[tonyd]

Tom Thomas formally announced his candidacy for the 6th Ward Common Council seat in Michigan City. As a 6th generation, life-long resident, Tom has sat on several Michigan City boards and commissions including the Michigan City Plan Commission, the Michigan City Zoning Board of Appeals and was the mayoral appointee to the Michigan City Fire Merit Commission. Tom is currently the Director of Sales and Marketing for Lighthouse Industries, a plastic engineering firm in Michigan City. He is a graduate of Rogers High School in 1983 and holds a Liberal Arts degree from Hanover College. He is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Indiana University NW. Tom is married to Stephanie Doster and has two children, Rhiggs (7) and Lia (3).

When asked why he’s running, Tom stated, “I’m ready to get involved again. I believe I made a difference and had a positive impact on the boards I had the privilege to sit on in the past. I treated each board member as a teammate and extended the highest level of professional courtesy to anyone who came in front of these boards, from either the public or private sectors. I’d like to see more of a team approach across the board with the council. I’ll bring this mindset of a ‘team’ approach as well as positive leadership, professionalism and most importantly, vision if elected. It’s time the Council becomes a positive force that works with the Mayor and department heads to move the city forward. I just don’t see that approach across the board, yet, especially concerning the north end. The Council should be asking Department-Heads, ‘What can we do to help you make Michigan City a better place to live, work and do business in.’ and stop saying “NO” just because a project doesn’t impact their own backyard or ward.”

On a final note Thomas states, “You can be certain I will never degrade any department head or official in a public forum. It is totally unprofessional. If I have an issue with a city official, I’ll call them and get together with them and discuss the issue(s) privately, especially if it involves personnel matters, which everyone knows, cannot be discussed in a public forum.”

[Max Main]

If he was in city government before, including planning, why should we support him now, if we think the whole gang of people who have been in thos positions are the ones whose neglect and in-fighting got us to this point?