Harold's Blog

Dr. Sharma’s Death

I was saddened to learn this past weekend of the passing of Dr. Ganga Sharma, a founding pillar of the Triangle Indian American community. He lived an extraordinary 100 years.

I was fortunate to know Dr. Sharma for many years. My wife knew him even longer, he was her high school chemistry teacher.

Dr. Sharma played a pivotal role in shaping the diversity that defines our region today, especially in Cary and Morrisville. His vision, leadership, and dedication touched countless lives, and his legacy will continue to be felt for generations.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who had the privilege of knowing him. May God rest his soul.

Here is his obituary:

“Dr. Ganga Dhar “G.D.” Sharma — scientist, teacher, spiritual leader, and a founding father of the Triangle’s Indian American community — passed away peacefully at his home on July 31, 2026, in Morrisville, North Carolina. He was 100 years old.

Born on March 5, 1926, in Sheikhabad, near Agra, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, he was the son of Pandit Brij Kishore Shastri and Smt. Leelawati Sharma. Orphaned in childhood and raised by his older brothers, his family instilled a deep grounding in the Hindu faith and the strong value of education. He earned his Master of Science degree from Agra University in 1950 and taught at Lucknow University before traveling to Canada, where he received his PhD in Entomology from McGill University in Montreal in 1964.

In 1949 he married Saroj Sharma, his devoted partner, in every endeavor for the next 77 years. Together they raised five children, building a family with a strong sense of community, faith, and identity through many moves around the world.

Dr. Sharma’s calling as an educator carried him across three continents. He taught in Ajmer, India; at the University of Ife in Nigeria; and served for five years as a UNESCO advisor to the Government of Sudan in Khartoum. In that role he regularly collaborated with key dignitaries, including future President George H.W. Bush. In 1972, the Sharmas settled in Raleigh, North Carolina. After a research assignment at the Research Triangle Institute, he returned to his first love, teaching science, spending the heart of his career at the Governor Morehead School, where he taught blind and special-needs students with legendary patience. He authored three high school textbooks and more than two dozen articles and was a proud member of the Raleigh Lions Club from 1978, serving as its Vice President. His passion for educating kept him actively teaching until he was well into his 80s.

His most enduring legacy, however, began in 1976, when he and Mrs. Sharma, with twenty fellow families, founded the Hindu Society of North Carolina (HSNC). What started as prayer gatherings in basements and rented halls, grew into an iconic temple and cultural home in Morrisville that today serves thousands of devotees each week. This vision would never become a reality without decades of the Sharmas’ tireless fundraising, leadership and faith. He served the Society as President, board member, and Founder Trustee, and remained a daily presence at the temple even into his final days. Perhaps his greatest contribution to the community came from thousands of ceremonies and pujas he presided over giving blessings via marriages, childbirths, new homes or business ventures and equally sharing comfort and faith with families during times of distress, angst and tragedy.

He and Mrs. Sharma also founded the Hindi Vikas Mandal, teaching the Hindi language to hundreds of young people and bringing renowned poets and artists to North Carolina. Their work was honored abroad and locally alike, including the Government of Uttar Pradesh in 2005, and in bringing the first-ever Diwali celebration to the NC Governor’s Executive Mansion in 2017.

Known simply as “Uncle” or “Sharma Ji” to generations, Dr. Sharma was widely credited, alongside Mrs. Sharma, with transforming Morrisville into one of the most vibrant Indian American communities in the country. In 2019, Governor Roy Cooper bestowed upon the Sharmas the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, alongside past recipients like Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan. The Town of Morrisville commemorated their contributions with a mural in Town Hall, and this past March — on his 100th birthday — he was celebrated with a proclamation from the Mayor of Morrisville, letters from Governor Josh Stein and the President of McGill University, and recognition from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America for a century of seva, dharma, and service.

Through it all, he remained what he had always been: a humble teacher who believed that faith is best expressed in service, and that a community is built one welcomed stranger at a time.

