District 3 City Council representative Andrew Trout seeking re-election
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) -- Dr. Andrew "Andy" Trout is asking voters in St. Joseph's District 3 for another term on the City Council, pointing to what he describes as four years of unprecedented progress and a shift toward proactive governance.
A lifelong St. Joseph resident, retired dentist, and former Air Force medical commander, Trout is a Bishop LeBlond alumni who has called the same home address home since the 1960s.
He first ran for council in 2022 because he saw problematic boards and a council that wasn't in tune with one another.
"There was a lot of inconsistency," Trout recalled. "Things weren't necessarily going forward in a manner that I thought was positive. There had been a lot of indecision, a lot of infighting."
Now, with one term under his belt, Trout believes the current council has turned a corner.
"We've had the best council we've had in years, and we have had more successes and done more for the city, and made more improvements, more innovation than any council in a long time," he said. "I want to continue the path that we've started."
At the forefront of Trout's campaign is growth.
He points to economic development numbers this year as the best the city has seen in decades. With growth, he says, comes more amenities for citizens, increased tax revenue, and new business opportunities.
"That's what a city's here for," he said.
Infrastructure ranks high on Trout's list of priorities, particularly roads, which he acknowledges is a top concern for residents.
Ongoing improvements to the airport and public safety enhancements are also key focuses.
He credits the council with adding personnel to the police department who specialize in connecting homeless individuals with services, rather than simply waiting for problems to occur.
"It's all being proactive, which is kind of what this council has done in many, many areas," Trout said. "Understand the problem and find a solution, not just trying to patch together an answer."
Trout acknowledged that schools are critical to the city's growth, even though the council has no direct authority over the district.
"It's very important, and it is critical to the growth of St. Joe," he said. "But unfortunately, we have nothing to do with the schools other than communication and keeping track of what's going on. That is one of the key issues in Saint Joe right now."
On housing, Trout recognizes the national shortage and said the city has worked to encourage developers through easier permitting, tax breaks, and other incentives to support new construction and renovation of older and historic homes.
He noted that 130 to 150 new residences, mostly apartments, are under construction, marking the first significant growth in nearly two decades.
"We're trying to do what we can to bring businesses in, to bring people who can buy what homes are here, and fix up old homes," he said.
Trout also proposed concentrating investments in specific areas of downtown to create a more walkable cluster, making it easier for people to access local businesses.
He acknowledged that downtown's large footprint can work against small businesses.
"We are trying to concentrate more on a smaller area to keep it as much that way as we can, which hopefully will pay off," he said. "It's better than it has been for a long time."
When it comes to taxes, Trout said the city is essentially maxed out, with local sales tax nearing 10 percent.
Rather than raising taxes, he advocates for forward budgeting to plan for major expenses like fire trucks, police cars, and building maintenance.
"It's all a matter of planning and budgeting for those expenses, rather than raising the tax and saying we got a little extra money for when it does happen," he said.
Trout faces Dana Stickley in the April 7 election.
He believes his background managing large budgets and personnel in both his dental practice and military service sets him apart.
"What's required for the job is to understand budgeting, to understand business," he said. "You don't bring your ideas into it. You bring the ideas that the public gives us, that the citizens give us, and find an answer to it."
If re-elected, Trout hopes to maintain the momentum the council has built and continue a system where projects are pre-planned to avoid budgeting issues.
His ultimate goal is restoring St. Joseph's reputation as a city people recognize and want to move to.
"We want to get back to where St. Joe's a common name amongst business people across the country," he said. "People go, 'Oh yeah, I've heard of St. Joe. I've been there, and I wouldn't mind moving here.' That's my goal."
CITY COUNCIL COVERAGE 2026
