RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- “I’m excited. I’m really, really excited,” was Councilwoman Kim Thomas’ reaction a day after being elected Richmond Heights mayor on Tuesday (Nov. 2).
In fact, Thomas said she was an hour late to greet supporters at her election night watch party, held at Wickliffe’s FairBridge Hotel, because after she learned the results, “I needed time to take it all in.
“I was very appreciative of the residents,” she said. “When I stepped into the (watch party) room, I wanted them to know I did everything for them. It was never about Kim Thomas. It was always, always, from day one, about them. I think about the residents first, and then myself.”
Thomas was elected for the first time as Ward 1 councilwoman in 2019, defeating then-officeholder Barry Hurst. Hurst was her opponent once again during the mayoral election.
Thomas said Hurst sent her a text message of congratulations after it was learned that, according to final, unofficial Cuyahoga County Board of Elections results, Thomas had won by a vote count of 1,606 (66.9 percent) to Hurst’s 794 (33.1 percent).
Since becoming a councilwoman, the 57-year-old Thomas has worked for the community, outside of her council duties, by instituting and conducting each month a free food pantry for those in need, holding regular weekly or bi-weekly online “table talk” conversations with residents to talk about their needs, and conducting a series of fairs to help, among others, seniors and those looking for work or housing find the resources they need.
She also organized earlier this year a COVID-19 vaccination event in Richmond Heights.
“I always talk about understanding the needs of my community,” she said, “and I do understand the needs. I didn’t just wake up and start running for office.
“I stayed in the community, even when I wasn’t running for office. That’s what I do, whereas when some people run for office, that’s when you see them in the community. I don’t believe in that. That is really doing a disservice to your residents.
“They need to see you every day in the community. And that’s the way I live my life.”
Thomas said that, with the help of residents, she plans to establish “resident-first priorities,” which she said means she will put “the needs of the community above all else, identifying the priorities that matter most to our residents.”
Thomas will become mayor in January at an exciting time for Richmond Heights, as the former Richmond Town Square mall site undergoes a changeover into the multi-use development Belle Oaks Marketplace. The development will include retail, dwellings and amenities as part of an estimated $260 million project.
She said that in the aftermath of winning Tuesday’s election, she has heard from many people, including mall redeveloper DealPoint Merrill CEO David Frank. She has also been contacted with offers of assistance by Ohio U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and several local mayors.
Thomas has strong ties to the Ohio and Cuyahoga County Democratic parties. Among those ties are being the recipient of the state party’s Howard M. Metzenbaum “Volunteer of the Year Award” for 2016; selection as a community engagement consultant for the Ohio Democratic Party during the 2018 midterm elections; serving as vice-chair for the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party; and, during the 2020 presidential election, serving as a delegate for President Joe Biden.
Looking ahead, Thomas, the owner of the small business Christopher Amira Studio in Cleveland, said: “I have work to do. I never shy away from hard work. I’m used to hard work. It’s in my DNA, and I will continue to serve our community.
“But when you do what you love, it doesn’t feel like work. It takes hard work, dedication and communication.
“I want to make sure I stay in communication and engaged with the community, because it’s about them. I want them to really, really just be engaged with me. I want to hear their concerns.
“You can’t serve people unless you love them, but you have to understand the needs of the community. If you don’t, you’re doing a disservice.”
When asked about her goals, Thomas said: “I’m going to bullet-point my goals for my first hundred days. I’ve started taking notes -- ‘This is what I need to do my first hundred days.’ There are things that need to be done, so I said that when I become mayor, this is what I’m going to do.”
Addressing some of her goals, Thomas said: “To better serve our community, we must continue implementing our master plan, incorporating diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives into our efforts. As mayor, I will work with community partners and stakeholders to provide more programs and resources for our residents, especially our seniors and youth. And I will also prioritize the ongoing development projects under way in our city.”
Additionally, Thomas said she plans to be supportive of businesses, noting that many have not recovered from the hit delivered by the pandemic. She has pledged to hold regular business roundtable conversations with businesses in order to collaborate on issues and address concerns.
She has further pledged to work closely with the city’s police and fire departments, and to ensure productivity from city workers by fostering relationships with them.
Thomas, married 30 years to Danny, is the mother of two grown children and has lived in Richmond Heights for 26 years.
The mayor-elect closed a written statement to cleveland.com in which she explained her plans and gratitude to residents by stating: “Together, Richmond Heights, we will see a better tomorrow. I look forward to serving our residents during my tenure as mayor. Thank you for your vote of confidence.”
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