Robert Dotson of Oden Ridge has qualified to seek the Republican Party nomination for Morgan County Commission, District III, in the upcoming March Primary Election.

Dotson is a retired Army career veteran and Federal Civil Service employee who currently owns and operates a commercial grade Black Angus cattle farm at his family’s home place.

Dotson became a candidate for the office when the Morgan County Republican Party Committee met on Nov. 13 and began qualifying procedures.

“When I retired and came back to the farm in 1979 I realized I had missed a lot of what had been going on in the county I was born and raised in,” Dotson said. “I gave a lot of thought about giving something back to the county and decided that serving in an elected office is one way I can do that.”

“Drawing upon my experience, leadership, training and education, I want to get involved in building an even better Morgan County,” he added.

“I want to be accessible to the people and listen to what they have to say. I’ll open the district barn at least one day every quarter to give people the opportunity to come by and visit and tell me what they want to see done.”

Dotson attended the former Eva High School and earned a high school equivalency diploma in the U.S. Army. He also earned an associate degree in business administration from Columbia, Mo. College, a B.S. degree with honors from McKendree University in Illinois and was an instructor at the Germany campus of Central Texas College.

He served in the Army’s Quartermaster Corps from 1966 to 1992, retiring with the rank of chief warrant officer.

After his discharge he served in management positions with the Federal Civil Service for 16 years. His responsibilities included managing a budget of $265 million as director of the Army’s Logistics Assistance Program.

Dotson is a member and director of the Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association, Hartselle Rotary Club, American Legion Post 15 in Decatur and Shiloh Baptist Church

He and his wife Janice have been married for 32 years and have two sons and a daughter and six grandchildren.