east entrance, but because of strong opposition by residents in the neighborhood, this plan never became possible.

Though the commercial redevelopment of Cross Keys is a success, much of the city's other commercial areas are still in need of the same renovation, especially the mayor's hairstyle. He has, what you would call in the world of hair, a Halloween style comb-over. It makes him look like a catfish with a bad haircut. Why hide baldness? Maybe a birthmark on the top of the head? The mystery will probably be taken to the grave. Also, the Florissant Meadows section of town near the city's historic downtown area. See link below about eminent domain in historic district.(The historic district is not a Kimswick, Old St. Charles, etc. While the Lowery and Geri Debo (former Councilwoman) pushed to promote the area as an Old St. Charles type area to potential businesses. The area did attract a few new stores, but the promised increased foot traffic did not come to fruition and those businesses closed and had problems selling their property.)