Results released Thursday from the 2020 Census show Dawson County’s population continues to decline, perhaps even more than had been expected. That drop creates even more challenges for local efforts being made to turn the slide around and grow Lamesa, according to Lee Peterson, executive director for Lamesa economic development. “It will impact us, and it won’t be good,” Peterson said Friday. “It has an impact on everything we do when we try to grow the community.” Economic officials have long noted that outside businesses like to go into areas where they see good potential for growth. The 2020 population figures posted by the U.S.