Priorities for Lyman
Matthew Dawes is committed to building a stronger, more vibrant Lyman for everyone. His vision focuses on supporting families, helping local businesses thrive, preserving the town’s future, and fostering a collaborative, transparent leadership style.
From creating family-friendly events and safe, welcoming parks, to empowering small businesses and guiding smart growth, Matthew believes progress comes from community-driven solutions.
Above all, he is dedicated to bringing leaders and residents together, ensuring decisions reflect the needs of families, businesses, and the generations to come.
Priorities for Lyman
Supporting Families
Family-Friendly Events
Seasonal festivals, weekly summer movies, community bingo nights, farmers markets, and art walks — events that bring families downtown and strengthen our sense of community.
By partnering with local artists, we can also create free and fun experiences, like a theatre play in the park, meet-and-greets with beloved characters, or live puppet shows for kids to enjoy.
Parks and Green Spaces
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Investing in safe, well-maintained parks and green spaces is an investment in families.
Matthew supports creating a community garden in the heart of town where kids can learn the value of growing their own food — a nod to Lyman’s agricultural roots of the 1920s, when children helped farm the family land.
Parks and green spaces aren’t just amenities; they’re what make families proud to call a town home.
Helping Businesses Thrive
🔹 Support for Local Shops
Strong local businesses mean a strong local economy.
Matthew believes in supporting small businesses with resources, visibility, and fair opportunities to grow.
He supports initiatives like reduced permit fees, façade grants to improve storefronts, and streamlined processes that make it easier for businesses to open and thrive.
🔹 Bringing Business Downtown
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A thriving downtown benefits the whole community.
By hosting family-friendly events, beautifying shared spaces, and investing in infrastructure, we can draw people into Lyman’s core.
When families gather downtown, local businesses see more customers, which creates a cycle of growth.
Matthew also envisions a Downtown Business Challenge—a competition where entrepreneurs pitch ideas and the winner receives a grant package to help cover rent, startup costs, and setup in a vacant storefront.
🔹 Partnerships with Entrepreneurs
Lyman is full of hardworking people with great ideas.
Matthew wants to work directly with entrepreneurs and business leaders to attract investment and strengthen opportunities. He also wants to hear from local business owners about why they chose Lyman, and how the town can better support their growth.
Creating a welcoming, vibrant downtown not only helps small businesses flourish—it also makes Lyman attractive to larger companies looking for a community where their employees can live, work, and love where they call home.
Preserving Lyman’s Future
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🔹 Smart Growth & Community Planning
Lyman is growing quickly, and that growth should be managed with care.
Matthew supports thoughtful planning that balances new development with preserving the character and charm of our town.
He will also bring together volunteers, business owners, town staff, and council members to create a shared roadmap for Main Street — forming a dedicated committee that works alongside Town Council and the Mayor to focus on events, business support, and infrastructure improvements, ensuring long-term success for our downtown.
🔹 Protecting Natural Resources
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Preserving green space, maintaining clean water, and protecting the natural beauty of Lyman ensures that future generations inherit a town they’ll be proud to call home.
🔹 Investing in Infrastructure
Safe roads, modern utilities, and long-term planning for schools and public services are key to sustaining Lyman’s growth.
Matthew will also prioritize addressing urgent needs like flooding in Mill Village, working with town leaders and the community to secure funding and move projects forward — protecting both residents and local businesses.
Building Unity in Lyman’s Leadership
🔹 Open & Honest Communication
Unity doesn’t mean perfect agreement — it means working with respect, finding common ground, and keeping the community first.
Matthew’s leadership style is rooted in collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
Matthew will build trust and respect through regular workshops, roundtables, and direct meetings with the mayor, council members, and staff. He’ll listen to priorities, highlight areas of common ground such as infrastructure, safety, and growth, and set a clear tone that his focus is collaboration, not conflict.
🔹 Shared Goals & Transparency
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Matthew believes the best ideas for Lyman come from the people who live here.
By focusing on priorities like infrastructure, safety, and downtown growth, he’ll work with town leadership to publish clear, public updates and keep residents informed.
He also supports more opportunities for open dialogue — not closed doors. Forums, surveys, and “Coffee with Council” gatherings can create welcoming spaces for families and neighbors to share ideas. Picture meeting in the old library by the playground — kids playing nearby while parents talk about Lyman’s future.
Civic engagement should feel natural, inviting, and part of everyday life.
🔹 Collaboration Over Politics
Matthew believes leadership isn’t about politics or egos — it’s about bringing people together to serve Lyman’s families, businesses, and future.
He prioritizes respect, shared decision-making, and keeping every discussion focused on the question:
“How does this serve our community today and for generations to come?”
In practice:
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Celebrate Wins Together — Recognize successes like new businesses, infrastructure projects, and community events as team achievements.
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Transparent Communication — Share agendas, proposals, and short public recaps to keep residents informed and build trust.
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Engage the Community — Invite citizens into discussions so decisions reflect the town’s needs, not personalities.
Unity isn’t perfect agreement — it’s collaboration, respect, and shared focus on Lyman’s future.
