Yawn For Canton

A Family With a Passion for Serving Their Community

By Marsha Cornelius

Back in the day, downtown Canton was a bustling shopping district with department stores that anchored additional shoe, toy, and pharmaceutical businesses. But when the Jones Mercantile building closed its doors in the 1970s, many other businesses either closed or moved to surrounding shopping centers.

Several storefronts were still shuttered when Farris Yawn moved his bookstore to Main Street in 2005.

Ive been working to improve Canton for the past 14 years, Yawn says. And there is still work to be done that I would love to be a part of. However, I am proud of what has been accomplished.

Canton City Council Accomplishments
As with any group, Yawn says, there needs to be a balance. We may sometimes agree to disagree, but nothing gets accomplished with bickering or refusing to work together. I think the more ideas brought forth, the better. The council that was in place when I was elected to serve has made a great team.

Since Yawn was elected to Canton City Council, much has been accomplished:

-Helped facilitate the deal that preserved the old Canton Elementary School and Mill Office buildings
-With Yawns election, there were enough votes to select Billy Peppers as Cantons city manager. Peppers has been a huge asset.
-Helped the city gain control of two major downtown landmarks the Jones Building and the old Canton High School (now City Hall)
-Paid off the debt for the Canton Theatre and the Fairways of Canton
-Made the fiscally responsible decision to consolidate the Canton Fire Department with Cherokee County Fire Department
-Rolled back or held steady the millage rate, so that Canton has the lowest rate of any city in Cherokee County at 5.4 mills
-The first city in Georgia to ban the retail sale of puppies and kittens
-Banned smoking in downtown Canton to simplify enforcement of state law that prohibits smoking near the entrance of a business
-Established a paving schedule, and repaved damaged streets
-Renamed a portion of Riverstone Boulevard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard.

Yawn is up for re-election to the Canton City Council next month. There are more changes I want to see happen before I step aside, says Yawn.

In August, Yawn was nominated for the position of Mayor Pro Tem by the current mayor, Gene Hobgood. The city council voted and approved the nomination at the same meeting.

What Yawn Hopes to Accomplish

-Help Canton continue to grow responsibly

-Find a developer to renovate the Jones Building

-Apply successful techniques and strategies used downtown to revitalize south Canton and the Highway 5 corridor

-Continue to expand Cantons trail system, prioritizing connections to the Etowah River

-Expand the Citys water and sewer system to meet future needs

-Continue current fiscally responsible budgets and keep the millage rate low

-Seek solutions for traffic and parking issues


Helping Canton Grow Responsibly
In 2006, Yawn reorganized the Historic Downtown Merchants Association. That was the start of the slow but steady revitalization of Cantons downtown. Yawn also served on the Arts Center Board for six years and served as treasurer part of that time.

In 2010, Yawn and others joined the Main Street Program, which exists to equip business leaders with the tools they need to revitalize their communities. Yawn helped write the bylaws of Cantons Main Street Board and served on that board for four years.

The next step toward revitalization was the Vision for Canton 2050 Commission. We looked at short-term, middle, and long-term goals. Our best path is to emphasize what makes Canton unique, he says. I dont want to change the characteristics of our city. We dont want to become Roswell North.

Downtown is the heart of a city, Yawn says. I believe the way to keep Canton strong is with steady, sustainable growth. Thats infinitely more important than a quick flashy improvement that doesnt last. Its not always easy to please people who grew up in Canton as well as new residents who dont have a history here but want to be a part of a vital city. Thats one of the reasons I ran for a seat on the City Council in the first place, to be a part of this sustainable growth.

Im not a big fan of campaigning for re-election, says Yawn. What I love is the work. Digging into budgets or finding the best way to take on a project that will benefit Canton.

You can find more information about Yawns campaign at YawnForCanton.comYawns Publishing

YAWN'S PUBLISHING

The Evolution From Bookstore to Publisher

When we opened our bookstore, authors would ask us to sell their book, Farris Yawn says. But some of the books were poorly published, and their sale price was too high.

Nadine Yawn (Farris mother) wanted to help fledgling authors write better and assist them in getting their books published.

The Yawns held a writing workshop in the store with Carmen Tanner Slaughter as instructor. At the end of the class, Farris assembled all the participants short stories into a book. That experience led to further research into publishing, buying the necessary software, meeting cover designers and editors, and eventually becoming a full-service publishing company.

We customize our services to offer as much or as little help as the writer needs.

2555 Marietta Highway,
Suite 103
Canton, GA 30114
678-880-1922
YawnsPublishing.com