This week I wandered over to the Canton Historical Museum, conveniently located beside town hall. As a history major, I have wanted to visit the museum since I moved to Canton. Caroline, the museum curator, greeted me at the door and was happy to show me around the many exhibits that line the walls of the old building. For a small town, the number and quality of items that have been preserved is impressive. Caroline explained that the extensive collection resulted, in part, from the pride of the residents and their desire to document the town’s story. She described the recent donation of a box of photos and documents found in an attic and walked me through the process of organizing and documenting the items. In 2004, the building flooded and some of the items were damaged or lost. Despite this setback, thousands of unique items remain on display, including a large exhibit from the paper mill and the original sign from an old train depot.
An item from Canton, Ohio, prompted me to ask about the connection. Caroline and a volunteer who joined our conversation explained that the piece, part of a bridge once located in the center of town, was the reason behind the town’s name. They described how a board member in 1893 stormed out of a meeting to decide the name of the town following a heated exchange. As he walked through town, the board member crossed this bridge and noticed the name “Canton” on the metalwork of the iron structure. When he returned to the meeting, the man recommended naming the town “Canton,” and the board unanimously agreed. After roaming through the exhibits, I am convinced that the museum staff could have offered an anecdote like this for every item in the museum.
r my ongoing questions, including the ones for this interview! As they explained, to work in these positions, a person must have a strong understanding of local government and “everything that happens in town hall.” Serving in the position of Accounting Clerk involves more than just answering questions; they also process financial transactions and collect payments. Occasionally, their duties take them outside the office where they have participated in everything from working the Labor Day concert to driving a utility vehicle alongside town officials in the Christmas parade.
Meet adjunct professor Kody H. Kinsley, who is part of the team pushing to end the opioid crisis in North Carolina AND teaching Carolina MPA online students. He currently serves as the Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health & Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS). In his current role, Kinsley focuses on state-wide public policy and operations that promote whole-person health for individuals living with mental illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and substance use disorders. (To learn more about Kinsley’s work with NC DHHS, click 
I have often heard local government employees explain that they love their jobs because each day brings new challenges and opportunities. The same has been true in my PWE. Last week, the town manager sent me an unexpected and fun assignment. I planned to start this week continuing my research on local ordinances but instead had the opportunity to write a report for the town’s planned upcoming dog park. Prior to this week, I knew nothing about dog parks, so I really enjoyed researching the topic and writing the report. Did you know the top citizen priorities for dog parks are typically cleanliness, shade, and water? I discovered best practices related to everything from amenities to location to surface materials!
experience! Four of the new students utilized our new local government employee tuition match scholarship! Of those four, two were firefighters, one was the head of a local government IT department, and the last one was a town manager. The cohort has two other students with a military background. Also, they have three students transitioning from working in the private sector to working in the public sector. Can you imagine the fruitful conversations that will be happening during their class times?
On Monday, I began my PWE in the office of the town manager in Canton, North Carolina. Canton is located in Haywood County just twenty miles outside of Asheville. Surrounded by the Appalachian Mountains. Canton attracts adventure seekers who enjoy hiking the surrounding trails that include popular landmarks like Cold Mountain, floating down the Pigeon River that runs through town, or visiting downtown businesses that feature delicious southern food and locally made goods. In the center of town sits a large papermill that manufactures Starbucks coffee cups, juice cartons, and other paper products. Due to the central location and large size of the mill, the locals affectionately refer to Canton as “Papertown.”
