Canton lowers restrictions on outdoor special event requests
In the past, Canton required that a request to use public spaces for events be submitted four months in advance. Thursday night’s council meeting changed that. The newly adopted special events outdoor policy lowered the submission requirement to 60 days to 120 days.
Mill closure looms large over Canton municipal budget
Administrators for the Town of Canton have presented a conservative fiscal year 2024-25 budget that seeks some sense of sustainability after last year’s closing of the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill, which created a substantial revenue deficit and has now forced the small town to plan for a huge new expense it’s never had to worry about before.
Putting in overtime: Canton leaders work late to solve mill problems
Several notable things happened during the Town of Canton’s regular board meeting on May 23, but the meeting was perhaps more notable for something that didn’t happen — a closed session.
Canton leaders make ‘big stink’ over big stink
Festering frustration with nearly every aspect of Pactiv Evergreen’s actions taken in closing its Canton paper mill a year ago spilled over into a town meeting May 9, when board members took the opportunity to dump all over Pactiv for its latest putrid mess.
Canton realigns staff to focus on recovery from flood, mill closure
The Town of Canton, still beset with myriad issues related to both natural and human-caused disasters, took an unprecedented step by shuffling one administrator into a newly created position and promoting another — saving taxpayer money and making history at the same time.
Canton passes industrial development moratorium aimed at Pactiv
After closing its paper mill in Canton early last month, Pactiv Evergreen is reportedly now engaged in discussions with potential purchasers or developers about the future of the site.
Incumbents carry Canton
The mountain mill town known for its downtown rejuvenation as well as its “ grit and grace ” in the face of tragedy may still be recovering from the raging floodwaters of the Pigeon River, but on Nov. 2, voters night kept the town government on solid ground.
Canton’s future at stake in upcoming election
A scant three months ago, when candidates filed for the upcoming municipal elections, the Haywood County town of Canton was facing the usual set of local issues not much different from any other small-town Western North Carolina government.
As COVID rages, Canton Labor Day events debated
After the Canton Board of Aldermen/women spent nearly three hours on Aug. 9 going back and forth with Haywood County Medical Director Dr. Mark Jaben over how — if at all — the town’s iconic Labor Day Festival could be held safely, a rare split vote with a tiebreaker cast by Mayor Zeb Smathers set the stage for ongoing debate.
Insurrection: WNC leaders react
In the interest of transparency, all responses from local officials regarding the Jan. 6 insurrection have been published online, in their entirety. Some submissions may have been lightly edited for grammar, spelling and punctuation or to conform with AP style.