“Steve Stenger liked to play tricks on the Council and this appears to be one,” said new St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, a former council member who voted in favor of the ordinance in January 2016, before he and council members grew suspicious of Stenger.

“From what we can determine, members of the Council were assured this lease was customary and standard. In addition, Stenger does not appear to have conducted an appraisal but nevertheless assured the Council it was a good deal. He didn’t get an appraisal then, but we will now. Like with other Stenger transactions, we will continue to investigate what happened here and to take appropriate action,” Page said.

Roberts told the Post-Dispatch Tuesday that the county actually got the better end of the bargain. He said the 60 acres he received are worth about $2,000 per acre, or $120,000. The 15 acres he donated to the county are worth about $450,000, he said. Plus, Roberts said, the land he took from the county can’t be developed.

“Currently, right now, it’s under, I guess, about 7 feet of water, so it floods four or five times a year,” he said. “It’s all floodplain ground. … From a dollar standpoint, it’s a better deal for the county.”