Dr. Sharma was the ultimate family man. Alongside Mrs. Sharma, he continually inspired his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to seek education and make a positive impact on the community. He is the namesake of the Sharma Family Scholarship Fund, which supports first-time college students in North Carolina public universities. One of his favorite traditions was celebrating Christmas with all of his loved ones around the Christmas tree. He also enjoyed sharing Dunkin Donuts coffees and McDonald’s french fries with family and friends.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 77 years, Dr. Saroj Sharma; his children, Rajiv Sharma (Renu), Madhu Sharma (Bharat), Sanjiv Sharma (Alka), and Shachi Gawande (Mohan); and his daughter-in-law, Subhashini Sharma. He was predeceased by his son, Alok Sharma. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, love and education through his children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, countless students, devotees, and friends whose lives he touched across a remarkable century.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hindu Society of North Carolina: https://hsnctemple.org

Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary’s Street, Raleigh is serving the Sharma family.”

Cary #3 Best Place to Live in US

Despite the constant negativity from some media outlets and critics, Cary continues to earn national recognition as one of the best places to live in America.

On Tuesday, I was contacted by the representative from HomeSnacks who compiles the organization’s annual municipal rankings. They shared that HomeSnacks has released its 2026 list of the Best Places to Live in the United States, with Cary ranked as the No. 3 city in the nation, up one spot from last year. Cary placed third among 207 U.S. cities with populations exceeding 100,000, continuing its upward trajectory in the national rankings.

Here’s what HomeSnacks had to say about Cary:

“Cary, North Carolina is the 3rd best place to live in the US.

Chances are if you live in Cary a car break-in happens once a week and makes the front page of the local paper. This Raleigh suburb is simply in a class of its own when it comes to a peaceful quiet standard of living.

Practically everyone in this community who wants a job has one, and there’s plenty of technology companies in the region, which is one reason people are flocking here from all over, particularly the Northeast.

The running joke in Cary is that it’s a place where people settle who don’t want to be in Florida but want to be close to family in the New England region.”

To find out the entire methodology go to https://www.homesnacks.com/best-places-to-live-in-america/.

Housing Market Update

Here is a quick snapshot of Cary’s single-family housing market, provided by Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate:

• Median Sales Price: $743,700
• Median Days on Market: 11 days
• Closed Sales: 141 homes (up 22.6% compared to July 2025)
• New Listings: 154 homes
• Active Inventory: 225 homes available
• List Price Received: 99.3% on average
• Price Per Sq. Ft.: $271/sq. ft.
• Months Supply: 1.6 months

Overall, buyer demand remains very strong. Homes are moving fast at a median of just 11 days, and closed sales are up significantly year-over-year even with tight available inventory.

Cary Chamber Leadership Dinner

I attended Wednesday’s Cary Chamber Leadership Dinner to engage with elected officials representing the federal, state, county, and local levels, as well as many of the region’s leading business and community leaders. I provided welcome remarks along with the Chamber President and the event sponsor. The event highlighted the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors as Cary continues to plan for its future.

As the town’s growth begins to moderate, revenue growth is naturally flattening, making long-term economic sustainability an even greater priority. The business community plays a critical role in this environment. Existing businesses, new investment, and thoughtful economic development will be essential to maintaining Cary’s high quality of life, supporting public services, and strengthening the local tax base.

This leadership dinner reinforced that strong partnerships between government and the business community are vital to navigating these challenges. Bringing together decision-makers from every level of government with local business leaders created an important forum for discussing shared priorities, building relationships, and identifying opportunities to support Cary’s continued success. Events like this help ensure that public policy and economic development efforts remain aligned to foster a vibrant, resilient, and prosperous community.

Town Manager’s Report

Council,

As students are about to head back to school, something that’s been important to you all is safety, so I’m happy that staff has shared a few helpful reminders for drivers, families, and students about paying a little extra attention around schools. 

Hope you enjoy one of the few remaining weekends before school starts.

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

Cary TV Online Views

Following Council’s vote to expand meeting streaming, here’s a breakdown of viewership over the last few months:

May                 June                 July

Council Meetings        5,252               13,369             27,655

Work Sessions             4,950               2,729               2,864

Planning and Zoning   N/A                 224                  347

Total Views                10,202             16,322             30,866

311 Monthly Snapshot

311 processed 11,571 new cases in July.

