Reached for comment by phone, Ward Two councilman candidate PJ Lawson shed light on why he didn’t speak at the public hearing regarding the Ward Two seat vacancy, which was held last Monday. “I’d already announced to the council my intention to accept their appointment if they wanted to appoint me,” Lawson explained.
While he said that in hindsight he “should have spoken up again and reiterated that I was willing to accept the appointment if that is what they” (the City Council) “wanted to do, even though he had “made it known beforehand”, Lawson confirmed that he is definitely running for the seat.
Asked about a draft copy of a campaign ad sent to the Eagle from Laura Dicke, leader of the Eagle Grove Betterment Committee, Lawson specified that while Dicke is not his campaign manager or working for his campaign, “we’ve been talking off since that January 8th meeting.” But, Lawson insisted, “I am open to any support from Ward Two. I viewLaura as someone I can run ideas by. I do that with my family and friends.”
Indeed, Lawson said, “listening to everybody’s thoughts and opinions is the best way for anybody to grow and be a proper leader.” And if he’s ever sitting down with his constituents, Lawson said, he would hear them out even if they disagreed with him.
“My morals and my principals are very dear to me, and I take that very seriously,” Lawson said. “But if someone comes to me with a different opinion, I’m not going to hold that against them. I’m actually going to appreciate them opening up to me.”
Lawson, who currently manages the Dairy Queen in Story City, said he feels ready to take on the Councilman’s job (which would be his first time serving in public office) because he’s had experience in leadership in the private sector. “I’ve been in a leadership position for the better part of the last twenty years, in my various jobs,” Lawson said.
Lawson said he is in favor of finishing and opening the Rec Center. “I think that the Rec Center will be a great asset for our city,” Lawson said. “There could have been better communication and more openness about it. But at the end of the day the Rec Center is an awesome plan for our community.”
Lawson also said that he “would support Mayor Boyd’s decision” regarding City Administrator Bryce Davis. Echoing Boyd, Lawson said that “unless there was 100% evidence to support letting Administrator Davis go, he should not be let go.”
Lawson has been a resident of the second ward since December of 2019.
