I recall the days when downtown Canton was a place people only visited when they had official business at government offices or perhaps a court appearance at the Justice Center. One Saturday afternoon in 2010 when the post office was still downtown, I was working in my office and walked across the street to check the mail. I may have been the only ...
The City of Canton is springing forward! In November 2022, we held our winter Council retreat to review our progress on the measurable goals established in our Roadmap for Success, which is a 15-year strategic plan that was adopted at the end of 2020. The Roadmap contains eight tenets that focus on the top priorities as defined and vetted by our ci...
The state of our city is more compelling than ever before, and we are determined to continue to brighten our community in the coming year and those that follow.Today's Canton is home to more than 35,000 residents. Businesses have celebrated silver and gold anniversaries, and new entrepreneurs have recently invested in Canton, as they seek to serve ...
My tenure as a public servant officially began more than eight years ago when I was elected to serve as city councilman for Ward 2. Much has changed during that time, and like the rest of Cherokee County and the region, Canton has seen a lot of growth. In fact, Georgia's population increased almost 11% over the past decade — it's the 12th fas...
Canton's city manager, city clerk, city council members, and I recently attended the Georgia Municipal annual conference in Savannah. It was my eighth time going to this gathering, which is attended by elected officials and staff members from all of Georgia's 537 cities. The conference provides several days of accredited training on a variety...
American sportscaster and writer Al Bernstein said, "Spring being a hard act to follow, God created June." This month follows the spring storms as the gateway to summer, and June also heralds another great season of community events and exciting developments in the "Coolest Small Town in America." To be honest, it is difficult to know where to star...
Another new year is well underway in the Coolest Small Town in America, and it's off to a great start. I am honored and excited to announce the City of Canton has received the 2022 Visionary City Award from the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) and Georgia Trend magazine. The award recognizes cities that have exhibited success in planning and for...
As you may have heard, the City of Canton is in the process of purchasing the remaining 325 acres of undeveloped property at The Bluffs that surrounds the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir. Pending the final survey and title work, the purchase will hopefully be completed by the time this article is published. Originally intended as a technology par...
The City of Canton recently held three public readings to adopt the millage rate and prepare for the final adoption of the 2022 operating budget. In many respects, this is one of the most important formal processes that I along with the City Council and City staff follow each year to ensure tax dollars are allocated and spent in the most responsibl...
In my 2020 State of the City, I reported that Canton was strong and making great progress. A few weeks later, we began dealing with a global pandemic. However, our City Council, staff, and police department responded by going above and beyond to move Canton forward. Together, we survived a challenging year while continuing our quest to become the "Coolest Small Town in America!"
A year ago, I was enjoying the honeymoon period after my election, but little did I know there would be a global pandemic less than three months into my administration. However, with the hard work of our team at Canton City Hall and a dedicated City Council, we not only responded to the unprecedented circumstances that defined 2020 but also managed to build great momentum for our future.
In many ways, 2020 feels like it has been the longest year ever, but in other ways, the time has flown. Much of the first two quarters was spent adjusting to the pandemic and other rapidly changing issues. Luckily, Canton is fortunate to have an agile and highly motivated team and City Council, and our work has continued.
We recently approved our 2021 Fiscal Operating Budget, maintaining a 5.40 millage rate, representing the lowest taxes since the early 1960s, and once again, the lowest of any city in Cherokee County. Even with projected shortfalls and the rebates of 2020 business license fees to local small businesses, our sound fiscal policies have prepared us for the challenges ahead.
While working from home, I overheard a gentleman on television say, “I wish I knew today what I’m going to learn tomorrow.” Without a doubt, no one could have predicted the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our lives. Just a few weeks before we began sheltering in place, I gave my State of the City address and shared my excitement for Canton’s future. While we have been thrown a curveball of historic proportions, my optimism remains intact.
The impact of this disaster cannot be underestimated. Many people are afraid and suffering. Within this uncertainty, it is human nature to assign blame or direct anger toward others. None of us have ever experienced anything like this, and we all react in different ways. Some people share frustrations on social media where it’s easy to think with their fingers before common sense catches up, hurting and offending others who are just as fragile.
As the City of Canton’s new mayor, I want to thank you for your support and wish you all a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2020. This will be a pivotal year, as we continue our positive momentum with a new City Council, a fresh perspective, and a commitment to improving the quality of life and opportunities for all our citizens. While our progress is undeniable, it will certainly take a lot of work and political will to maintain our unique small town character and charm while enhancing accessibility to the modern conveniences that have a positive impact on the ways we work, live, and play in Canton.
to your business!