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County executive: crime lab nearing completion; Ameren to repurpose Rush Island site; audit flags vendor-control deficiency
Summary
The county executive reported the Jefferson County crime lab is nearly finished, Ameren UE will repurpose the shuttered Rush Island plant as a 'Big Hollow Energy Plant,' and the 2024 outside audit found one deficiency in federal‑grant vendor controls; council said staff will implement checks to address the finding.
DENNIS GANNON, County Executive (as named in public remarks), told the Jefferson County Council the county crime laboratory is in its final construction stages and that the sheriff’s office will soon begin moving into the new space with a ribbon-cutting likely in the coming months.
Gannon also said Ameren UE announced plans to repurpose the shuttered Rush Island site into a hybrid energy facility combining natural gas and energy storage, to be called the Big Hollow Energy Plant. He said the project represents a significant county investment even if long-term employment numbers at the site may be lower than in the past.
On county finances, Gannon advised caution while reviewing sales-tax receipts; year-to-date collections are modestly ahead of last year but not by a wide margin, he said. He noted the county’s outside audit for 2024 found no major general‑revenue findings but reported a deficiency in internal controls relating to vendor suspension/debarment checks for federal programs. Gannon said checks and balances are being implemented to prevent recurrence.
The executive also reported the local port authority intends to apply for a U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) grant of $11,000,000 to support port development and modernization projects.
The council did not take action on these announcements beyond accepting the report and the external audit receipt; staff follow-up on audit controls and public notification about the crime-lab opening were requested.
