I read with interest your interviews with the Tryon candidates, hoping to learn about mayoral candidate Jerry Thomas. He owes the voters in Tryon some answers about his behavior over the past several years. None were forthcoming in the Bulletin interview or at the Roseland candidate forum on Monday night. 

Jerry Thomas is the former president of Daystar Enterprises, owner of the old St. Luke’s Hospital in Tryon and Grover’s Mill in Lynn several years ago. Acting on behalf of Daystar, Mr. Thomas has not been a good neighbor to nearby homeowners in Gillette Woods and certainly should not be considered a viable candidate for mayor.  

 Under his leadership, the company defaulted on both Tryon and Polk County taxes for more than a year and both jurisdictions had to put the property up for tax sale again before they were paid.  

He acted on Daystar’s behalf in gutting both properties, leaving open piles of debris in the St. Luke’s parking lot for months. He then clear-cut all the trees on both St. Luke’s and the adjoining Nurse’s Quarters, leaving branches and debris littering the roadside on both properties for months. He let his dogs run loose and maintained an attractive nuisance with no security preventing area youths from entering the building. He has been the worst kind of neighbor, keeping his properties in disrepair and driving down his neighbor’s property values. 

Jerry Thomas has been such a bad neighbor. I am surprised he would put himself up to ridicule by running for mayor. It is time that everyone in the community recognizes him as the man responsible for the destruction and neglect at the old St. Luke’s hospital and Lynn mill properties.  

Drive by both to see what he has done with them over the past several years and consider what he might do as mayor. Then decide for yourself if he deserves any consideration as candidate for mayor of Tryon. 

I am sorry to hear about Mr. Thomas’s bout with cancer and wish him well in recovery. However, I suggest he refrain from any further political ambition and concentrates on taking care of his health and his properties. 

Regards, 

William Cumming
Tryon, N.C.