By Pauline Masson –
Stephen Flannery III, said he took it personally when aldermen recently refused to approve his re-appointment to the one-year seat he had held on the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z).
Flannery was appointed to P&Z in May 2022 to fill the unexpired term of Rick Presley, who was elected to the board of aldermen. At the May 2, 2023 meeting, Mayor Heather Filley appointed Flannery to a full four year term but aldermen failed to approve the appointment. Former alderman Jerry Eversmeyer was also rejected.
Speaking at the May 16 board meeting, Flannery pulled out all the stops in a Joe Namath, ‘It ain’t bragging if you can do it,” style, to explain why aldermen should reconsider their rejection of his seat on P&Z.
As a hometown supporter he served as member and former president of the Pacific Park Board, Pacific Partnership, and Pacific Lions Club.
“While on the park board, the first project we did was to redo the arena, with volunteers,” he said. “Since then we have had many wonderful rodeos.”
During his tenure the tennis courts and basketball courts were resurfaced, new playground equipment and a dog Park built, Adams Garden developed, and the pool house painted. Most of this was accomplished by the park board enlisting volunteeers.
“The final project that I got to make sure we did was the concession stand and bathrooms in Liberty Field,” he said.
Prior to his leadership, Flannery noted, the largest project the park board championed was a new merrygoround.
Flannery did do everything he said he did and more. He did not mention the Missouri Main Street grant to benefit Old Town that he helped administer or the Comprehensive Plan that he campaingned for and helped write. But there was even more compelling experience, he said, that prepared him for P&Z.
As a Realtor, and former president of the Franklin County Board of Realtors, he has represented the County with both the Missouri Association of Realtors and the U.S. Association of realtors.
“I’ve addressed the County planning and zoning board on issues on behalf of the Association of Realtors,” he said. “We keep an eye on zoning issues that may affect property rights in other communities.”
Dipping into zoning matters in communities near and far, might not always mirror zoning issues in Pacific, but it did give a broad view in planning and zoning best practices and revealed issues that impact real estate and the use of property.
The reason this outspoken desire to serve on Pacific P&Z matters to the community is because it reflectes a city that, for the past several months, has struggled to persuede citizens to serve on a list of committees, boards and commissions. And it also illustrates what it takes to get a seat on one of those boards.
Aldermen rejected Flannery’s appointment to P&Z, not because he wasn’t qualified, but for purely political reasons. Flannery openly supported the controversial Manors at Brush Creek subdivision on Lamar Parkway, because he said the city needed growth. The subdivision was the driving force that impelled candidates to run and got three of new board members elected.
James Cleeve, Scott Lesh and Anna Meadows say their watch will unveil a different style of city government than the city exhibited in the past, leaning on popular views and citizen concerns.
Flannery says if aldermen limit who they are willing to approve to serve on city boards and commissions to volunteers who agree with their views, they are silencing debate on an entire range of issues that affects all citizens.
He says that while other officials may have different views on residential growth than he has, that he has a more educated and experienced background in reviewing building proposals against city codes than any of them – and the city might beneift from a healthy debate on the issue when new builders show up.
“I think with my knowledge for the last fifteen years as a real estate professional I bring a certain level of expertise to the planning and zoning commission that has been absent in the past,” he said. “I see planning and zoning as a technical commission there to evaluate issues based on zoning and comprehensive plan. I don’t see it as a place for me or the commission to say, we think this or we think that. We’re there to act on what is in front of us. What does the ordinance state? What does the zoning state? “
He adds that the board of aldermen can always deny a P&Z recommendation, as they appear to do on the Candlewick Gate. But by limiting the debate on any proposed development to only those who agree with them, they are shutting out a segment of the citizens – which is what they said they did not want to do.
I have to tell you . . . I first met Stephen Flannery 15 years ago in the family flagship McHugh-Dailey building which, at that time, housed his cousin’s Great Pacific Coffee Company, about a week after he arrived home following his discharge from the Marine Corps and a recent deployment in Iraq.
I interviewed him for my I have to tell you column based solely on his family connections, his good looks and his humility as a favorite son home from the war.
We talked about Iraq War. He was proud to have served but was feeling tinges of guilt that he was home safe while some of his fellow Marines were still in harm’s way. He answered my questions with bemused curiosity that anyone would be interested in what he had to say.
Even though he had lived in many place as the son of a career military father, he always considered Pacific home and thought in the coming weeks he might look around for some volunteer work to do, to get back in the mix of home town doings.
By the time four years later, when Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer invited Flannery to join a delegation of Iraq War veterans attending President Barack Obama’s 2012 State of the Union Speech, he had found his voice. With the style of a seasoned orator, he described the evening with an outgoing appreciation of the grand scheme of things. He was at home in a folksy chat with Rep. Luetkemeyer in the congressman’s office.
“It was as relaxed as if we were sitting at the Great Pacific Coffee House talking about politics and life,”he said. ”It was an every day conversation.”
Although he had visited other big cities, Baghdad and Tokyo, in the nation’s capital he felt something palpable in the air.
“I’ve never been to Athens but as I looked at the scope of the buildings, it just felt like the seat of power,” he said. “It brought to mind the Acropolis.”
But the most memorable moment was the overwhelming emotion in the House Chamber when Arizona Congresswoman Gabriel Giffords, recovering from injuries when she was shot by a constituent, entered the room.
“It was just phenomenal, everyone stood,” he said. “It was more awesome than when the president came in.”
Don’t misunderstand me. I am not campaigning for anyone to re-appoint Flannery to P&Z. I am simply trying to follow my mandate to use this post to highlight what matters our community. Appointments and rejection, debate and disagreement and hometown heroes are all part of the mix.
