LaGRANGE – Following Mayor Jim Thornton’s announcement on Thursday – stating his plans to run for a second term as mayor –  city council members have begun to announce their plans on whether they plan to run for another term in their council seats.

So far, Councilman Tom Gore and Councilman Nick Woodson – both from District 1 – have announced their plans to run for another term. Councilwoman Norma Tucker’s district 2 seat will also be on this year’s ballot.

“It has been a privilege to serve these 12 years,” said Gore in a press release. “We have a great group in our mayor and council. We are friends and colleagues. We have a highly professional staff carrying out the policies and plans for LaGrange. Working relationships are strong across all areas in LaGrange. I hope to continue our public safety and fiscal and economic development policies for another four years. We want everyone to prosper in our city.”

Gore has been a cardiologist in LaGrange since 1985, and he served on city council from 2002 to 2010 and from 2014 to present. He and his wife, Selma Gore, attend First Presbyterian Church in downtown LaGrange. Gore said he hopes the citizens of District 1A would allow him to serve them for another four years, and he expressed his hopes that he would be able to join the council and Thornton to continue the work that they have done for the city in recent years.

Woodson – also of District 1 – likewise expressed excitement about the growth that the city is currently undergoing and his hopes to continue serving the citizens of the city through his position on the city council if re-elected in November.

“I’ve enjoyed all these years, and I thought I’d run one more time,” said Woodson who has served on the city council since Jeff Lukken was mayor. “… I always try to vote for what I think is best.”

Woodson has run on a platform of growth in the past, and for the current members of city council, growth has become almost a mantra used to focus the council on the eventual outcome of the tougher decisions that have come before the group.

Tucker has not yet formally announced whether she plans to run for city council again this year.

The election for three city council seats, as well as mayor and the SPLOST vote, is scheduled for November.

The city council is scheduled to meet today at 5:30 p.m. at 208 Ridley Ave.

Reach Alicia B. Hill at alicia.hill@lagrangenews.com or at 706-884-7311, Ext. 2154.