 ‘I think it would have to be the passing of the open housing ordinance – we had no ordinance prohibiting discrimination in housing,’ Thomas said.He recalled the ordinance initially failed with a 2-3 vote, but then passed unanimously a year or two later.‘No one said anything about it – we just passed it.’ Also during his term as mayor, many things were built in the city, such as the library, the city garage and the water treatment plant.”

In 1983, he received the Albion College Distinguished Alumni Award.