RICHMOND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- Parking was at a premium Tuesday evening (Jan. 14) around Richmond Heights City Hall, as was standing space inside the building, as a large crowd turned out to see the swearings-in of City Council’s two newest members.
Following a swift council meeting, those in attendance got to see what they had waited for -- Cassandra Nelson and Kim Thomas taking their ceremonial oaths of office.
The two women, both of whom won election victories on their first tries last November, proved to be quite popular. Both are members of numerous organizations, and members of those organizations, family members and well-wishers were all in attendance.
Thomas was the first to take the oath, administered by Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart. Nelson took the oath from Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Deborah Turner. These were just two of the judges and dignitaries in the building for the ceremonies.
Others included the event’s emcee, county Domestic Relations Court Judge Tonya Jones; Highland Hills Mayor Michael Booker; Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Chair Shontel Brown; former U.S. ambassador to Malta Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley; District 8 State Rep. Kent Smith; Robert and Marian Saffold, the mother and father of U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge; County Councilwoman Sunny Simon; and more.
“This has been an amazing experience,” said Nelson who, like Thomas, spent nearly an hour after the meeting greeting well-wishers and posing for photos. “It’s wonderful to see all these people came out to support us, and to see that they support change.”
Nelson, the new Ward 3 councilwoman, said that she will stand for demographic diversity, economic development that brings in sustainable businesses and bridging the relationship between the city’s government and schools.
“I know Richmond Heights has great schools and is a great city," Nelson said. "Richmond Heights has everything right here. We just need to put it together.”
Nelson has lived in the city for 17 years. She and her husband, Isaac, were high school sweethearts and have been married 45 years. They are the parents of daughter Andrea Nelson Moore, a lawyer, and Army Capt. Isaac Nelson, now stationed at Fort Knox in Kentucky. Nelson is the grandmother of five.
Retired since 2012, her career consisted of working 15 years for Honeywell, then later for 22 years with Medical Mutual. Her affiliations include the National Action Network, the National Committee of Black Women and the National Committee of Negro Women. Nelson served in 2018 on the Richmond Heights Charter Review Commission.
“In order for us to move forward, we all have to work together,” Nelson said while addressing the audience after taking the oath. "It’s not just about me, it’s about all of us to continue to make it as great a city as it is. We can continue to make it even better, based on the demographics. So, if we all get out and work together, surely we can always look forward to tomorrow. I am so honored -- you guys don’t know how honored I am -- to be able serve you.
“We can’t do it ourselves," Nelson added. “We need the community to come out to the meetings. If you don’t have the voice, tell me and I’ll speak for you. We can make change happen if we have the right attitude.”
Nelson, who plans to hold regular ward meetings, thanked former Ward 3 councilman Jeremy Kumin for his service and said she would gladly work with him in the future.
Thomas is the vice chairperson of the Democratic Party of Cuyahoga County and serves on the Executive Committee of the Ohio State Democratic Party. In July, she will serve as a delegate for Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president Joe Biden at the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee.
Now the Ward 1 councilwoman, Thomas is a beauty consultant and is the longtime owner of the Christopher Amira Studio on Larchmere Boulevard in Cleveland. The studio is named for her grown son, Christopher, and grown daughter, Amira. She has been married 29 years to Danny Thomas, a former Cleveland Brown who is retired from a law enforcement career.
She is a member of the National Congress of Black Women, the Black Women Political Action Committee and the Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus Steering Committee.
Thomas is a former high school classmate of Richmond Heights Schools Superintendent Dr. Renee Willis.
“I had a vision of running on safety, economic development and bridging the gap between the schools and the city,” Thomas said. "People buy property based on a city’s school district.
“As a business owner, I want to reach out to business owners and help them face the challenges of owning a business. I also want to serve as a voice for people who live in apartments and to hold landlords accountable. Just because someone lives in an apartment doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be treated just as fairly as those who live in homes.”
Thomas said she also will strive to ensure that minority contractors are given a fair opportunity to perform city work.
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