A well-known Clayton leader is hoping to take his long-time municipal experience up to the county level.
Four-time Clayton Councilman Butch Lawter has announced his intention to run for the District 7 seat on the Johnston County Board of Commissioners. The seat is currently held by Commissioner Allen Mims of Clayton who recently announced he would seek reelection. A total of 4 seats on the Johnston County Board of Commissioners will be up for reelection in 2018.
“I moved to Johnston County two decades ago and have worked to be active in the community ever since,” said Butch Lawter, who is married to Greater Cleveland Chamber of Commerce President Kim Lawter. They have five grown children, who’ve all been educated in Johnston County public schools and live and work in Johnston County. “I just genuinely care about improving the lives of people in my community and bringing value for their tax dollars.”
Lawter first entered into public service 20 years ago, volunteering to serve as a member of the Town of Clayton’s Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee. In 1999, he decided to run for office to expand his service to all departments of the town, but never abandoning his dedication to parks and recreation. As a Town Councilman he has helped guide Clayton through some incredible growth, from just under 7,000 people in 1999 to now more than 20,000.
“I have been able to combine my fiscally conservative approach to spending, with my vision of enhancing the quality of life for its residents,” said Lawter, a civil engineer, who works as Director of Environmental Services at WithersRavenel, a North Carolina-based engineering firm. “During my tenure, Clayton has developed and maintained financial goals that have resulted in improved bond ratings and very favorable financial reserves and fund balances. Yet we’ve still been able to expand parks, recreation programs, facilities, cultural arts opportunities and downtown revitalization projects.”
Lawter feels his greatest strength is his compassion for Johnston County and its people. Whether it’s joining participants at an Alzheimer’s Walk, Town Square Concert, or Town Council meeting, Lawter is known for engaging people with friendly demeanor and humor, easily starting up conversations with residents to probe what their hopes and concerns for the community may be.
“My greatest strength is my passion for Johnston County and its people,” said Lawter. “I really feel my personal skills, professional experience, and local government experience will serve the citizens of Johnston County well. My vision for Johnston County would be for our children and grandchildren to obtain a quality education; work in their chosen trade, vocation, or profession (farming to pharmaceuticals); enjoy recreational opportunities; obtain quality healthcare; and raise their families all without leaving Johnston County.”
Lawter is a member of Greater Heights United Methodist Church in Clayton. He’s also served local schools, including two years as president of Cooper Elementary (Academy) PTA. He’s volunteered for Relay for Life, Special Olympics of North Carolina, and similar organizations. He serves on regional planning organizations, such as the Triangle J Council of Governments, Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and
Western Johnston Regional Water and Sewer Authority.
“Spending 30 years in engineering, land development and roadway construction in central and eastern North Carolina has helped expose me to the ordinances of many other municipal and county governments. It’s given me the opportunity to interact with many departments in these local governments. I’ve participated in their rezoning and special/conditional use processes from plan submittal to approval by elected officials,” said Lawter, who holds a Bachelors in Civil Engineering from Clemson University and a Masters in Civil Engineering from NC State University.
“This experience enables me to understand the design and permitting process for projects that are essential to the strategic growth and economic development in Johnston County. It’s helped me understand the big picture of how a community grows, including planning and engineering, building inspections, customer service, public works, parks and recreation, and emergency services. I want to bring all of that to the county and plan to continue to be as active as the day I first moved to Johnston County.”
The filing period will officially open for the Johnston County Commissioner positions in February followed by a May Primary and November 2018 election.
