Published: March 22, 2008 01:52 pm            

McLaughlin emerges to run for mayor again

Galen Scott

gscott@weatherforddemocrat.com

The last time acting Weatherford Mayor Dennis Hooks was in an election, 10 years ago, he lost to Tom McLaughlin.

These days, McLaughlin owns and operates a small mobile home park on Ranger Highway. He said friends and acquaintances started asking him to run for mayor again two or three months ago.

“They’re tired of the city’s neglect of residential, neighborhood streets,” he said of those pressing him to run. “They feel like the council has been strictly concerned with new development and forgot about [older neighborhoods].”

After discussing it with his wife, Ann, and praying on the matter, McLaughlin said he filed for office on the last possible day. If elected in May, McLaughlin’s stance on several issues suggests he could change the city’s current course significantly.

McLaughlin supports reintroducing animal sales at the First Monday Trade Days.

Citing evidence of puppy mills and other animal cruelty, in addition to public health concerns, city officials defied a tide of opposition and voted to ban the sale of animals at First Monday in June 2006.

At the time, animal vendors predicted the market would eventually go out of business once puppies, goats, rabbits and other animals disappeared.

“First Monday is just dying out because they took the animals away,” McLaughlin said. “I would like the historical parts of this town considered and not done away with. You’ve got new growth, certainly, but you’ve still got to take care of what made this city what it is.”

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