About Joe Adams

Joe Adams has been steeped in our Missouri values since his youth. Growing up, he walked the same sidewalks as Harry Truman, and as a young man, he worked alongside Harriett Woods. Joe Adams understands that you can change government.

Mayor Adams has served his region, his state and the nation. Earning the respect of his citizens and his peers, Missouri chose Joe Adams to be one of our three representatives to the National League of Cities. He has served as the president of his regional mayors organization and as the president of the state league of cities. Joe has also served as a member of the board of directors of the National League of Cities. He has also served on a number of state boards selected by both Democratic and Republican governors in service to the residents of Missouri.

Early Years

Joe Adams was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His father, who was born in Oklahoma on the Muskogee Indian Reservation, worked hard to earn a high school education at a time when young men like him didn’t often have that opportunity. First working on the railroad, Joe’s father found a job as a janitor at a local optical company and worked his way up to lens grinder.

Joe’s mother lived in an orphanage, and she was determined to see that Joe got the family support and the education she didn’t. Joe graduated from an integrated high school. “We were parts of groups, but they were the groups of our choosing, not state-imposed,” Joe says. “Friends from other schools thought it was weird, having white friends and black friends. But we thought they were weird.”

As a youngster in Kansas City, Joe would sometimes see Harry Truman in town, and when Eisenhower was elected, he thought it strange that the president wasn’t from Missouri.

Education

Never part of a family with a lot of money at the end of the month, Joe quickly learned you have to work hard to get the things you want. Joe’s father instilled in him a love for his country and a sense of service, and his mother insisted he get the education she didn’t. Eager for opportunity, and seeing the uprising in Southeast Asia, Joe joined the United States Air Force and served on a KC135 tanker based in Guam during the American stay in the Vietnam conflict. He was also stationed in Alaska, before being honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant. Joe is grateful today to his country for giving him the opportunity to serve - - and he’s also grateful for the G.I. Bill, which helped to pay for his college education.

Completing his B.A. and M.A. in history from the University of Missouri – Kansas City, Joe came to St. Louis with a job offer to teach at the St. Louis Community College.

Change

Buying a home, teaching at the St. Louis Community College, and becoming continually more aware of how communities worked, Joe petitioned his local city council for a neighborhood stop sign. When his requests and those of his neighbors were repeatedly ignored, Joe’s neighbors thought they needed something better. They urged him to run for a vacancy on the City Council - - Harriett Wood’s seat. As she moved on to higher office, Joe Adams won his first election to public office.

Since Joe was first elected at age 29 he hasn’t looked back. Taking University City from a starting point as a city proud of its past, Joe started focusing on “what we can do together for the future.” Joe has refocused University City on efficiency, progress, and ensuring open communication between citizens and their government. Importantly, Joe actively recruited qualified citizens for boards and commissions. Along the way Joe has strived to make University City government reflective of its people. “It’s important that when people interact with our government that they see public servants who are qualified, capable, and cordial, and who represent all the diversity U. City has to offer” Joe says.

After doing as much as he could on the council, to which he was first elected in 1976, the Honorable Joseph L. Adams became the 13th mayor of University City in April 1996. After becoming the first African-American to serve on the city council, he was also the first to be elected mayor.

Progress

Almost immediately after winning his first campaign for city council, Joe had the vision not just to pay attention to what was happening inside University City but to start working on local, state, and national issues. Remembering his trolley rides in Kansas City as a youngster, Joe became active in the national transit and transportation committee. Believing that our government transportation committees should focus more time on the future of efficient transportation and less time on bricks and mortar, Joe has become someone to whom citizens turn for honest answers on the issue – and on others as well.

Always fascinated by the constant progress of technology, Joe quickly pursued ways to make our government more efficient. University City was quick to establish modern phone and cable systems. Mayor Adams has also pushed for the most modern equipment for our fire and EMT personnel. In addition to two fully staffed ambulances, all University City firefighters are certified paramedics and trained in life support.

Joe has been passionate about the environment as well. The University City Green Practices Committee was formed in July 2008. The committee was formed to provide guidance to the city to continue reducing its carbon footprint in accordance with the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, and to increase green practices throughout the University City community, including the city itself, residential households, businesses, schools and other institutions. Very shortly, the Parks Department will be adding a wet pond and a rain garden.

Working for Us

Joe believes that government must cut waste, and live frugally on its income, just like most families do. While state and county taxes continue to rise, Joe fights to hold back local city property taxes, “if for no other reason, because our schools need that money as much or more than the city coffers”. He works to keep a rational and equitable tax burden for all citizens - keeping taxes at the lowest possible level to provide the quality municipal services expected by the citizens.

As mayor, Joe has created a revolving loan program for homes. Not a handout, the program offers low-interest loans for home repairs. He believes that helping a neighbor care for a home makes our community a better place to live, work, learn and raise a family - - and a better place for our senior citizens.

Parks have always been a place Joe Adams has loved. Giving people a place to relax or study or exercise is an important part of a thriving city. Creating the University City’s indoor soccer facility in Heman Park from a mostly unused ice rink has proven to be something we can all be proud of and enjoy - - as players or spectators.

Joe has also overseen renewed housing in University City and the major expansion of the other recreation facilities in the community. Multiple developers’ investments in the community with minimal reliance on tax-increment financing, or TIF projects has proven their confidence in his leadership.

Last but far from least, University City has one of the most successful entertainment districts in the region in the dynamic and ever-improving Loop.

Being an ambassador for University City, and our region to the rest of the state and the nation – that’s Joe’s job, and he likes it.

Family

Joe and his wife Nancy have four children. Lee, the eldest, graduated from the Air Force Academy and is now a civil engineer. Patrick graduated from Truman State and now works for the Kirkwood School District; he is currently working on his master’s degree in education. Heather graduated from BYU and is working on her master’s degree. And John, the youngest, is in his senior year at Knox College.

Today

An advocate for the entire region who works to see that we get our fair share, Joe Adams has a willingness to serve his city, state, church and family, to provide kind counsel regardless of age or special circumstances in difficult times, to be a friend to the many people who regard him as their friend, or even to do the routine tasks of domestic life when asked, Joe Adams is someone we can all trust. Believing now is the time to work for the people of our area in the Missouri State Senate.

I reflect back to a remark that was recently made, and that remark was simply,
“You know if you ask Joe to do it, he will”.

–Nancy Shulze Adams, Joe’s wife