James "Cotton" Dawson
No biography on file yet.
Voice
- Meetings spoken in
- 3
- Total speaking time
- 5:50
- Avg per meeting
- 1:57
- Segments
- 135
Want every word Dawson has said?
The OpenCity MCP for Claude.ai answers questions like “what has Dawson said about housing this year” with one prompt — full speaking history, with YouTube timestamps.
Top issues during term (20)
Speed Limit Reduction on Sherman and Hooper Roads
Minimal — signage costs only, but safer driving conditions on a dangerous stretch.
Commercial Building Design Standards
Could significantly raise construction costs for small businesses looking to build or expand in the county.
West Dry Hollow Road Name Change
Minimal cost — mostly updating the road list and address records.
YMCA Ice Storm Shelter Reimbursement
The county started the storm season with 350 tons of salt — its largest stockpile ever — and nearly exhausted it, plus equipment repairs like a grader's blown air compressor.
local election results
Local election results can change how county tax dollars are prioritized for services, projects, and day-to-day operations.
East Piney Road Speed Study
Minimal; signage and study costs were not quantified.
Six-month moratorium on data center zoning
No direct cost — the moratorium is a pause on approvals, not a spending item.
$12.50 court cost to fund the District Attorney's office
Funding mechanism tied to a $12.50 court cost, amount not yet determined.
Irregular lot shapes in new subdivisions
Yellow Creek Road warehouse rezoning and rural preservation
Senior Property Tax Freeze Program
Estimated up to about $250,000 in lost county revenue per year depending on the income threshold the commission picks.
School Fund Budget Amendments
$19.5 million from school fund reserves and revenues, with roofs at three schools expected to run first under a $47 million project envelope.
County financial condition and heightened risk debt
Up to $1,522,288 in interest-bearing notes, covering spending already in this year's budget.
Zoning amendments: traffic studies, access points, vested rights
Traffic studies can cost developers thousands; a low trigger could raise the price of new starter homes.
Fire Hall ISO Ratings and Homeowner Insurance
Potential homeowner insurance savings are unrealized because carriers are not updating rates.
Future of the $10 Trash Fee
Unknown dollar amount of delinquent solid waste fees currently carried on Dickson Electric's books.
New Fire Truck and Ambulance Monitors
About $830,000 in new borrowing, spread over the life of the note.
road sight distance improvement
The county likely covered this through routine public works spending on excavation and grading, but no specific cost was provided.
Cemetery protection in development
Regulation of Sober Living Homes
Decisions during term (201)
Recorded while Dawson was in office — not necessarily decisions they moved, spoke to, or voted on.
Rezone — Hilltop Structures LP, Cumberland Furnace
Revised final plat — Old Number One Estates
Revised final plat — Park Forest Subdivision, Phase Three
Approval of previous meeting's minutes
Approval of September 21, 2026 Regular Session Minutes
Quarterly Financial Reports – All Funds Except Schools
Errors and Double Assessments
Tax Relief
Change Name on Portion of West Dry Hollow Road
Transportation Safety Action Plan
Reduce Speed Limit on Sherman and Hooper Roads
Zoning Resolution Amendment: Non-Residential Character & Standards
YMCA Request for Reimbursement
Rezoning – Rubix IG LLC, 2328 Sylvia Road (A-1 to C-1)
Rezoning – Rubix RE LLC, 4119 Highway 96, Burns (A-1 to C-1)
Rezoning – Ricardo Colin, 432 Eno Road (M-1 to C-1)
Approval of Notaries
Approval of September 8, 2026 Work Session Minutes
Quarterly Financial Reports – All Funds Except Schools
Errors and Double Assessments
Voting record (1)
Oldest to newest — hover a bar for the item.