Canton Herald (Canton, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 9, 2013 Page: 3 of 22
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Van Zandt County Area Newspaper Collection and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Van Zandt County Library.
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I would like to remind Canton citizens that a lot of
sacrifices have been made so that we have the
right to vote and to choose who runs our city. There
have been a lot of negative ads this election. As
do most people, I hate that. I would like to say to
the negative ad writers, that you have every right
to do so, but you should get your facts straight
before you do. Lying about one candidate is not
the way to elect another one. Mr. Hilliard has taken
a lot of unjustified flack this campaign. He is even
being criticized for some things that were my idea.
You have every right to vote for whom you like,
but please, exercise your right to vote.
Roy “Yogi” Yarborough, Councilman
Pol. Ad paid for by Roy “Yogi" Yarborough
THE CANTON HERALD, Thursday, May 9, 2013 — Page 3A
City Approves Services
For Sidewalk Project
By Julie Vaughan
Editor
The sidewalk project
in downtown Canton is
moving forward, as city
officials approved grant
management services
and engineering services
contracts during a special
called meeting.
Grant management
services were awarded to
Gary Traylor & Associ-
ates, the same company
that has handled the
projects since they origi-
nally began.
ELISA HEARD FOR CITY COUNCIL
- WORKING FOR CANTON’S FUTURE -
Promote Canton’s charm and appeal
- Canton has and will attract growth that appreciates its amenities. We have fishing,
parks and walking trails. We have the only Water park in East Texas and a new
skating rink. We have 3 golf courses within minutes of our town. We have a very low
crime rate and our schools have exemplary ratings.
- help make good choices without losing the character and qualities that make our
town unique
- explore options for a bowling alley or movie theatre for the benefit of our community,
to help draw new residents and to increase tax revenue
Explore ideas for population growth & development
-1 am for well planned growth that uses community resources wisely.
- Canton is as a Certified Retirement Community. We need to capitalize on this designation by seeking quality
development for retirees.
Provide leadership and experience in area of real estate development
During the past 15 years I have worked on developments in 7 other cities. Each project and development should be
carefully evaluated to consider the impact it has now and in the future.
Maximize & Retain 1st Monday Revenue
The City should review and reconsider long-term ground leases on lots the City could build on and retain the increased
revenue.
Plan for future water needs of the City
A priority will be to have a water study to determine if we can raise the water level on our existing city lake to increase
the water capacity.
Political advertisement paid for by Elisa Heard Campaign * J. L. Heard, Treasurer
Gary Traylor, with Gary
Traylor & Associates, pre-
sented the contract to the
council that authorizes the
Texas Capitol Fund for the
Main Street Sidewalk
Grant Project for Capitol
and Tyler Streets.
It would improve the
sidewalk along Capitol
Street in front of busi-
nesses opposite the court-
house and take the curve
around Capitol Street up
to the city hall steps.
The grant was awarded
in 2012, and constmcted
is expected to start in Au-
gust.
Traylor & Associates
will be paid $ 18,000 over
the period of the project.
The grant is $150,000
and the match is 30 per-
cent or approximately
$50,000 from Canton
Economic Development
Corporation.
CEDC Executive Di-
rector Mercy Rushing told
the council that once this
project is completed, the
CEDC plans on applying
for another phase which is
Buffalo Street. Later, they
want to improve other
sidewalks along Dallas
Street and on the other side
of Buffalo Street.
Traylor noted that this
grant comes with a 24-
month implementation
period and it must be com-
pleted before another ap-
plication can be filed.
j&h?
The states deadline for
completion is March 2015.
Also, it was recom-
mended the city council
award the professional
engineering services con-
tract to Gary Burton En-
gineering.
The reasons for award-
ing Burton the contract
was due to his company’s
familiarity with the side-
walk projects in the city in
the past.
Burton’s portion of the
project cost is $24,000.
Addressing the council,
Gary Burton said once
completed, the project
would include two handi-
capped ramps, four special
street lights, 250 feet of
new handrails, etc.
He noted they will be
prepared to go out for bids
on the project by June 24.
In other business, the
council:
-heard from Neil
Conway, with Conway &
Company CPAs, who
presented the 2011-2012
fiscal year audit.
Conway gave a “clean,
unqualified opinion” of
the city audit, stating that
it was a “successful au-
dit.”
Following going over
the actual audit with the
council, it was recom-
mended that it be accepted
and all city council mem-
bers voted in favor of ap-
proving the audit.
A PERSONAL LETTER FROM CARY HILLIARD
Canton is one of the most outstandingsmall cities in the state. If Canton encourages a low-rent, subsidized
housing project, it won’t end up with one project—more will follow. Multiple low-rent subsidized housing
is not Canton. Both Ms. Benson and Ms. Chambless supported this low-rent subsidized housing
project.
Low income housing: Right now, under Section 42 of the IRS code, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit of
1986, Canton is being considered by the state of Texas for one of two proposed sites—FM 859 and
Arnold Paul Road. Each will have 80 units with neither dedicated to retirees. The 859 project will have
one, two, and several three bedroom apartments. It will be first come, first serve for applicants. The
project developers say that Canton really needs 300 units. And by the way, as mayor, I have always
considered it my ministerial duty to sign every resolution, ordinance, or contract that is
approved by the Council; whether I agree or disagree (i.e. Lonny Cluck’s 3 year contract
also has my signature).
• Sewer line to Myrtle Springs—In June, 2011, I supported Vicki Chambless’s motion to delay the
sewer line construction to Myrtle Springs and Candice Benson’s second to the motion. There was no
“time is of the essence” clause and no deadline to be met in the actual contract. That delay saved the
City between $150,000 and $200,000 (difference in original bid and a later second bid). At my suggestion,
the City got another engineering opinion from Brannon Engineering, Tyler, which eliminated the 2nd lift
station. This alone will save the City tens of thousands of future dollars in maintenance and operation
costs. And CEDC (at my suggestion) needed to acquire the necessary title insurance coverage to the
25+ easements, which provided necessary legal protections for future problems (cost $5,000+). The
sewer line was completed September 1, 2012, and is working well. While the lawsuit was unfortunate
and unwarranted, the delay proved to be the correct decision.
This lawsuit is no more mine than it is Ms. Benson’s or Ms. Chambless’s. Other information
you need to know about this case:
• The City has immunity (by law) and cannot be sued without its permission in a contract (i.e. Coach Leach
versus Texas Tech); that is the reason for the INTERLOCUTORY appeal (a preliminary appeal to the Tyler
Appeals Court) because the case should have been dismissed at the beginning.
• The Council selected for mediation (settlement conference) Councilwoman Benson and City Secretary
Julie Seymore, not me. It is my understanding the City offered $10,000 and the Travel Plaza offered
$35,000 to settle, certainly much less than the $150,000/$200,000the City saved by the delay.
The Travel Plaza got what it wanted, (sewer line), and the landowners got what they wanted
(a free sewer line that greatly increased the value of their land), so why now the hatred and
personal attacks on me?
There are many issues that will come before the Council in the future. The direction that
this City will go depends now more than ever on your vote. If neither I nor Elisa Heard are
elected, then one small faction will run everything in Canton. Whatever they want WILL happen.
(LOW-INCOME HOUSING?)
Respectfully,
Cary Hilliard, Mayor
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Vaughan, Julie. Canton Herald (Canton, Tex.), Vol. 131, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 9, 2013, newspaper, May 9, 2013; Canton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth808643/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Van Zandt County Library.