James J. Eagan
James J. Eagan | |
|---|---|
| Florissant, Missouri | |
| In office April 1963 – November 2, 2000 | |
| Succeeded by | Robert G. Lowery |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 4, 1926 St. Louis, Missouri |
| Died | November 2, 2000 (aged 74) St. Louis, Missouri |
| Political party | Democratic |
James J. "Jim" Eagan (March 4, 1926 – November 2, 2000)[1][2] was the Mayor of Florissant, Missouri in St. Louis County and the second-longest serving mayor in the United States at the time.[3] Eagan served as the first mayor of Florissant after their 1967 charter amendment.[2][4] The mayor also served as the President of the Missouri Municipal League for a certain time and testified to the United States Congress on at least one occasion.[5]
Early life[edit]
Eagan was a politician in St. Louis before becoming Mayor of Florissant. He also served during World War II in the US Navy at both Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Mayorship[edit]
James Eagan was Mayor from 1963 until his death in 2000.[3][6] He was the first mayor of Florissant after a charter amendment made the position of Mayor a full-time job, becoming a strong mayor-council form of government.[3][7][8] Throughout his service, he was re-elected an unprecedented 9 times, despite running with an opponent in each election.[9]
Eagan was a charismatic figure and was well known throughout the Greater St. Louis Area. Florissant became a thriving community just north of St. Louis in at the beginning of Eagan's tenure and remained that way until his death.[10] The population was between 50,000 and 70,000 throughout his almost 40 years of service.[9] He was granted the nickname, "The Jolly Green Giant" by locals, due to his signature Kelly green jacket he often wore while traversing the town.[2] Eagan would often personally patrol the town during his lunch breaks, checking on citizens and radioing back code violations.[7]
Eagan was sometimes criticised for his lack of allowing redevelopment and his disagreements with the City Council. However, during his almost 40 years in office, Florissant managed to remain much the same, as reportedly many of the voices of the populace preferred.[11] During his tenure Florissant was routinely ranked as the Safest City in America west of the Mississippi, relative to its population size.[8]
Eagan had several controversies during his tenure. This included the contested annexation of a nearby unincorporated area, in which Eagan and the City successfully defended against a lawsuit by some disgruntled residents of that previously unincorporated area in district court and in the circuit courts of appeals.[12] Eagan also fell into some controversy when he stated that his salary, $98,000 in 1995 US Dollars, was too low, while his opponent in his upcoming election repeatedly declared it to be too high.[10] Nevertheless, he won the election in which this controversy occurred.[2]
Death[edit]
Eagan died in 2000, while in office, having served to become the second longest-serving mayor in America. The community civic center in Florissant is named after him, boasting the name "James J. Eagan Civic Center" prominently on the side of the massive brick building.[13][14] The road beside the building is also named after the late mayor.[15] The building is partially painted kelly green in remembrance of the popular mayor's signature jacket.
Eagan boasted to the Riverfront Times in 2000 after being voted as the St. Louis area's best politician that, when asked if he had plans to retire he said, "I'm going out feet first."[9] Eagan would die just two months later of an adverse reaction to a prescription drug. His body was donated to science.[3]
His police chief, Robert Lowry would serve as his successor for the mayorship.[8]
References[edit]
- ↑ "Mayor James J. "Jim" Eagan (1926-2000)". Find a Grave. Retrieved 2020-08-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 City of Florissant (2011-09-26). James J. Eagan (Florissant Historical Marker). Florissant, MO. Retrieved 2020-02-09.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Wright, John A. (2004). Florissant. Arcadia Publishing. p. 70. ISBN 0-7385-3255-X. Search this book on
- ↑ "The Political Graveyard: Mayors and Postmasters of Florissant, Missouri". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2020-08-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ Law Enforcement Assistance Amendments: Hearings Before Subcommittee No. 5 ... 91-2, on H.R. 14341, H.R. 15947, and Related Proposals. Washington D.C.: United States House of Representatives. 1970. pp. 673–684. Search this book on
- ↑ "A Plaque Dedication For The Late Mayor James J. Eagan". Florissant, MO Patch. 2011-09-18. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Bogan, Jesse (2020-07-28). "'It's been too long': Florissant faces calls for change". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-08-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Former Florissant mayor and police chief Robert Lowery Sr. dies at 79". St. Louis Public Radio. 2018-07-31. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Best Politician 2000". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Sutin, Phil (1995-03-27). "Mayor says $98,000 salary is low, opponent says its too high". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Florissant Mayor Blasts Freeholders' Plan". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1988-08-24. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-08-03.
- ↑ "Morgan v. City of Florissant". United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Retrieved 2020-08-04. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Florissant, Missouri / James J Eagan Community Center". City of Florissant. Retrieved 2020-08-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Omega Psi Phi gearing up for two big events". FOX 2 St. Louis. 2020-02-23. Retrieved 2020-08-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Corps of Engineers to Host FUSRAP Public Meeting at James Eagan Civic Center". U.S. Army Corp of Engineers. Retrieved 2020-08-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
 | This article about a Missouri politician is a stub. You can help EverybodyWiki by expanding it. |
This article "James J. Eagan" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:James J. Eagan. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
