Hinesville Mayor Jim Thomas underwent surgery in mid-February for an unspecified condition. City officials, per Thomas’s wishes, would not disclose what type of surgery the mayor had. They would say he is currently resting comfortably at home.
“I’m very reluctant to release information of this type for very obvious reasons,” Hinesville City Manager Billy Edwards said Friday.  “I can say that the mayor and I talk regularly and he seems to be recovering well.”
City officials confirmed the mayor suffered a complication after surgery, but would not specify what that complication was. Other sources in the community told the Courier that Thomas
had an infection in his arm drained. 
Hinesville Public Affairs Manager Krystal Britton said Monday that Thomas had “experienced a relapse after surgery and wasn’t cleared to go back to work as early as he had hoped for.”
“He is recovering and expects to return to work next week as soon as he is cleared by the doctor. He’ll know more after his doctor visit tomorrow (Tuesday),” Britton said.
A retired military officer, Thomas is serving his first term as mayor. He was elected Hinesville’s first African-American mayor in November 2007 at the age of
67. Thomas retired from the Defense Department civil service in March 2006, according to the city of Hinesville website. He serves on the Liberty County Hospital Authority and the Hinesville Metropolitan Planning Organization.