Kenton Randolph seeks second term on City Council, citing passion for St. Joseph
St. Joseph, MO. (KQTV) -- For Kenton Randolph, serving on the City Council isn't just a civic duty; it's personal.
With family roots in St. Joseph stretching back eight to ten generations, the at-large councilman describes his connection to the community as something far deeper than politics.
"City Council is something that I have always thought about doing, just because I'm born and raised in St. Joe. I have very deep generational roots here," Randolph said. "I'm very, very proud of this community."
Now seeking his second term after first being elected in 2022, Randolph points to a proven track record of responsible decision-making and a focus on what he calls the "core essential functions" of city government: public safety, infrastructure, beautification, and housing.
"Showing that we bring practical solutions to city council to move St. Joseph in the right direction, strengthen our community, it's very important that we focus on those probably pretty much leading aspects of the function of city council," he said.
A Central High School graduate and local business owner, Randolph built his companies from the ground up, an experience he says gives him a valuable perspective when making decisions that impact taxpayers.
"I know what it's like to make payroll. I know what it's like to go through all the challenges of policies and procedures," he said. "That's not easy. Being a councilman is not always easy, because you have to make sometimes decisions that are going to be impactful for a long time."
Public safety stands at the top of his priority list, and he credits the council's focus in this area with measurable results.
"Over the last two years, since I've been on council and I've made responsible decisions when those come in front of me, we've seen a major reduction in violent crime in St. Joseph," Randolph said. "That is encouraging to people that want to move to St. Joe."
He noted that his own daughter has moved back to the city, and other family members are returning as well, evidence, he believes, that St. Joseph is heading in the right direction.
"Any community has to have good, strong public safety. That's going to be continuing to be at the top of my list," said Randolph.
On housing, Randolph highlighted the 175-unit apartment complex now underway, the first major housing development in St. Joseph in more than 20 years, along with infill housing incentives designed to address blighted areas and create new opportunities for residents.
Beautification efforts also factor prominently into his vision.
From new development at Krug Park to attention paid to the city's corridors and sidewalks, Randolph believes these investments make a tangible difference in how people experience the community.
"Paying attention to our streets, our corridors, our sidewalks where folks travel on a daily basis, making sure those are addressed, we're doing the best that we can to make St. Joseph a place that families want to come and live and do business here," said Randolph.
Regarding homelessness, Randolph emphasized a compassionate but practical approach.
He pointed to a police department program that assigns officers to work directly with homeless individuals, connecting them with counselors and community-based support.
"Homeless has a lot of different functions," he explained. "People that want help will get help. People that maybe have a mental issue, we're working with them through counselors that we've strategically designed in order to address that responsibly and effectively."
On the relationship between city council and the school district, Randolph advocates for collaboration while respecting each entity's independence.
"I'm a big advocate of communications," he said. "We have to communicate and we have to be supportive. However, the schools are independent from the city. We realize that. But we are all part of this community, and in order to make a successful community, we have to have strong schools."
Randolph speaks with particular enthusiasm about efforts to engage young people in local government, including a new initiative bringing high school students into City Hall to share their ideas.
"I started from the very beginning four years ago on council by saying youth is the foundation of our future," he said. "We have to grow our own, basically, in order to make sure that people that go to school here want to come back to St. Joseph, and they want to live here, and they want to work here, and they want to be entrepreneurs."
His passion for his city brings him to push forward.
"I love St. Joe because it's where I'm from, born and raised here," he said. "I always support local. We have a ton of local restaurants that I primarily support, just because I believe that local success is within."
That support extends to the business community more broadly.
Randolph said the city is working to remove barriers for entrepreneurs by updating coding and zoning requirements, while also partnering with the Chamber of Commerce on programs that help new businesses navigate the startup process.
"The business right now is open," he said. "We are 100 percent open for business. St. Joseph is trying to encourage as much new business as we possibly can, and we're doing everything that we need to do in order for that to happen."
Throughout his first term, Randolph said he has made consistency his hallmark, focusing on the same core priorities and showing up for residents every day.
"I communicate with the citizens of St. Joseph on a daily basis," he said. "It's part of my life, being responsible for tax dollars that we're utilizing in order to make St. Joseph a better place."
Randolph kept the focus on his record and his roots, and urges voters to vote for him for transparency.
"I think the reason that you should vote for Kenton Randolph is because I am a lifelong resident of St. Joseph," he said. "I have very deep generational roots here. I support St. Joseph, and I think if you have followed along at any of the council meetings, you will see that I do support the beautification, the core infrastructure, the public safety, things that are very critical to the future of St. Joseph. I've proven to always be one vote for St. Joseph, always in a direction that will move St. Joseph in the right direction, make our community stronger. I'm a very compassionate person. If you look at me, you're going to look at a steady person that has made consistent decisions."
Randolph's cell phone number, he noted, is easy to find. "Call me, email me, text me, come see me. I'm always here for St. Joe."
Randolph will go against 7 other at-large candidates on April 7th.
CITY COUNCIL COVERAGE 2026
