The Mountaineer

Alderman Eric Dills returned to office

All four aldermen seats and the mayor’s position were up for grabs this election in Canton, and it was the alderman seats that drew a crowd of candidates. 

Mayor Pat Smathers ran for re-election unopposed, while two aldermen ran against eight opponents for the four available seats on the board.

The election attracted eight candidates to run against two incumbents — Troy Mann and Eric Dills — because of a sense of change that was needed on the board, candidates said prior to the election.

Voters felt some change was needed on the board, since only Dills was re-elected. Dills received 287 votes, 11.43 percent.

“I’m glad the citizens of Canton endorsed me with their vote and that they believe in me,” Dills said. “I want to continue to work for residents.”

Holding a work session to chart a course for Canton’s future is something Dills would like to get done soon after the new board is sworn in.

“I think we should have a work session so the board can come to a consensus on what we need to work on to move the town forward,” Dills said.

This will be Dills’ second term.

The others who will join Dills on the board include Jimmy Flynn with the most votes at 362, or 14.41 percent of the vote; Ed Underwood with 334 votes, or 13.3 percent; and Kenneth Holland with 254 votes, or 10.11 percent. Mann received 213 votes or 8.48 percent.

The other candidates in Canton’s election received the following number of votes: Carole Edwards with 245 votes or 9.75 percent; Patrick Willis with 228 votes or 9.08 percent; Charlie Crawford with 216 votes or 8.6 percent; Angela Jenkins with 195 votes or 7.76 percent; and Gene Monson with 171 votes or 6.81 percent.

There were 2,512 votes cast in the Canton race.

“I’m pleased and I want to thank everyone who voted for me,” Flynn said.

He looks forward to working with the rest of the board, and Flynn said one of his top priority issues he wants to work on is infrastructure.

“I want to try to expand infrastructure to the Buckeye Cove area to increase business out there. That’s a top priority,” Flynn said. “Also, the swimming pool. We have to look long and hard at that and make some tough decisions. The pool is a major concern for the people of Canton.”

Underwood said he looks forward to working full time for the citizens like he promised during the campaign.

“I thank all the people of Canton who came out on a beautiful day to vote,” he said. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working for the town.”

Underwood said he has some ideas he would like to share with the rest of the board so they can work together for Canton.

“I want to work with everybody else,” Underwood said. “I think we will all be able to work together.”

Earlier on Election Day, voters had a variety of concerns on their minds when going to the polls.

“There’s a lot of new faces (running) and we need new faces, new ideas to keep things up to date and modern,” said Robert Eggleston just before he voted.

Increasing taxes was one thing on Ray Gibson’s mind when he cast his vote Tuesday morning.

“I don’t believe in raising taxes and I don’t think our town should be a tourist town. We need to be a hometown for people around here,” Gibson said. “”People have got all the taxes they can stand. I don’t think they should raise it.”

Edie Burnette said she was pleased to have choices at the voting booth.

“We have some very definite choices for aldermen to run my town,” Burnette said.

Along with a number of choices in candidates, Burnette had several issues on her mind when she voted.

“The economy of Canton, that has to be first,” she said Tuesday morning. “My pet concerns are the Colonial Theatre, the Armory, the Canton Historical Museum. They are all very valuable assets and they need to be used.

“I think this election is very important,” Burnette continued. “The future of this town is riding on who is elected, and I think Pat Smathers is a good man, a good leader.”