New Vehicle Tag Renewal Kiosk in Macedonia Tax Commissioner Denise Mastroserio worked with the Georgia Department of Revenue and Kroger to receive approval for a new kiosk location (Kroger at Woodmont Village, 8020 Cumming Highway, Canton), making it more convenient for residents to renew their tags.“Commissioner Steve West and I have discussed adding this additional kiosk for the residents in communities including Macedonia, Free Home, Lathemtown, and Buffington, so they do not have to travel to Canton to renew their vehicle registration,” Mastroserio said. “The kiosk is available for use anytime Kroger is open.”To use the kiosk, users must scan their vehicle registration renewal letter or driver’s license or have their tag number handy to enter it into the system. To use the tag number option, you must have the last four digits of your VIN. Credit and debit cards are accepted for payment. A $4.95 fee applies.
Progress Update on Canton's Roadmap for Success Following the conclusion of the most recent City Council Retreat (March 15-17, 2024), City Manager Billy Peppers provided a review of the City’s progress on the Canton Roadmap for Success, which was adopted in late 2020. The work on programs, projects, and policies is outlined under each of the eight tenets outlined in the roadmap. Visit CantonGa.gov/government/city-manager for a complete list of all monthly operations reports, or scan the QR code to read the full details of the Roadmap for Success update:
City Finance Department Earns Accolades The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the City of Canton for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year that ended September 30, 2022. This was the 23rd consecutive year that the City has achieved this prestigious award. To be awarded a Certificate of Achievement, a government must publish an easily readable and efficiently organized comprehensive annual financial report. This report must satisfy both generally accepted accounting principles and applicable legal requirements. It is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
Cherokee County School District Announcements New Class of Educators Inducted Into Hall of FameThe CCSD Educators Hall of Fame recognizes retired educators who made significant contributions during their careers in CCSD and left lasting positive impacts on the lives of students, colleagues, and the community. The Class of 2024 inductees are Letitia Cline, Marguerite Cline, Jackie Hopkins, Pete Jones, and the late Lee R. Tippens. Superintendent Davis Begins Her New RoleDr. Mary Elizabeth Davis, CCSD’s freshly hired superintendent of schools started her new role last month by visiting schools and meeting students, teachers and staff, families, and community partners.“My commitment to education extends beyond a career choice — it is a profound dedication to creating environments where students thrive, educators are empowered, leaders excel, support staff make significant impacts, and families confidently invest their trust,” said Davis in her statement to the community upon accepting the position. New Class of Educators Inducted Into Hall of FameThe CCSD Educators Hall of Fame recognizes retired educators who made significant contributions during their careers in CCSD and left lasting positive impacts on the lives of students, colleagues, and the community. The Class of 2024 inductees are Letitia Cline, Marguerite Cline, Jackie Hopkins, Pete Jones, and the late Lee R. Tippens.
Canton Police Department Welcomes New Chief City Manager Billy Peppers has named Martin P. Ferrell as the next leader of Canton’s Police Department. The hire comes after former Chief Stephen Merrifield’s retirement last December. Mercer Group Associates conducted a national recruitment effort in December and early January to assist Peppers with narrowing the applicant pool to a selection of candidates for formal review. Mercer Group utilized stakeholder feedback from the department to assist in developing the recruitment brochure for the position.Chief Ferrell joins Canton Police following a career with the City of Marietta Police Department. Ferrell began his law enforcement career as an officer with Marietta Police in 1990, eventually serving in narcotics and as a departmental training officer. Rising through the department, he became a lieutenant in 1999, leading a variety of programs including criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, crime interdiction, Police Explorers, drug education, SWAT, and the City of Marietta’s school resource officer program.In 2005, Ferrell was promoted to major, leading outreach, uniform patrol, administrative services, and homeland security, among other duties. He served as deputy chief of the department from 2013 to 2022. During that time, he established a pastor’s academy for community outreach, introduced the department’s body warn camera technology, incorporated the agency’s crisis intervention team for officer support, and filled in in the absence of the chief. He attained the office of chief of police with Marietta PD in 2022, serving until he retired from that local government at the end of 2023.In addition to his work experience, Ferrell holds post-secondary degrees in criminal justice administration from Columbia Southern University. He is a graduate of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police Chief Executive Training Program, International Association of Chiefs of Police Leadership in Police Organizations, Senior Management Institute of Police, Police Executive Research Forum, Carl Vinson Institute of Government Management Program at the University of Georgia, FBI National Academy, Dale Carnegie Management Program, and the North Central Georgia Law Enforcement Academy. The Canton Police Department includes 61 employees, both sworn law enforcement personnel and civilian administrative staff. Canton Police Department is a State Certified Law Enforcement Agency.
