Canton poised for 'year of recovery'

Flash forward to this year. At the annual budget workshop last week, most of those question marks were filled in, Town Manager Nick Scheuer told the board. Canton leaders made the decision to move out of the flood plain so that the next time high waters struck Canton, the town would be in a position to help its citizens, not consumed with tending to its own flooded buildings.

New homes were found for both town hall and the police department when Champion Credit Union buildings on Academy Street and Main Street were purchased. Champion Credit Union bought property near Food Lion where a regional headquarters is being built, and the town is eyeing nearby property to relocate the fire department.

Most of the town’s recreational facilities were opened in time for summer fun, including the dog park, the pool, walking trails, and the basketball court. Pickle ball courts are being installed, the baseball field in the park will be rebuilt and upgrades at Sorrells Street Park are ongoing, including serving as a new venue for the Mill Town Market and working on a grant to upgrade the building purchased at 225 Park St. for restrooms and indoor events.

Chestnut Mountain Park is an active construction site, Scheuer said, with trails, a tree house and scenic overlooks, a pavilion and restrooms in process or completed. A June dedication is planned to showcase the improvements.

But the town isn’t stopping there.

Plans were unveiled at the Thursday meeting to construct an all-abilities playground that board members were assured would be complete with a “wow factor.” More than $284,000 in grants and donations have been secured with the help of multiple partners, including the Kiwanis, the Lions Club, Haywood Healthcare Foundation, Cruso Endowment, Dogwood Trust, Ken and Debbie Wilson and many more. Design work on the much larger playground this year is underway.

Design-build architects have been selected for both the armory and the historic Colonial where the rebuild mandate is to “dry flood proof” both facilities. Plans are in the works to renovate and flood-proof the Canton Historical Museum and Camp Hope.

Luckily, most of the work will be done with the $10 million in grant funding received, and the town expects the $18 million in damage will be fully covered through a combination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, insurance, and state and federal grant funds.

Infrastructure

Not only were buildings wiped out by the Pigeon River flood, but there was plenty of damage to streets, bridges, culverts, and stormwater/drainage systems, plus the ongoing issues with the town’s water system, which is in the process of being upgraded with the help of state funding secured from the N.C. General Assembly.

Scheuer said a regional wastewater facility is being explored in cooperation with Clyde and Haywood County, something that would carry a $35-$40 million investment and take up to five years to complete. The town currently relies on the paper mill to treat town sewage as it lacks a treatment plant of its own.

Scheuer proposed a pavement condition study to develop an organized, technology-driven list of all streets in town that need paving and recommended the board start making “major asks” to the N.C. Department of Transportation, especially in light of the heavy traffic that will be rerouted through town due to slate of I-40 bridge replacement projects in coming years.

“The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and we need to start being squeakier,” he said.

Board members heartily agreed with the idea.

Mayor Zeb Smathers said what’s happening to town streets because of all the interstate traffic already being rerouted through town is unsustainable.

“On any given Sunday, our city is a welcome mat for interstate traffic. This town was built on a swamp and a river, and these roads were not built to reflect modern traffic,” Smathers said. “At the very least DOT needs to help because we don’t have the resources. Our roads are sinking in and this is one problem we can’t take care of ourselves.”

Alderman Kristina Proctor applauded the idea of having a pavement plan read to go whenever federal infrastructure funds were released.

“It will be great to have the pavement study in place,” she said. “That’s setting us up for the future in ways other communities might not be thinking of.”

Priorities

The governing board agreed with priorities set out by administrative staff — recovery, infrastructure and investing in employees.

All on the governing board expressed their thanks and appreciation for the hard work all in the town had been through to get to this point in the recovery process.

As board members weighed in on the upcoming budget process, Proctor asked about the possibility of providing a cost-of-living raise greater than the proposed 1-3% increase, noting inflation has taken a toll on all. She also inquired about the fund balance and stressed the need to manage cash flow, something Town Finance Officer Natalie Walker had warned would be touch-and-go as project expenses and expected revenues, some that were on a reimbursement basis, were balanced.

Smathers said the rebuilding going on in town post-flood presents a unique opportunity.

“This is a time for Canton to step up without changing who we are,” he said. “We’re a mill town, and I think people will be looking to call Canton home. We except stresses to come with that, and we have to be on the cusp — be ahead of the curve.”