I am happy to report that the state of our city is strong, but we aspire to continue to become a city that grows thoughtfully, learns continuously, and leads with excellence without losing our sense of place or unique character.
Our Roadmap for Success is a statement of values and priorities that originated with our citizens. And at the heart of that roadmap is a simple but powerful commitment: leading with excellence.
Leading with excellence means delivering results — but it also means governing with intention, curiosity, and foresight. It means asking good questions, listening carefully, and making decisions that stand the test of time.
As Canton continues to grow, the quality of our decisions matters more than ever. That is why an important part of our work moving forward is strengthening Canton's community wisdom — the way ideas, expertise, data, and community insight come together to guide thoughtful decision-making.
This is not a new program or a line item in the budget. It is a way of operating and a leadership mindset. Community wisdom and collective know-how is more practical than it sounds, and we build it when:
- Public decisions are informed by knowledge, experience, and community input.
- Residents, businesses, educators, and civic leaders work as partners.
- Learning is continuous, and improvement is expected.
- Local government is viewed as an open and shared responsibility — not a closed process.
2026 Projects and Initiatives
This year promises to be one of even greater progress with a thoughtful approach to projects identified as priorities by our residents and businesses. Some of the more notable initiatives for this year include:
- Breaking ground on the North Street Gateway
- Completing the Water Pollution Control Plant
- Opening the new Cherokee High School in August
- Completing the new South Canton Park
- Planning water resources for future decades
- Breaking ground on a new pedestrian bridge from The Mill to the Etowah River Trail
- Converting downtown overhead utilities to underground for the West Main Street Pedestrian Corridor
- Completing GDOT groundwork to begin SR 140 North expansion
- Installing a new traffic signal at Prominence Point
- Adding pedestrian safety beacons citywide
- Building a new elevated water tank for south Canton
- Re-imagining the the future use for the old Cherokee High School building
- Ensuring development reflects community values — not just profit
- Updating our Roadmap for Success after five years of strong returns