The mayor-elect says he’s going to call the other candidates and ask them how they’d like to serve the city. And he will. Denny Magruder is a man of his word.
And everyone will say yes and there’ll be an ad hoc committee of advisors created and it’ll be a Kumbaya moment for all to enjoy.
And why shouldn’t it be? Think about it – J.T. Thomas on insurance, Rosemary Ketchum on human rights, Beth Hinebaugh on real estate and childcare, and Chad Thalman could guide the city’s sidewalk improvement program. Plus, the best part about Magruder’s invitation is each of the former candidates can serve as long as they wish.
The new mayor’s idea is symbolic of the campaigns conducted by each of the candidates, and it will be interesting to see which candidates take him up on his offer to explain their ideas. Hinebaugh had thoughts on the homeless situation, Thomas said shared ideas on how to return some pride in Wheeling, and Thalman and Ketchum have experience with The Process.
It will come down to, of course, each person’s level of dedication to their city and how serious they were when pledging to stay involved. They wanted to lead as the mayor, right? But was the fancy title part of the deal? Was defeat a dealbreaker?
I’m sure the 4,127 citizens who did not cast ballots for the Mayor-Elect would appreciate it, so we shall see. Now is the time to get involved.
