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ties around the state for years. But state leaders pulled the plug on the Rural Center this summer after it was criticized as a slush fund and accused of mismanagement and favoritism. When the state suddenly froze funding to the Rural Center, Canton was still owed an outstanding balance on its grant. Town leaders initially feared they may not see the rest of the money they were promised. However, the state announced that it would honor the grants already awarded by the Rural Center. “It was a little bit of a concern when it first transpired,” Assistant Town Manager Jason Burrell said. But, “Everything’s been kind of straightened out.” As a condition of the grant, the sewer upgrade is supposed to lead to the creation at least 83 jobs. The jobs would come from three businesses — 10 at the MedWest Urgent & Emergent Care, 20 at Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ‘n Biscuits and 53 at Consolidated Metco, or ConMet. In fact, it was just recently revealed that the manufacturing plant, ConMet, would add 140 jobs in all at its Canton plant. As for new businesses, there is nothing concrete or substantial yet, though companies have fished around Canton looking for a possible place to open. The N.C. Golden Leaf Fund contributed $100,000 to the sewer line, the county gave another $40,000, and the town covered the rest.
Sept. 25-Oct. 1, 2013
improvements can’t be temporary, like slapping a new coat of paint up. It must be “something that adds permanent value to the building,” Burrell said, giving examples such as bringing a building up to code or adding sheet rock. “Those type of things are eligible projects.” Canton is also purchasing artistic quilt squares that will hang on four businesses downtown as well as one or two for townowned buildings. The large wood squares painted with color quilt-block patterns have been placed on buildings, barns and stores as part of Haywood County’s Quilt Trail, which tourists can follow to see all the installations.
BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER he clock is ticking for Canton to spend $25,000 in remaining grant money from the N.C. Rural Center. Canton got a $125,000 grant from the Rural Center’s Small Towns Economic Prosperity program to develop and implement ideas to increase tourism and commerce downtown. About $25,000 has not yet been Canton got a $125,000 grant allocated, and now Canton leaders have until Jan. 1 to come up with quick from the Rural Center’s Small but productive ways to spend the Towns Economic Prosperity remaining money. Jason Burrell, the town’s assistant program to develop and town manager, said it shouldn’t be a problem to spend it, however. implement ideas to increase “It is my expectation that all the tourism and commerce downmoney will be spent,” Burrell said. Some of the grant money was used town, about $25,000 of which to encourage business owners to spruce up downtown buildings in has not yet been allocated. hopes of drawing tourists and more commerce. The town would match “That has been a pretty nice thing for façade improvements dollar-for-dollar up to tourism,” Willis said. $5,000 using the Rural Center funds. The squares have become so popular that About $17,000 have already gone to the Haywood County Tourism Development façade grants. That offer is still ongoing. “We hopefully have a few more applica- Authority created a map showing visitors tions that will be submitted and approved by where they can find each square in the counthat,” said Canton Alderman Patrick Willis, ty. However, Burrell noticed one day that who helped spearhead the revitalization ini- Canton was not included in the map at all. “I thought, ‘God, Canton doesn’t even tiative called STEPUP Canton. But there weren’t as many takers as initial- have a presence on this thing,’” he said. The Rural Center money is also paying for ly hoped, and so the town will extend the offer of matching funds for interior improve- four new welcome signs that will be placed at ments, similar to the façade grants. But the several different entranceways to Canton.
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BY CAITLIN BOWLING STAFF WRITER he commercial corridor of the Canton exit off Interstate 40 has been in a vice grip for several years due to a maxed out sewer line. Now, after about three years of work, a sewer upgrade along Champion Drive in Canton has been completed. The old sewer line was too small and at maximum capacity, so new businesses wanting to tap the sewer line were out of luck — a source of consternation to Canton leaders for several years. The existing line has now been replaced with a wider diameter pipe, increasing capacity and paving the way to accommodate commercial growth along the corridor. The project was initially estimated at $1.68 million, but it is slated to come in slightly under budget. A major funder for the new sewer line was the Rural Center, which granted the town more than $800,000 — half of the construction cost. The N.C. Rural Center has given out millions of dollars for water and sewer line projects to spur economic development in small towns and rural communi-
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Use it or lose it Canton acts quick to spend outstanding grant money from Rural Center
New sewer line could unbottle commercial growth in Canton
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The decaying mural of the Canton churches on a building in downtown Canton will get a facelift with the help of funding from the N.C. Rural Economic Development Center’s Small Towns Economic Prosperity program. Caitlin Bowling photo
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