CANTON – For Canton Town Supervisor Mary Ann Ashley, acting responsibly with taxpayers’ money and operating the town office in complete transparency are two practices she will continue to administer in 2024.

“For the past six years the primary key issue has always been being fiscally responsible with taxpayers money and with complete transparency. Visionary planning was implemented as we initiated budget development strategies for the framework,” Ashley stated.

“We have substantially decreased our state fiscal stress score, stayed under the tax cap with balanced budgets and managed millions of dollars in accordance with the law. We have focused on our town departments to have the resources and tools necessary to provide excellent mandated public services. It was and is absolutely necessary to keep analyzing staffing and finances for departments.”

Other key issues, noted Ashley, are implementing the Comprehensive Plan, updating the code, investing more in transportation, infrastructure, managing community solar project development processes/escrows, planning for a new municipal building and preparing for a long overdue town wide real property revaluation.

“Although recreation and economic development are not mandated, they are critical services for community development. We continue to invest in these areas as well,” she said.

Nearly five years of work on a major revision to the Town Code law is expected to come to fruition in the near future.

“The proposed updated Canton Zoning Law started as a direct result of the Canton Comprehensive Plan for future growth and development of land use projects. A major change in the code is the map and adding another framework for mixed use allowances. It opens up the zoning areas to make it easier for applicants/developers to apply for a project in a certain area. It still protects rural and agricultural areas of Canton,” Ashley remarked.

“We sincerely appreciate the professional services of consultant Monica Ryan for all her hard work. She is a highly skilled professional that was the glue of this process and we are forever grateful for her service,” she added.

Also, the solar law is now part of this law instead of being separate. The Code will now be in one place and gives the Code Enforcement Office and Planning Board a consolidated framework and direction when reviewing projects, Ashley noted.

“This venture was a tremendous amount of work that started almost five years ago. I am proud of the due diligence of so many people tackling this long overdue update. Kudos to both past and present town board members, legal counsels, staff, volunteer planning and zoning board members, complete streets task force and sustainability committee members.”

Another key issue facing the town board [and village board] is what to do with the Canton Municipal Building. “Since 2019, the Town and Village have been purposely taking action studying the need for a new municipal building. A lot of progress has occurred with professional studies, jointly purchasing the old McDonald's that is earmarked for demolition, and going back to the drawing board to try to get the cost of a new building down,” said Ashley.

“We have looked at different properties throughout the village, including the reserve center. It was with hope that this property was going to be decommissioned. Conversations with our federal representatives indicate, at this time, it is not going to be decommissioned.”

“Our mission is to clear the 15 departments of approximately 30 employees who deserve the most modern working environment that is in everyone's best interests for good health, safety and welfare as a top priority. As a start, one major accomplishment was moving the Historian's Department to 7 Main Street to relieve the congestion of departments on the second floor of the municipal building. Forging ahead is all about the money.”

Throughout her tenure as town supervisor, Ashley said she and board members have always had a vested interest in recreational opportunities.

“The Town, for the past six years, has increased our contributions to Village recreational services. We have injected more funds in equipment and the annual allocation,” she said. “Taylor Park and the Pavilion are necessary services, along with programming, for the health of our community.”

Now a week or so into the new year, Ashley is confident a diverse town board with lots of public service experience will be able to tackle issues brought before the board.

“Town governance is a layered and complicated system. What the public needs to remember is that the Town Council make up is five elected officials that have an equal vote. Current council members bring individual strengths to the Town board. What is unique is that there is a combined almost 150 years of public service experience from the fields of agriculture, legislative, education, recreation and business backgrounds,” she noted.

“In today's world, Town Board duties take a lot of time, energy and true grit due to the issues we face on a daily basis. We certainly don't serve for the money. We do it for the love of our town as a whole community and our citizens.”