Politics & Government

Mayor Blasts Council

As the Nov. 8 election nears, a letter from Canton Mayor Gene Hobgood urges residents to put "in place a council that believes as I do." Open the PDF on this page, read the letter in its entirety, then take our poll.

Mayor Gene Hobgood never calls them out by name, but the targets of the criticism are clear.

"The Mayor's leadership and direction for this City can only succeed if there is cooperation and commitment among the members of the Council," he says. "Unfortunately, I have been met with opposition, a lack of understanding of the issues, an unwillingness to accept the responsibility of an elected official and sometimes simply apathy. This has tempered the success I have been able to achieve."

As the nears, a letter from the mayor is making the rounds. A reader emailed a copy, apparently sent to residents in the Laurel Canyon and River Green communities, to Canton-Sixes Patch on Tuesday.

Find out what's happening in Canton-Sixeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In it, Hobgood, who is , urges residents to put "in place a council that believes as I do.

"We have a choice this election," he says. "Do we continue with the status quo with a lack of leadership from the Council or do we put in motion a new direction with new ideas and a fresh approach to resolving issues?"

Find out what's happening in Canton-Sixeswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Three incumbents—Council members (Ward I), (Ward II) and (Ward III)—are up for re-election. All face .

Hobgood says the city's charter, which grants legislative authority to council members and prohibits the mayor from voting on an issue unless there's a tie, limits his authority. A Government Study Committee that includes residents as well as council members has been reviewing the document.

"Your vote is extremely important in this election," Hobgood tells residents. "Three (3) Council seats are open and there is a choice in each race. I ask that you study the qualifications of each candidate and make the choice to move this City forward."

Open the PDF on this page to read the letter in its entirety, take our poll and share your thoughts.

Stay tuned to Canton-Sixes Patch for updates to this developing story.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here