Bryan: Residents Who Don't Vote Are "The Problem"

Editor's note: Patch reached out to Canton City Councilman Bill Bryan as he prepares to transition back into private life. Bryan, who was first elected in 2009, decided not to seek a second term on the council for the November city elections. 

Resident Bill Grant was elected to succeed Bryan, and he will be sworn in before the Jan. 2, 2014, council meeting.   

1. What are your plans once you officially roll off the council?

We really enjoy Florida during the winter so we hope to take a trip there next month. My mom has reached the point where she needs almost continual care, so I will be able to spend more time helping take care of her.

2. During your tenure, what do you think were the city's biggest accomplishments?

Kristal, your question asks about the city's accomplishments and not the council's which is very appropriate because the city is what is important; not the council. Without the city and it's people, the council is nothing. All the good things that have happened over the past five years would not have been possible without the many volunteers and employees working together for the common good.

There are many more positive accomplishments that have taken place in the past five years and I apologize to those people who I failed to recognize here. It is worth noting that everything here was accomplished without an increase in property taxes and the new council will be starting out with a $600,000 to $1 million surplus.

3. Was there anything you wanted to see the city achieve that did not happen?

My biggest regret is that we did not solve the problem we inherited of uncompleted streets and substandard streets caused by irresponsible residential growth and aggravated by developers going broke. This is a complex problem that we have been gradually working down but it simply is too big, too costly and too complicated to fix quickly.

Actually no. My interest in serving on council stemmed from watching the mind boggling, irresponsible residential growth that was taking place and knowing that there was a train wreck coming. Any serious student of municipal planning will tell you that residential growth rarely pays it's own way. It is like a drug in that as long as it keeps coming everything is okay. But just like a drug, there is always an end to the high and getting clean and sober is painful. Canton is well on the way to understanding these indisputable facts. The question is, will we learn from the past and do better next time or will we just do it all over again?

5. Moving forward, what do you think the council's biggest challenges are?

I think that growth and development is coming back soon. That can be a good thing or it can be a bad thing. Their challenge will be distinguishing the good from the bad.

6. What, if any, advice do you have for your successor?

You are already hearing from those who have personal agendas and want to pressure you to act hastily before you really get your feet on the ground. Take your time to thoroughly understand the issues. Go to your classes at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government in Athens. Truly understand how our council/manager form of government works. There will be plenty of time to make the big decisions. "To thine own self be true."

7. What do you want to say to the Canton residents you've served over the last four years?

There are more than 23,000 of you. Almost half are registered voters, yet only something like 1,500 care enough to vote. To those who care enough to vote I say thank you for being part of the solution. To the 85% who don't vote, I say you are the problem.

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