James (Jim) Lawson - Town Council

JAMES (JIM) LAWSON - Town Council
24 Deer Meadow Road

Education: 

BSEE, University of New Hampshire

Occupation: 

Business management and engineering (retired)

Years as Durham Resident:  15 years

Previous Service on Governmental/Community/Civic Boards:

Since 2010, I have served on several Durham Town boards:

• Town Council (2011–2014, 2015–2018, 2018–2021)
• Planning Board, as Town Council Rep (2012–2014, 2016–2018, 2020–2021)
• Agricultural Commission (2018–2019)
• Traffic Safety Committee (volunteer; data collection) (2015–2021)
• Zoning Board of Adjustment (2014–2015)
• Historic District Commission (2015–2016)
• Economic Development Committee (2010–2012)

In addition, my volunteer work extends to:

• Berwick Academy: Trustee, Secretary and Co-Chair of the Financial Affairs Committee (2012–present)
• McGregor Memorial EMS: Emergency Medical Technician and Treasurer (2007–2010)

Reason for Interest in Running for Elected Office:

My wife Amy and I moved to Durham from Maryland with our daughter in 2006. Amy and I met as undergraduates at UNH before moving to the Washington D.C. area. Fifteen years ago, we returned to Durham for its excellent quality of life. We feel very fortunate to live in this Seacoast community, with its many opportunities—from UNH sporting and cultural events, to recreation on well-managed conserved lands. And yes, lobstering on Great Bay with our dog Shiloh is another nice benefit we have recently discovered!

Serving on the Town Council is one of many excellent ways to contribute to the Durham community. If re-elected, I will continue to bring both my business and community experience to the Council’s work. The core of that work, despite its many varied responsibilities, must be to maintain and build upon the attributes that make our town unique and attractive to the people and families who call it home.

I remain committed to fulfilling Councilor responsibilities in an accessible, open-minded, and collaborative manner, respecting that each Town Councilor offers unique and valuable expertise and perspectives. We learn from each other.

As we continue to assess Durham’s future, I see a continuation of the historical balancing act through which we try to inject our downtown with economic vitality while maintaining the features of the community that drew—and keep—most of us here. In addition to supporting the responsible stewardship of our recreational and conservation lands, I will continue to help build on the positive momentum now focused on our downtown while working to address the ongoing concerns that the nearby neighborhoods face related to Durham’s hosting a large university. I remain committed to the excellent Durham-UNH relationship that we have built over the years and to identifying new areas of collaboration.

Some of the challenges and opportunities facing Durham in the next several years where I will continue to provide expertise include:

• Our downtown NEIGHBORHOODS—Vibrant and family-friendly downtown neighborhoods are vital to Durham and will continue to be my priority. I will continue to use my data-based analytical skills to evaluate housing trends and challenges to the small-town quality of life in our family neighborhoods. I believe the Town Council must continue to develop, refine, and fund strategies that effectively deal with disruptive rental properties and disruptive student behaviors.
• A new FIRE STATION—We have addressed our aging or inadequate infrastructure by investing in projects such as the police station renovation, a new library, a new town hall, and upgrades to the wastewater treatment facility.However, Durham’s Fire Department remains housed in an inadequate facility that fails to meet minimum safety, training, and maintenance standards. Even so, the department continues to respond to over 2,400 emergency calls per year, a reflection on the dedication of our staff. This will be an important area of collaboration with UNH that will benefit both the University and Durham.
• PARKING to support our downtown businesses—During the past six years, I have collected and analyzed downtown parking data with help from town staff. This work allows the town to identify parking trends, modify parking policies, and evaluate the impact of future development and the need for new parking infrastructure. The data collected prior to the pandemic shows that parking demand has increased as the downtown becomes more attractive to residents. It is also likely that parking constraints will stifle post-pandemic infill redevelopment and renovation. I will remain actively engaged with the community, town staff, and the Council to help identify and evaluate options to increase downtown parking capacity in support of that infill.
• BUDGET development and refinement—Occasionally we all need reminding that Durham has invested in new infrastructure and facilities while minimizing municipal tax rate increases. In fact, the Council kept the rate flat for four years during my time on the council. We have achieved this through prudent and responsible fiscal management, increasing the tax base, and developing responsible, constrained budgets. In my past three terms as Councilor, I have been able to contribute my financial expertise to the Council throughout the annual budget process. I am committed to working closely with the administrator, town staff, councilors, and the community over my next term to develop equally fiscally responsible and prudent budgets that continue to reflect the priorities and values of our community.

Additional Background Information:

My background and business skills—primarily as an engineer and business entrepreneur, coupled with nine years of experience on the Council, provides a strong foundation of skills that complement those of other Town Councilors. My broad experience with the town departments provides me with a good understanding of how services are delivered and town budgets are developed, as well as the important responsibilities undertaken by all of our town boards, commissions, and committees.

We all know that what one brings to a job cannot always be captured on a resume. One strength I have cultivated is carefully listening to all sides. (I have even been known to change my mind as a result.) In the spirit of “two heads are better than one,” we are fortunate to have a Council of nine who communicate well and work together to support the community. I tend to dive deeply into an issue and to carefully articulate issues, which can help prompt creative problem-solving and result in a more balanced, better solution.

With your support, I look forward to continuing to serve the community.