Volume by Contact Method

• Phone: 7,056
• Email: 1,706
• Web: 1,446
• Internal: 778
• Walk-In: 167
• Social Media: 37

53.35% of cases fell into these top five categories:

• Utility Billing & Services: 2,741
• Inspection Scheduling & Status: 1,458
• Permitting Inquiries & Payments: 720
• Water Meter Service & Requests: 692
• Garbage Inquiries & Pickup: 562

Highcroft Drive Pavement Marking Changes

Next week, contractors working on behalf of Cary will modify pavement markings on Highcroft Drive at Green Hope School Road. Weather permitting, the work is expected to take one day. Minor delays are expected, but flaggers will maintain traffic through the intersection.

Staff reviewed the intersection following a recent increase in crashes and recommended reducing the multilane approach to one lane in each direction to reduce driver confusion. Because Green Hope School Road is maintained by NCDOT, staff worked with NCDOT to develop and approve the changes. Staff and NCDOT will monitor the intersection to determine whether additional modifications are needed.

Marla Dorrel Park Improvements Complete

This week, crews working on behalf of Cary completed a nearly three-week improvement project at Marla Dorrel Park. Work included resurfacing the existing parking areas, installing accessible parking spaces and walkways, and improving drainage along the greenway and Action Sports Pop-up Park to help manage stormwater and support water quality.

Camp Ignite Recap

On July 31, the Cary, Apex, and Morrisville fire departments wrapped up the third Camp Ignite, a free weeklong summer day camp that introduces high school girls to firefighting and public safety careers while building confidence, teamwork, and leadership. Twenty-four campers spent the week at fire stations in each municipality and at Harris Lake, gaining hands-on experience flowing water from hose lines, climbing an aerial ladder, forcing entry through doors, practicing search techniques, performing water rescues, and learning CPR basics. Female firefighters from Cary, Apex, Morrisville, and other area fire departments volunteered their time to lead activities and share their experiences throughout the week. The program concluded with a graduation ceremony at the Gathering House at Downtown Cary Park.

Fall Program Registration Updates

Fall program registration opened for Cary residents on Wednesday, offering 1,417 programs with opportunities for health, learning, creativity, and social connection. Nine thousand registrations were completed on the first day, a 4% increase from last year. Nearly 40% of programs reached capacity by the end of the day, consistent with last year. Online registration is the preferred method, accounting for 95% of all registrations. Residents also experienced fewer registration-related issues, with 25 cases reported to 311 during the first hour, a 14% decrease from last year. Registration for non-Cary residents opens August 19.

Fire vs Police Charity Basketball Game Recap

The Cary Fire and Police departments faced off in their second annual charity basketball game Saturday at Herb Young Community Center. After a close matchup, Fire defeated last year’s champion, Police. The friendly competition raised $1,855 for Special Olympics North Carolina, supporting year-round sports training and competition opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Important Dates

Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, August 12, 6:30 p.m.

Dashboard of Recommendations by Cherry Bekaert, OSA, and Womble Bond Dickinson

The latest updates on the Town’s actions in response to recommendations from Cherry Bekaert, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA), and Womble Bond Dickinson are available on the Town’s Moving Forward Dashboard:

https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/newsroom/bottom-line/moving-forward-dashboard

You can also sign up to receive notifications whenever the dashboard is updated.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Sell Properties at 600 and 604 Kildaire Farm Road

I submitted this item and Council member Bansal provided the second. It will be addressed at a future meeting.

The following is my reasoning:

“Good government depends on transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. When significant real estate purchases are made despite staff recommendations against acquisition, or when information about those purchases was not fully communicated to the entire Town Council or the public, it raises legitimate questions about the decision-making process. Even if the purchases were made with good intentions, the appearance of limited transparency can undermine public confidence.

Selling the properties would accomplish several important objectives.

First, it would return public funds that could be redirected toward higher priority needs such as transportation improvements, parks, public safety, stormwater infrastructure, or reducing future tax and fee pressures. Every dollar tied up in property without a defined public purpose is a dollar unavailable for more immediate community priorities.

Second, selling the properties would demonstrate a commitment to fiscal responsibility. Holding them simply because they have already been purchased is not sound financial management. Decisions should be based on current public value, not past expenditures.

Third, a sale would reinforce the principle that major financial decisions deserve full transparency. Residents expect elected officials to have complete information before voting on expenditures involving public funds. If there are concerns that the full Council or the public did not receive sufficient information before these purchases, the appropriate response is to correct course openly rather than continue defending a questionable decision.

