Letter Answering the Canton Herald Front-Page Grand Saline Creek Story That They Refuse to Print
- Grand Saline Creek Coalition
- Nov 26
- 3 min read
Lynn Melton’s Unedited Truth About the Grand Saline Creek Reservoir
On November 6, 2025, both the Canton Herald and Van Zandt News put the Grand Saline Creek Reservoir story on their front pages.
Those articles contained inaccuracies, omissions, and repeated old talking points that have been debunked for years.
Four days later, on November 10, Lynn Melton walked into both newspaper offices and hand-delivered a letter that directly corrects the record.
Neither paper has printed it.
Neither paper has responded.
So here it is — exactly as submitted, no paragraphs added, no edits of any kind. This is the letter the newspapers do not want you to read, even after they made it the front-page story:
Dear, Canton Hearld Readers,
To the taxpayers of Canton, Texas I am compelled to set the record straight about Grand Saline Creek Reservoir. This project originates from a 2008 study by Gary Burton Engineering, at a cost of $70,000. This study asserted that Canton’s population would reach 35,000 by 2065. The population based on 2000 U.S. census data was 3,292. The council adopted a population of 5,147 to purse home rule city governance. The citizens of Canton voted against this and by 2010 U.S. census put Canton’s population at 3,581. In this study Mill Creek was the preferred reservoir site. Grand Saline Creek was eliminated in this study. In late 2010 Mayor Rusty Wilson calls a council meeting at 4 pm. A few landowners were in attendance. The council wanted to map Grand Saline Creek, but the council tabled the issue. Current Mayor Lou Ann Berry was then a councilwoman. At the next regular council meeting there was a full house with residents from Grand Saline Creek voicing opposition. After that meeting GS Creek residents came together and united themselves to stop the lake. Between January and May of 2011 Grand Saline Creek residents rallied and informed and petitioned the citizens of Canton to oppose this project. As a result, Cary Hilliard was elected mayor and 2 new councilwomen were elected. This new council abandoned any reservoir project. In 2017 a new council led by Mayor Lou Ann Evertt and supported by city manager Lonie Cluck, brings the project back, and conducts new studies including a flyover of Grand Saline Creek. According to the Canton Herald Lonie Cluck stated that Region D required the city to conduct the flyover. A Canton Herald staffer reached out to Region D Chairman Walt Sears. Mr. Sears stated that Region D has not required Canton conduct any engineering work. Mayor Lou Ann Berry states that Region D has supported this project in 2015 and 2020. The mayor also states that property owners were sent certified letters about the reservoir. The mayor’s statement is not entirely accurate. As one of the property owners affected by this project, I never received any such communication nor have I spoken to any property owner who has received one. Grand Saline Creek Reservoir is listed as an alternate strategy in the 2016 and 2021 regional water plans. This designation does not infer an endorsement nor “recommend” the lake on Region D’s part. According to Canton’s engineering studies, the city has enough water to supply over 9,000 people. Canton had the opportunity to obtain water from Lake Tawakoni, and the current Region D Representative has provided another opportunity to do the same. I encourage the citizens of Canton to hold their city council accountable for wasting $400,000.00 tax payer dollars, on this ridiculous project. Those monies could have improved the city’s infrastructure or pursued a realistic long-term water strategy. All the citizens of Canton have to show for this is an ariel map of Grand Saline Creek.
Respectfully,
Lynn Melton
delivered on Monday November 10, 2025
That’s the letter they won’t print — the one that directly answers their own front-page stories from just thirteen days ago.
The council has voted to withdraw the application.
Now we make sure they actually send the paperwork to TCEQ and that TCEQ acknowledges it.
And while we’re waiting, let’s make sure the real history doesn’t get buried with the lake.
Share this everywhere.
Because apparently the only way Canton taxpayers and Van Zandt County gets the full story is if we tell it ourselves.
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