To The Citizens of Canton,
I wanted to take this opportunity to send out an email to address the recent flooding events in Canton and speak about what is being done and what has already been done in the aftermath of this horrendous event. While Natural disasters are unfortunate and unpredictable, I do recognize there are a number of steps a city can take and I as Mayor can implement to ensure as swift a recovery as possible. We will conduct an evaluation of the areas where we fell short and identify the areas where we made progress in disaster mitigation. Through this process, we will update our outdated 2003 process and emergency plan as well as create an action plan to improve our community’s readiness for future events.
On this note, I wanted to let you know that the community has the “eyes” and “ears” of the Governor Noem and the State of South Dakota during this difficult time. I spent time with her Tuesday assessing the situation in Canton along with key personnel. I want you to know that she is committed to offering the full resources of the State, which are at her disposal. Additionally, I wanted to let you know that the Governor in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency are working towards an official disaster declaration for Lincoln County, which I am confident the community of Canton will have federal resources too. I do want to recommend that property owners, both homeowners and businesses, take numerous pictures of the damage caused by this event. The website has already been released on the Canton app.
I also want to express gratitude for the countless people who stepped forward to volunteer during this time. We witnessed the spirit of the Canton people and the resolve of the community leaders in assuring the situation was well handled in a manner that would not have been possible for the city personnel to do alone, nor the citizens. We are all grateful for the “all hands-on deck” approach. Please forgive me if I forget to thank someone as the list of volunteers is endless. The people I want to thank includes Tri-State Ready Mix, Canton Fire Department, Canton Police Department, first responders including dispatch, Laurel Laubach, all Canton High School teams, coaches and families, church leaders and all the individuals that ensured those hungry were fed.
These individuals, along with so many others not mentioned, worked around the clock to save their community. I just want to say thank you to all who contributed to this effort! I also want to acknowledge that the city is exploring areas that can be improved for future response efforts to such events. Given the current natural disaster, it has become clear to me that our city requires the expertise of a qualified city administrator now instead of later. This person can help guide us through challenging times and assist in preparation for the future. I will collaborate with city officials, commissioners, staff and community leaders to create a proposal for hiring a dedicated professional city administrator. The person that will fill this position will need to be seen as an individual that supports the community as it exists now and is capable of leading Canton into a brighter future.
Respectfully yours,
Sandi Lundstrom, Mayor