When it comes to real accomplishments that make a difference in the lives of Cottleville residents, Mayor Stephen Thompson has little to show. For all his self-promotion and image-building, the record speaks for itself: he has failed to deliver tangible improvements for the community while repeatedly inflating or fabricating his own role in the city’s progress.

Time and again, Thompson has shown a troubling pattern of dishonesty. In court, under oath, he shifted stories and was ultimately caught in lies, losing a lawsuit in the process. That lack of integrity bleeds into his role as mayor. He has tried to take credit for Cottleville’s designation as a Purple Heart City, despite the fact that he wasn’t part of the process at all. Worse, he has implied to residents that the previous administration was corrupt, when there is no evidence of corruption, only his willingness to distort the truth to cast himself as a savior.

And remember that letter to voters where candidate Stephen Thompson promised innovative ideas and a clear vision for Cottleville if elected? Where are those ideas? He has none. Instead, he plans on spending $110,000 of taxpayer funds on a planning consultant, money that is coming  from the balanced budget the prior administration built, to come up with a “vision” he should have had from the start. Did he just lie to all of us to win votes? 

So what exactly has Thompson accomplished as mayor? Not new infrastructure, not meaningful improvements in services, not a clear plan for growth, nothing that has changed lives for the better. Instead, he has accomplished only one thing: protecting his image at all costs. Every decision, every public comment, every photo op seems designed to serve himself rather than Cottleville. He talks like a leader but delivers nothing of substance.

For a city that deserves vision and integrity, Stephen Thompson has offered neither. His leadership amounts to a hollow performance, built on borrowed credit, false claims, and self-interest. The truth is unavoidable: Mayor Stephen Thompson has accomplished nothing so far for the people of Cottleville and everything for himself.  Who did you vote for?