Dr. Trey Lott aims to return to Hoover City Council Place 1
Dr. Trey Lott resigned from the Hoover City Council in January 2015 after 10 years of service and moved to Alabaster so his son could play football for a new coach at Thompson High School.
Now, his son has graduated, he and his wife are back in Hoover, and he wants to be on the Hoover City Council again.
The 61-year-old Lott said he moved away in the best interests of his family, but he feels like he still has something positive to contribute to the council.
“I really loved making a difference, and I believe I did, and I miss being on it,” Lott said.
Being a councilman is a lot like being a doctor, he said. “I get to listen and care, and I make decisions based on facts. It’s a lot of fun.”
Being away from the council has helped him see things from a different perspective, and he has learned some things, he said.
“I learned we need to communicate better,” Lott said. “That’s one of the main things I heard, and I agree with them.”
Lott said his highest priority as a councilman would be public safety. He also wants to make sure the city continues to have outstanding city services, such as park and recreation offerings and opportunities for senior citizens, he said.
Then, there is the issue of funding for Hoover City Schools. Lott said he doesn’t believe the Hoover school system has financial problems now, but they will in the future if something is not done.
“My goal is to find long-term financial support for the school system,” he said. “The city doesn’t have enough money to fill that void. The only solution is to find additional funding to make them the No. 1 system in the city (metro area).”
Right now, Hoover is considered to have the fourth best school system in the metro area, Lott said. “I’m never one to be No. 4 in anything,” he said.
Lott, on his campaign Facebook page, said he believes the best solution to help schools is to raise the city’s sales tax by 1 percentage point to raise up to $20 million a year. However, Lott said city leaders need to get input from the school board and the public to determine what tax is needed to help schools. He also believes a citywide vote would be needed to ensure the city is invested in the future of the school system.
Lott also noted that the city already has lost one experienced councilman (Brian Skelton, who died July 2) and will be losing two more (Jack Wright and Jack Natter, who are not running for re-election). “We need to maintain leadership on the City Council that has experience,” he said.
Lott was first elected to the City Council in 2004, beating out two opponents. He had no opposition in 2008 and beat out one challenger in 2012.
Lott is from South Carolina but has lived in Hoover since 1976, except for the recent stint in Alabaster. He and his family previously lived in Monte D’Oro and Trace Crossings, but he now lives in Greystone, which he said gives him a unique understanding of the residents of central, eastern and western Hoover.
He obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina, then got a doctorate in chiropractic from Texas Chiropractic College in 1983 and a doctorate from the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1994. He started his practice in 1983 and began practicing with both degrees in 1995. His business, located in Hoover, is called Lott Spine and Sports.
When he was on the City Council, Lott was the council’s liaison to the Hoover Parks and Recreation Board. He and his wife, Lynn, have been members of Church of the Highlands for 14 years and have three children and four grandchildren. Lott has been a team doctor for numerous youth sports teams.
Lott faces two opponents for Council Place 1: Curt Posey and Joe Rives, who was appointed to the council when Lott left.
For more information about Lott, check out his campaign Facebook page.
See the general preview for the Aug. 23 Hoover municipal election, plus bios on all 18 candidates here. Also, go here to see a brief list of all Hoover mayoral and City Council candidates, with links to more information about candidates.
This article was updated at 11:37 p.m. to correct information regarding Dr. Lott's practice.