He’s told the voters the story. He’s a son of the city, and he and his wife have raised their children here. And now it’s time, JT Thomas insists, to give back to the city he loves.
And people should believe him. He repeats it because it’s what he really wants to do.
“I know past mayors have put in a lot of hours, and I’m ready for that because that’s how I go about doing what I do,” Thomas explained. “I do it with my hobbies, with my job … I even do that with my lawn. When I do something, I commit to do it with all of my concentration so, whatever it is, it gets done the right way.
“I have had so many people step forward to help me reach as many people in Wheeling as possible, and that’s been a great thing to see,” he said. “We want people to be proud of our city again.”
Thomas and his wife, Tara, have raised two sons, and he’s the son of former Ohio County educator and football coach Jim Thomas, a man who experienced a lot of on-field success at both Wheeling Park and Wheeling Central Catholic. JT was graduated from Wheeling Central in 1990, and then received his undergrad and graduate degrees at Wheeling Jesuit University.
“This goes back 20 years when my dad passed away and there was a three-and-a-half block line for his funeral procession, and it struck me that day that they wouldn’t have been there for him if he didn’t have that positive impact on them,” said Thomas, an employee of the insurance side of The Glessner Group. “That really resonated and ow it’s time to give back to our community that’s pretty much given us everything we have. We didn’t have the time when the kids were in school because the only way to do it is the right way.
“We want to do it the way it will be most beneficial to the city and its residents,” he said. “Another reason why I decided to run is because I do feel like I am the best person for this job.”
The To-Do List:
Thomas liked the city of Wheeling he grew up in.
Neighborhoods were villages, street fairs were popular, and sports rivalries between the city’s three high schools were always contentious. Thomas can even recall the names of the Little League baseball teams from certain parts of town because it meant something.
“It used to mean something to be a South Wheeling Indian, and when you went to Wheeling Island, you knew the Tigers would be waiting for ya,” he said. “It was the same in most parts of Wheeling, too. There was a pride to be from where you were from.
“And I have some ideas that would be inexpensive that I believe could revive some of that pride,” Thomas insisted. “And we have to work more and more to retain our young people because every time we lose one of them, we’re losing so much potential for more residents. We have to figure out that part because we’re still the ‘Friendly City,’ but I want us to earn that moniker.”
OK, so, what’s Step No. 1?
“I have always considered this city to be a safe place, but as I’ve talked to people during this campaign I keep hear different sentiments. They just don’t feel safe,” Thomas said. “For one reason or another, people don’t feel safe because of the issues with drugs, the petty crime, and with the homeless issue. We need to address some things, that’s for sure.
“So, public safety would be high on my list of priorities and I believe part of that is getting our police department back to the number of officers we need,” he said. “And I’d love to do what we can to get back the Wheeling we grew up in. I remember a lot of pride in this city when I was younger and I’d love to see that again because people were proud to be from their part of town. We’ve lost that.”
The Final Two Weeks
Door after door and porch after porch.
Thomas didn’t know it when he began his campaign, but knocking on doors in Wheeling neighborhoods like Elm Grove, Dimmeydale, Oakmont, Woodsdale, Elm Terrace, North Park, and Warwood has proven to be his favorite part of a campaign that’s included forums, events, and even a tour of several eateries during the city’s annual “Restaurant Week.”
Plus, he’s been very active on Facebook, he’s distributed promotional T-shirts, ballcaps, and hundreds of signs, and he’s even on billboards around the Friendly City. Thomas is one of six candidates running for the mayor’s position, and people certainly are aware of his candidacy.
“I went into this campaign knowing a lot of people in Wheeling, but as I have gone door-to-door, it’s been enlightening to realize how many people I haven’t met in Wheeling,” Thomas said. “The door knocking has been the single most important and influential part of this campaign and that’s why I have used all of my spare time to do more. I’ve learned a lot, that’s for sure.
“I want to be on as many porches as possible,” he added. “Because the people are the most important part.”
Now that early voting has started, Thomas doesn’t plan to stop.
“There are six candidates so it’s very important that on May 14, we turn out as voters and make sure that our voices are heard because every single vote is going to count,” the newcomer candidate said. “I hope I have explained why I am running and what my goals would be if elected so the voters have the information they need to make their decision.”
(This article is a part of the advertising package purchased by the candidate.)