Finally, selling the properties would provide an opportunity to rebuild public trust. The Town could conduct a transparent process that includes an independent appraisal, public disclosure of the financial impacts of the purchase and sale, and an open discussion of alternative uses for the proceeds. Such a process would demonstrate that Cary is committed to accountability and evidence-based decision-making.

The question should not be whether the Town can justify a past decision, but whether continuing to own these properties represents the best use of taxpayer resources today. If the answer is no, which I believe it is, the responsible course of action is to sell them through an open and competitive process and reinvest the proceeds in priorities that provide clear, measurable benefits to the entire community.”

PROS:

• Frees up public funds.
• Demonstrates fiscal discipline.
• Reinforces transparency and accountability.
• Helps in restoring public confidence.
• Reduces carrying costs.

CONS:

• The town could lose future strategic opportunities.
• There is potential for financial loss.
• Loss of control over development.
• Missed appreciation.
• Selling could limit future flexibility.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A continuation of hate via emails, social media, etc. about what was reported by the State Auditor. Most believe I was knowledgeable, compliant, and/or responsible even if I knew nothing. (No, I was the whistleblower) I will not post any of the nastiness. I am sure it is easy to find with a search.
• A question about discipline for town employees who violated expense policies.
• Criticism of my vote supporting the tabling of the RHA proposal to buy Amberwood.
• Concerns about dangerous conditions created at the Meadowmont neighborhood.
• A request to create a housing authority.
• A criticism of a potential parking agreement with Terrys Floor Fashions.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include a trip overseas as part of Sister Cities. No Cary taxpayer dollars are used on this visit (nor have they been in the past). This will be followed by outpatient surgery. As a result, my next post will be on Sunday, August 23^rd, 2026. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov. Note that all emails sent to me in my role as mayor are public documents.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Liz and Cailen Waddell

Many of you have likely heard about Liz Waddell of Cary, who has gone missing while in Grenada. Liz is deeply loved by so many in our community, especially by her husband, Cailen.

I have the privilege of working alongside many dedicated employees, though I don’t always get the chance to know each of them personally. Cailen is an exception. As the leader of our technology team, he plays a vital role in helping us connect with our residents through our work sessions and quarterly meetings. I work with him often and have tremendous appreciation for everything he does.

Cailen and his family have been on my mind constantly. My heart goes out to them during this incredibly difficult time. We are all holding onto hope for Liz’s safe return and are doing what we can to offer comfort, support, and strength to the Waddell family.

If you want to help there is a gofundme page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-find-liz-waddell-support-search-efforts-vna73.

Housing Market Update

This week, I received the latest weekly market metrics for Cary from Berkshire Hathaway York Simpson Underwood Realty. Here are a few highlights from the past 30 days:

• 839 homes were listed for sale.
• 144 homes were new to the market.
• The average days on market was 36 days.
• The average list price was $749,328.
• The average sale price was $763,013, indicating many homes are continuing to sell above their asking price.
• 180 homes closed during the past 30 days.
• 144 of those homes sold at their full list price.

These numbers reflect a market that continues to see strong buyer demand, with well-priced homes moving quickly and many sellers achieving their asking price.

Town Manager’s Report

Council,

Yesterday, we held our first All Hands since the Office of the State Auditor and Womble Bond Dickinson reports were released, and it was good to finally share thoughts and hear thoughts from staff now that all the reports are public. We have a great team, and I appreciate the way everyone has shown up and continued to do good work while we’ve been under a level of public attention we’ve never experienced before.

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone next week. Enjoy your weekend.

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

7-27-26 Water Resources Update

While the regional drought designation remains in place, Cary’s primary water supply, Jordan Lake, has returned to full capacity, with water levels rising three feet over the past week to an elevation of 216 feet. Staff will continue monitoring conditions and coordinating with neighboring utilities. You can find the full report from our utilities department here.

Temporary Mid-Block Crossing on Kildaire Farm Road

This week, contractors installed a temporary mid-block crossing at Kildaire Farm Road and Meadow Drive as part of the EMS Cary Main Station Project. The trailer-mounted High-Intensity Activated Crosswalk (HAWK) system provides a pedestrian detour while the project installs sidewalks and turn lanes at the intersection of East Cornwall Road and Kildaire Farm Road. The temporary crossing is expected to remain in place for approximately six weeks.