City of Canton Proposes Historic District Expansion and Adoption of Residential Design Guidelines The historic district will double in size under the newly proposed expansion, and if adopted, homes within this area will go under Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) review for any future exterior work. An open house was held on March 4 for public discussion on the expansion and guidelines, which was followed by an HPC meeting. A public hearing will be held at the April 4 Canton City Council meeting at 6:00pm, with discussion and possible action on the expansion and guidelines at their meeting on April 18 at 6:00pm.If you have any questions, please reach out to Community Development Director Kevin Turner at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Cherokee County Purchases Former Buffington School Site The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved purchasing the former Buffington ES site from the Cherokee County School District for $1.2 million. The 9.8-acre site paired with the adjacent nearly 3.2-acre site the county already owns is slated to house a replacement for Fire Station 29 and possibly a future site for the Fire Safety and Education Village and Fire & Emergency Services Headquarters.During a work session discussion, Chairman Harry Johnston confirmed with fire officials that the county’s intention is to preserve the original building and its historic look.
Resurfacing To Begin on I-575 in Cherokee Interstate 575 is about to get a major makeover. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) recently awarded C.W. Matthews, Inc. a $56 million contract to resurface approximately 20 miles of I-575 from I-75 in Cobb County to the Etowah River in Cherokee County.Resurfacing is expected to get started in the next few months. Along with the highway, all the on- and off-ramps will also be resurfaced. Motorists can expect lane closures during the project. However, there will be no lane closures between 6:00am and 6:00pm. The resurfacing is slated to be completed by December 31, 2024.
CATS Launches Micro-Transit, Rebrands Cherokee Area Transit Service (CATS) has undergone changes including a more efficient service for riders, a new look, and an updated name. Previously, CATS offered Fixed Route and Demand Response services. Fixed Route ran on a standard schedule, while Demand Response allowed riders to schedule their transportation ahead of time.“The traditional fixed route system is being replaced with micro-transit, which translates to shorter wait times and a larger service area for our riders. While this is a pilot program to replace the former fixed route system in Canton, the plan is to further expand micro-transit to other areas of the county in the future,” said Transit Director Greg Powell.The current micro-transit service area expanded on the area previously served by the former Canton fixed routes. It is generally in the Canton area with the northernmost point being the Chattahoochee Tech campus on Bluffs Parkway extending south to the Holly Springs Walmart at Exit 14. It stretches from the Canton Marketplace shopping center to Knox Elementary on Highway 20 west of Canton. The service area includes downtown Canton, the Laurel Canyon Village shopping center on Reinhardt College Parkway, the Riverstone Parkway area, Northside Hospital Cherokee, Empower Cherokee, the Cherokee County Senior Center, the Cherokee County Health Department, and the Cherokee County DFCS office on Univeter Road.Fares will remain unchanged from the October 2023 update. General fare is $2 per person for 0-5 miles and an additional $1 for more than 5 miles. Reduced fares, which apply to seniors ages 60 and older, veterans, and Medicare/Medicaid cardholders, are $1 per person per trip for up to 5 miles and an additional $1 for anything over 5 miles. Children ages 15 and younger ride free.Cherokee County partnered with Ecolane USA last September to purchase the software for both micro-transit and Demand Response, which services all of Cherokee County. The CATS micro-transit app operates much like private rideshare company models but for public transit systems. The Board of Commissioners approved the purchase, totaling $487,058 over five years. The Federal Transit Authority pays 80%, and the county pays 20% for the first year. For the following four years, the cost is split 50-50.Micro-transit not only streamlines the process for riders, but it also gives them access to the GPS location of their bus, so they will be less likely to miss their ride. Additionally, trip reminder notifications will provide a friendly nudge for people to cancel their rides if they no longer need them, and residents can schedule their rides even if the CATS dispatch office is closed for the day.Residents can download the app from the App Store and Google Play store. Simply search “Cherokee Area Transit Service.”In addition to the launch of micro-transit, CATS is getting a new look and an updated name to better reflect the operation. Over the next several months, riders will begin to see the new look on the CATS fleet and signage.For more information, call (770) 345-6238 Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm.
Education Gala Fundraising Success and Alumni of the Year Winners Announced This year’s 70s-themed Cherokee County Education Foundation (CCEF) black tie event drew a record crowd of more than 400 attendees and raised just over $200,000 for Classroom Impact Grants, which benefit students, classrooms, teachers, and staff in the Cherokee County School District (CCSD).The community supported the CCEF through the purchase of tables to attend the event as well as donations for the silent auction, which featured sports memorabilia, jewelry, travel opportunities, and original works of art.The evening began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as well as performances by local musicians Ethan Senger and Kurt Lee Wheeler. Guests were then treated to dinner and a concert by Beatles tribute band the Liverpool Legends. A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 2024 Alumni of the Year awards to businessman and philanthropist Ken White, Cherokee High School class of 1959, and Dr. Susan Padgett-Harrison, Cherokee High School class of 1970. Both winners have made significant contributions to the Cherokee County community, making it a better place for all to live, work, and play.Retiring Cherokee County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian V. Hightower was also honored. For more information, visit CherokeeeCountyEducationalFoundation.org.
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