City Council

Summary

This report provides a preliminary and unaudited review of the City of Canton's financial performance for September 2025. It details revenues and expenditures across various funds, including the General Fund, Special Revenue Funds (ARPA, Hotel/Motel Tax, Rental Car Tax, TAD), Capital Project Funds (Impact Fee, Road & Sidewalk, SPLOST), and Enterprise Funds (Sanitation, Storm Water, Water & Sewer).

Key observations include:

• General Fund: Total revenues are slightly above budget (102.83%), but expenditures are also over budget (102.17%), resulting in a net deficit of $1,049,451 for the month.
• Water & Sewer Fund: Operating revenues are below budget (94.16%), while operating expenses are significantly over budget (67.92% used of total budget, but actual expenses are higher than budgeted for many categories like Sewer Lift Stations and New Sewage Treatment Plant). The fund shows a positive change in net position of $1,340,481 year-to-date, largely due to debt issuance proceeds.
• Storm Water Fund: Revenues are exceeding budget (107.66%), but operating expenses are also over budget (64.39% used of total budget, with significant overages in Professional Services and Storm Water Management). The fund shows a net change in position of ($47,078).
• Sanitation Fund: Revenues are slightly over budget (103.95%), but operating expenses are also over budget (105.33%), leading to a net change in position of ($13,659).
• SPLOST VIII: Revenues are significantly exceeding budget (141.75%), with expenditures at 59.46% of budget. This fund shows a strong net change in balance of $4,926,240.

Citizen Impact

Residents are impacted by the city's financial health, which influences service delivery and potential future tax or fee adjustments. While some funds show strong revenue performance (e.g., SPLOST VIII), others like the Water & Sewer and General Funds indicate potential budget pressures due to higher-than-anticipated expenditures.

Confidence

high

Summary

The City of Canton is considering an engagement with Granicus to upgrade its official website, www.cantonga.gov. This upgrade is necessary to ensure compliance with ADA regulations by April 26, 2027. The proposed upgrade to the ServiceCloud platform will enhance website maintenance efficiency for staff and provide a more modern, intuitive experience for the public. The project is expected to take 9-12 months to complete. The one-time cost for setup and data transfer is $30,513, and the annual subscription fees will increase from approximately $24,000 to $41,000 per year, an increase of about $17,000 annually.

Citizen Impact

Residents will benefit from a more accessible and user-friendly city website, ensuring compliance with ADA regulations. The upgrade will also lead to an increase in annual subscription costs for the city's web platform.

Confidence

high

Summary

The City Council will discuss and potentially approve Task Order 8 with Practical Design Partners (PDP) for $34,000 to design a Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) at the new Cherokee High School entrance on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. The project aims to improve traffic flow by modifying the intersection. Specific changes include restricting the southbound left turn with a median, closing the westbound left turn lane for temporary crossing guard parking, and converting the outside westbound through lane into a dedicated right turn lane. The school will be responsible for restriping the driveway. PDP will deliver construction plans within 12 weeks, with final plans expected 4 weeks after city comments. This project is 100% locally funded by the City of Canton and is in anticipation of the school opening in August 2026.

Citizen Impact

This project will improve traffic safety and flow near the new Cherokee High School by redesigning the main entrance intersection. Residents can expect potential traffic disruptions during the design and construction phases, but the ultimate goal is safer access for students and drivers.

Confidence

high

Summary

The City Council is discussing the award of Task Order 9 to Michael Baker International for the design phase of the Transportation Improvement Project at the Highway 140 and Reinhardt College Parkway intersection. The total amount for this task order is $710,651.39. This task order includes several key components: programmatic cost estimate updates, environmental documentation and required studies, final construction plans, plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E), final utility coordination, prior rights research, and the acquisition of right-of-way for 26 parcels. The project adheres to Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) requirements and will be managed by City Engineer Bethany Watson.

Citizen Impact

This action funds the design phase for intersection improvements at Highway 140 and Reinhardt College Parkway. Residents can expect potential future construction that aims to improve traffic flow, though the immediate impact is on the planning and design process.

Confidence

high

Summary

The City Council will discuss and potentially approve an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the City of Ball Ground for the sale of a surplus 2000 Ford F-550 bucket truck. Canton has purchased a new replacement vehicle and has determined the old one is no longer needed. Ball Ground has expressed interest in purchasing the truck for $3,500. A key condition of the agreement is that Canton will be allowed to use the truck at no cost for a period of two years should their new vehicle become inoperable. This arrangement is intended to promote efficient use of taxpayer resources between the two neighboring cities.

Citizen Impact

This agreement allows the city to dispose of surplus equipment and potentially secure its use in an emergency, while Ball Ground acquires a needed vehicle for a nominal cost. This promotes intergovernmental cooperation and efficient use of taxpayer funds.

Confidence

high

Summary

This item is a discussion only regarding the creation of a Reservoir Manager position for the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir at Lake Canton. The Reservoir Management Plan requires this role, which would be a City of Canton employee. However, the duties are not currently considered full-time. The position involves managing reservoir use, reviewing permits, protecting the buffer zone, and making determinations based on the project agreement with Cobb County Marietta Water Authority (CCMWA). Staff proposes discussing the utilization of the existing full-time Reservoir Superintendent (employed by CCMWA and jointly funded) to fulfill the Reservoir Manager role.

Citizen Impact

This is a discussion item with no immediate impact on residents. It concerns the potential creation and staffing of a management role for the Hickory Log Creek Reservoir.

Confidence

high