Stephen Flannery III is somebody. He is big, sometimes brash, energetic, well connected and, I think, happy. He has done all the things he said he had done. And, as he said recently about BJ Lawrence, he and I do not always agree on topics, but I admire him as a person and consider him a friend.
What a shame that Politics has so much POWER When a person is passed over because he does not agree with the appointers
He obviously has many talents which have been demonstrated by the all the projects that were completed as a member of P&Z TAKE HIM BACK and BE. HAPPY HE IS OFFERING!!!
When you cast your net upon the sea into the deep be careful what type of fish you might catch. Qualifications are important but so are your views. I agree with this Board of Alderman’s decision to vote against this applicant. He represents what these candidates stood against. A failure to listen to a overwhelming majority of the citizens of Pacific on a matter that was very personal and very emotional to them. This candidate cast his net and the net broke!
Mr. Cummings, what did I fail to listen to? If you’re referring to the McBride development I wasn’t on Planning and Zoning at the time however I did speak in favor of growth of our city. If you’re referring to the gate on Candlewick I didn’t think it was a planning and zoning issue but a streets department issue. Just because I have a different opinion or vision on something doesn’t mean it is wrong.
I like Mr. Flannery personally, but I see his realtor background as a conflict of interest for the planning and zoning board. In most instances people and issues which come before the P&Z are pro-development issues. The point of the P&Z is to review those issues, not rubber stamp them.
This town seems to turn a blind eye to the river in terms of development until the Meramec rises and reclaims its historic floodplain.
For example: this article praises his input on Liberty Field: ““The final project that I got to make sure we did was the concession stand and bathrooms in Liberty Field,” he said.” A more realistic solution there might have been a movable food truck, and floodproofed restrooms. I suggested that solution. Developing in the floodplain is a folly at best, because mostly it is not done in a water friendly manner…something one would hope a P&Z board would enforce. Just the fact that he testified *against* the opinion of over 900 city residences and the existing P&Z ordinances in the matter of The Manors at Brush Creek shows his loyalty to his chosen profession– as it should be.
Pacific has a number of places away from the river that should be developed. I understand some of the issues with the former Lazy Larry property. There are also number of gaps along Osage where some new commercial development should come in and not just car lots. The brickfronts north of First street along St. Louis– also wonderful properties for startups. We need some creative real estate thinking for the gap buyout lots so they can be utilized, within the FEMA rules. We’re not the only river town that has such issues. Having someone with real estate expertise to help with appropriate economic redevelopment there would wonderful. These, of course, require thinking outside the box to meet the criteria.
I’m sure there are a number of other places where Steve F. could put his expertise to work, and benefit both the city and himself.
Jo, I always enjoy our conversations. As for the bathrooms and concession stand in Liberty field floodplain and floodway development was considered and specifically asked about. Hence the type of building materials that were used and the flood panels that are in the wall of the structure. Having had flood waters around my home multiple times while living in the floodplain I am no stranger to the hazards of being a river town. Also I agree to the buyout Lots should have something done on them and one suggestion I have made in the past is to plant trees and go back to a natural state. Is that the best use I don’t know but at least it’s an idea. I will continue to serve our community because I believe a Pacific is a great place and should prosper.
The three new alderman, that were backed overwhelmingly , campaigned against the top secret “deal that could not be left at the finish line”.
The previous board members that agreed to this ‘deal’ in closed sessions ignored 50+ people at a board meeting and 900+ signatures and they payed the price.
Steve Flannery choose his side , and must face his choices.
Politics is what runs this town, if you are unhappy, get involved and volunteer for a committee.
Henry, I’m not sure what side you’re referring to that I chose. I spoke in favor of the McBride subdivision because I believe in Pacific and think growth and development is needed. I think the amount of homes on that site should have been discussed more however majority of the conversation was for no development.
As you know I am very active in the community and have served on committees because I want to see our community change and to be prosperous.
Steve Flannery may have all this knowledge but he doesn’t necessarily apply it when backing a situation. On the MBC the comprehensive plan and Zoning laws clearly stated that with new developement it should match the surrounding area where it is going in. If you stand at the corner of Lamar and Old Gray Summit Rd, and look south you see houses sitting on an acre or two. Look west and you have houses on multiple acres. Look east and again houses on an acre to two acres. None of them are 5 to 6 houses per acre. And as a Real Estate Agent I could see how he would be thinking money! But as a P&Z commisioner you can’t think of that. Because that developement did not fit the laws or comprehensive plan. So no matter how much knowledge you have if you bypass what is in front of you, it doesn’t do any good.
He stood at the board meeting putting down another Realtor that had spoke their conscience in other meetings. We had several realtors that backed us quietly in fighting it.
Then you have the Rt 66 Park on the East end of town. When it was developed part of it was M-1 but one lot next to Rt 66 and Dollar General was C-1
There was a reason and it was to again, keep it uniform to the surrounding area. It was on the west side of where the road to turn in. It was closest to the Dollar General and across from an almost full Strip mall. But again Mr Flannery missed the comprehensive plans.
This community wanted change from what was happening. That was why the wins were so big. The only one that has been a disappointment is Mayor Filley. But she wasn’t voted for, as much as Herb Adams was voted against. Herb might have even won if Mayor Filley would have really put a platform out there. She ran on transparency and even her platform was not transparent. But she is trying to stick to the old status quo as hard as she can. The Alderman are going to have to recognize her for still standing by the old ways,and vote in what needs to be done. The citizens voted you in overwhelmingly. So go around her to get what needs to be done!
I think the Aldermen did the right thing. Steve had a cussing good time when he was voted down at the Board Meeting when he left. I never heard him apologize for that in his speech he gave. And yes there was alot of things done while he was Park Board President but it took hard work of alot of other people to get it done. He doesn’t always follow everything like he said either. I like him as a person but I don’t think he belongs on P&Z.