Jim Thornton was born, raised, and educated in LaGrange. He graduated from LaGrange High School and LaGrange College and then attended Emory Law School in Atlanta. After law school, Jim returned to LaGrange, where he has been practicing law for twenty years.

Jim is married to Corinne Thornton, who works for the State of Georgia. Most of Jim’s family still lives in LaGrange, including his mother Dodie Patterson, who is the Church Secretary at LaGrange First United Methodist Church, and his sister Jane Upchurch and her husband Joel and daughter Avery. Corinne’s parents David and Maureen Blencoe and her brother Stuart also live in LaGrange. Jim’s father Frank Thornton is deceased, but he was a long-time practicing attorney here.

In his law practice, Jim’s main area of work is real estate closings, helping families purchase their home. He also helps clients with wills and estate planning and small business formation.

Jim is active in his church at LaGrange First United Methodist, and he was recently appointed Chancellor of the North Georgia Annual Conference, making him the primary legal advisor to the United Methodist Bishop in Atlanta. He has been active in numerous local organizations, serving as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the United Way Campaign, and a board member of many local non-profit groups ranging from the Rotary Club to the Troup Cares Clinic to the LaGrange Symphony.

Jim was elected to the LaGrange City Council in 2009, and after serving one full term on the council, was elected Mayor in 2013. He has completed his first term and is seeking re-election to a second term.

As Mayor, Jim strives to be accessible to everyone in LaGrange. He is a listener, who cares about the concerns of citizens and who is always responsive. No one works harder than Jim—to be available, to be responsive, and to do everything possible to get the job done.

Jim firmly believes in partnerships and consensus. During his years of public service, he has worked diligently to bring together all stakeholders in the community to work collaboratively to solve issues. With his open, fair, logical, and compassionate leadership style, Jim has been successful in uniting the members of the City Council behind a shared vision of growth and progress. He has also built partnerships with Troup County, the School Board, the cities of West Point and Hogansville, and the various institutions in LaGrange, but he never loses sight of what is best for the people of LaGrange.

Anyone who has worked with Jim will attest to his authenticity, dedication, and fairness. In reviewing the City’s progress in economic development, public safety, and quality of life initiatives over the past four years, the results of Jim’s leadership speak for themselves. LaGrange is blessed to have a leader like Jim Thornton.

What do you love about LaGrange?

I love the people of LaGrange because they genuinely want to see progress and improvement for all residents and because they are inspired to do great things. In the last four years, LaGrange has seen unprecedented progress and we are on the cusp of remarkable change. While some cities resist change, the people of LaGrange have embraced it. As a result, real and tangible progress is happening today, people are pulling together to improve their areas of town, and outsiders are taking notice of what we are doing here.

 

---

 

Why do you want to be Mayor again?

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the City Council, the staff, and, most importantly, the community members to make things happen over the past four years. We have started a lot of new projects and initiatives, many of which are underway and some are just beginning. While the last four years have seen dramatic improvement, I believe the next four years have even greater potential for progress, growth, and positive change. I have proven the ability to lead our city in a positive direction, and I hope to continue serving the people of LaGrange for the next four years.

 

---

 

What drives you?

I want LaGrange to be the best it can be. I love this community, but I also know there are areas for improvement. I am driven by a belief that anything is possible if people work together and don’t care who gets the credit. Therefore, I have focused on constant improvement, always looking for ways to do things better and to improve people’s lives at the local level. For me, results matter more than credit or blame, so rather than just diagnosing problems or resting on laurels, I am always looking for ways to get a better result and build a stronger city.