John Lawson, 58, has been a district manager for Lance Snack Food Company for 26 years. He has lived in Dobson for 16 years, attended the University of Kentucky and is a former deacon of the North Main Street Church of Christ in Mount Airy.

Lawson’s public service includes serving on the Dobson Planning and Zoning Board, the Dobson Recreation Board and as a member of the Dobson ABC Board.

His wife, Charlotte, is a director at Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital, and he has two sons, Jonathan and Curry.

Here are Lawson’s responses to a series of questions posed to board of commissioner candidates in Dobson to allow voters to learn about their positions in preparation for the election on Nov. 3. There are two seats on the board available and six candidates.

Question: Why did you decide to run for office?

Answer: I had a bunch of friends ask me, that are involved in the town. I’ve been on numerous boards here in town and I want to see what I can do for Dobson.

Question: What would be your top three priorities of you are elected to office?

Answer: Number one would have to be my park, because I got a lot of publicity on my park. Everybody agreed with my park. But I’m really passionate about the park. Doesn’t have to be any thing fancy, just a walking track, maybe a swing for the kids.

Secondly, is some way to get the people involved of the town — the voters. We used to have a berry festival. We are trying now with this festival (the Dobson Fall Fest), but I don’t think the town is even involved with it. Just trying to get other people involved in serving.

Third, would be something done with the traffic patterns in the mornings and the evenings — some left and right turn signals, turn lanes. We should be able to work with the state on that.

Question: Why do you think you deserve this office?

Answer: I have no personal agendas. I am doing it to serve. That’s the way I was raised in my church. We’re here on earth to serve each other. I feel I have some good ideas and I will represent all people, the citizens, not just certain ones.

Question: What will you do to increase community involvement?

Answer: Well I think if we get like a park idea. You could have a committee and get people involved in that, to raise the money whatever we have to do. We could get people involved in finding something for our kids to do in Dobson. There’s not much for the younger generation to do in Dobson — community center or something of that nature.

Question: Are you for or against the proposed curfew for teens younger than age 18?

Answer: I am for the curfew. Because there’s many reasons for a kid to be out at night and if their parents have that, that’s fine, but 11 o’clock a kid that age has no business being out. I’ve been out in town at night and there are some activities that the people of Dobson don’t know what’s going on. That’s why Shawn (Myers, police chief) has brought this up. It needs to be looked at.