Council Setting Vision

In crafting a vision for the , council members are brainstorming several themes that should be incorporated in that statement. So far, they include:

• Hometown atmosphere
• Preserve history/promote tourism
• Jobs/employment
• City government/citizen connection
• Fiscal stability
• Small town values (quality vs. quantity, best vs. biggest)

HOMETOWN ATMOSPHERE

            Protect existing neighborhoods

            Support downtown events

            Create identifiable/viable downtown

            Citizen involvement

            Provide sense of community

            Be age inclusive

            Pedestrian friendly core

            Connect the sprawl back to downtown Canton

            Cleanliness of town

PRESERVE HISTORY/PROMOTE TOURISM

            Find use for Mill #1 – Turn into an asset.

            Preserve historic homes

            Keep school board downtown

            New use for Jones building

            Downtown facelift. Preserve historic look.

            Fill the “hole”

            Parking

JOBS/EMPLOYMENT

            Balanced community

                        Quality of life issues

                        Local EE Base

            New industrial park

            Regional hospital

            Community where citizens can work

            Become business friendly

            Work with various local groups to recruit new business

            Do the little things to attract business

            Work with county development authority to promote use of empty space

            Be facilitator of economic growth

CITY GOVT./CITIZEN CONNECTION

            Better communications with citizens

            Local town hall meetings

            Messages on water bills

            City web site

            Find ways to get the word out

            Critique city council meetings

                 What would make people come

                 Respond to public input

            City Council have table at local events

            Model: Decatur 101, educational

                 City government

FISCAL STABILITY

             Establish required reserves

             Look at creative ways to make money/not lose money

             Look at ways to manage expenses

             Look at reservoir/water/sewer system

             3rd fire station (ISO)

             Annex unincorporated islands (possible)

SMALL TOWN VALUES QUALITY VS. QTY

             Friendly welcoming environment

                 What happened to the Welcome Wagon?

            Send welcome package to new to Canton citizens

            Send a person to welcome new citizens.

            Personal letter to new residents

                  Invitation to visit city hall

            Signage welcoming people to city.

                  Pointing to historic downtown.

            Consider paid position – development.