Thomas Announces Candidacy for Bent County Commission Seat

John Thomas

Las Animas, CO – Longtime Bent County resident John Thomas has announced he will run for the Board of County Commissioners District 2 seat in the November 2018 midterm elections.

Thomas, a Colorado native who has lived in the Lower Arkansas Valley for more than 50 years, has resided in Las Animas since 1985. His insurance career has spanned 48 years, and Thomas is an owner of First Insurance Services, Inc. He oversees offices in Las Animas, Lamar and La Junta.

In addition to his nearly five decades in insurance, Thomas brings his longstanding community involvement to the commission as well. He currently serves as board chairman for the Bent County Public Health Department and also chairs the Bent County HealthCare Center board of trustees. He is a contributor and board member of the Bent County Economic Development Foundation, and has sat on numerous other boards in the area.

In 1967, while living in Lamar, he co-chaired the United Fund Drive, and he was a member of the Lamar Jaycees from 1971 through 1983, serving as a local officer and a state/regional vice president.

In Las Animas he’s served as a two-term president of the Las Animas/Bent County Chamber of Commerce, and he has previously served on the board of the Las Animas Housing Authority. He’s also past board chairman of the Las Animas Urban Renewal Authority.

Thomas said that his connection to and love for the area is his motivation for seeking the county commission seat.

“I really don’t have an agenda,” he said. “But I do understand the limited revenues and increased expenses faced by Bent County and other small counties in Southeast Colorado.”

He and wife Patti recently celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary. They have three children, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild due in April.