Since 2013, Mayor Smathers has been a part of a great, cooperative, bipartisan team that has lead a progressive and practical agenda which has given a rebirth to his rural hometown of Canton, North Carolina.

This agenda has included a focused push for sustainable economic development, living wages, environmental improvements, and increased outdoor recreational opportunities.

Though the agenda is forward looking, Mayor Smathers and his team have not lost the sense of tradition, history, and blue-collar swagger which makes his mill town special and enticing for both families and workers.