All-Way Stop Conversion on East Durham Road

This week, the intersection of East Durham Road, Wilkinson Avenue, and Bowden Street was converted to an all-way stop with the installation of new LED-enhanced stop signs. Staff used Vision Zero principles and historical crash data from Cary’s data analytics platform to determine that an all-way stop would improve traffic flow at the intersection. The design also includes advance warning signs, improved pavement markings, and thermoplastic rumble strips to increase driver awareness and visibility. Police participated in planning for the conversion and will assist during the transition as drivers adjust to the new traffic pattern.

Planning Bureau Delegation Visit From Japan

Staff welcomed a delegation from the Kobe, Japan, Planning Bureau to learn about Cary’s approach to planning, urban design, and economic development. Coordinated through the Japan Center in Raleigh, the visit was part of the delegation’s broader tour of the Triangle, which also included Research Triangle Park (RTP) and discussions about the region’s growing economy.

Hosted at the Gathering House in Downtown Cary Park, Assistant Town Manager Scot Berry, Planning and Community Development Director Heather Whelehan, Urban Designer Eve Anderson, and Program Manager for Seniors and Aging Michelle Barrett highlighted Cary’s long-range planning efforts and approach to community development. The delegation also toured Downtown Cary Park to learn about Cary’s history, the park’s role in supporting downtown economic development, and how thoughtful planning has guided the community’s growth.

Training Event Features Cary’s Interbasin Transfer Story

At the request of the Lower Neuse Basin Association (LNBA), Water Resources Manager Sarah Braman presented Cary’s approach to Interbasin Transfer (IBT) planning during the association’s annual training event. LNBA supports water quality monitoring throughout the Neuse River Basin, from Falls Lake Dam to the Neuse Estuary, and brings together utilities to share information and best practices. The presentation provided an overview of the laws, requirements, and decades-long history of Cary’s IBT certificates, highlighting the long-term planning that helps ensure a reliable water supply while meeting state regulatory requirements. The two-day training provided continuing education credits for wastewater operators maintaining their professional licenses.

American Revolution Experience Recap

The American Revolution Experience traveling exhibit welcomed 625 visitors during its eight-day stay at the Gathering House in Downtown Cary Park from July 18 – 25. Produced by the American Battlefield Trust and the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and sponsored locally by the Asbury Station chapter of the DAR, the exhibit featured interactive displays exploring the people and events of the American Revolution. More than 100 people attended the opening day on July 18, including members of the DAR, Friends of the Page-Walker, and a historical interpreter portraying General George Washington. Throughout the exhibit, visitors signed the “Declaration of Attendance,” posed for photos with George and Martha Washington photo cutouts, and enjoyed hands-on activities for children.

Important Dates

Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday, August 3, 5:15 p.m.

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, August 3, 6:00 p.m.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Advisory Board
Tuesday, August 4, 6:00 p.m.

Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday, August 5, 12:00 p.m.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting
Wednesday, August 5, 6:30 p.m.

Dashboard of Recommendations by Cherry Bekaert, OSA, and Womble Bond Dickinson

The latest updates on the Town’s actions in response to recommendations from Cherry Bekaert, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA), and Womble Bond Dickinson are available on the Town’s Moving Forward Dashboard:

https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/newsroom/bottom-line/moving-forward-dashboard

You can also sign up to receive notifications whenever the dashboard is updated.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A continuation of hate via emails, social media, etc. about what was reported by the State Auditor. Most believe I was knowledgeable, compliant, and/or responsible even if I knew nothing. (No, I was the whistleblower) I will not post any of the nastiness. I am sure it is easy to find with a search.
• Accusations that the town is not being transparent with PCards since they are numbered and no names are associated with them. (The Mayor and Council were not involved in the PCard transactions or in monitoring their use. That will, of course, change moving forward. The OSA assigned the PCard numbers, and I can only assume it maintains the records identifying the individuals associated with each card.)
• In their continued effort to discredit me, undermine my character, and destroy my credibility, a member of the television media came to the town hall and asked to interview me in my office. (The mayor does not have an office at Town Hall, and neither the mayor nor the Council has had office space there for about a decade. The reason is straightforward: under the council-manager form of government, elected officials are intentionally separated from the day-to-day operations of the municipality. Having offices at Town Hall could create the impression that the Mayor and Council are involved in administrative functions, when that is not their role. The Mayor and Council are responsible for establishing policy, while the Town Manager and staff are responsible for carrying out those policies and managing daily operations. In light of recent events, the Council will certainly consider additional policies and oversight measures to strengthen accountability and monitoring. I would also encourage members of the television media to become more familiar with the council-manager form of government. A better understanding of how this system is structured may help answer many of the questions they are asking.)
• Several encouraging remarks:

“it is clear the vocal minority is still energized about past issues that a lot of objective work indicates were driven primarily by manipulative and self-serving actions of Sean Stegall”

…

“Cary has already taken many appropriate actions to prevent a similar situation from occurring again.”

…

“a commitment to additional governance improvements which will likely make us best-in-class in use of our mandated council-manager form of government.”

…

“past spending abuse is highly disturbing to everyone, but in the big picture it constitutes a very small percentage of the Cary budget and is not the driver behind the latest tax increase”

• A request to vote no on WakeMed being sold. (We are not the decision makers)
• Several thank and hate emails about the RHA decision on Amberwood.
• A complaint about the proposed Pittard Sears rezoning and annexation.
• A complaint about the proposed Sherwood Forest Place rezoning. (Early in a multi-month process. Council does not have a staff report)

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, and the Cary Chamber Leadership dinner. My next post will be on Sunday, August 9^th, 2026. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov. Note that all email sent to me in my role as mayor is a public document.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Cary #1 Best Place to Live in NC

A new report has named Cary the best place to live in North Carolina.

According to Niche, which ranks schools and communities across the country, Cary earned the No. 1 spot among 513 municipalities statewide. The town is also ranked as the No. 1 best suburb in North Carolina out of 187 suburbs and the No. 2 best place to raise a family among the state’s 513 municipalities.

In its rankings, Niche describes Cary as “one of the best places to live in North Carolina,” citing its dense suburban feel, high homeownership rate, abundance of restaurants and parks, and highly rated public schools. The report also notes that many families choose to live in Cary and that residents tend to lean politically liberal.

Cary #9 Best Place to Live in US for College Graduates

Cary has been ranked the ninth-best city in the nation for recent college graduates, according to a June report from CoworkingCafe.

The workplace-focused website analyzed more than 300 U.S. cities to identify the best places for members of the Class of 2026 to launch their careers. Using U.S. government data, the study evaluated cities based on employment opportunities, financial factors and lifestyle amenities.

“With the Class of 2026 entering a job market shaped by uneven hiring, AI-driven skill shifts and rising competition for entry-level roles, the study looks at where new grads have the strongest mix of jobs, income, affordability, benefits, lifestyle amenities and coworking access,” CoworkingCafe said in a news release.

The report grouped cities by population size: large cities with more than 400,000 residents, mid-sized cities with 150,000 to 400,000 residents, and small cities with fewer than 150,000 residents.

Cary was the only North Carolina city to crack the national top 10. The Wake County town, home to about 183,000 residents, stood out for its strong job market, with a median income for college graduates approaching $90,000, while maintaining a cost of living roughly 2% below the national average.

Cary and Durham also ranked highly for educational attainment among young adults. In both mid-sized cities, just over half of residents ages 18 to 34 have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, according to the report. CoworkingCafe noted that North Carolina’s strong performance wasn’t driven solely by education levels but also by its combination of career opportunities, affordability and lifestyle advantages.

Abernathy’s Economic Report

On July 16^th Ted Abernathy presented an economic update to the Cary Chamber Leadership conference attendees. Here are a few of the notable items:

• Factors include trade policy in constant flux, federal spending policy, immigration policy, consumer response to uncertainty, business response, Iran conflict, AI and accelerating technology, and the 2026 elections.
• Projected 2026 GDP is 2.2% increase compared to average of last ten years of 2.9%.
• People are spending more than they are making and saving less.
• Top 20% of earners make up 59% of spending. The other 80% make up just 41%.
• Spending by 54 and younger is 54.7% and 55 and older is 45.3%. The 55 and older is closing the gap rapidly.
• Corporate profits after tax have been skyrocketing to over $3.5 trillion.
• A record 33% of the total wealth of the US household sector was in stocks at the end of 2025.
• The top 20% of income earners in the US hold about 87% of stocks and mutual funds.
• Through the first four months of 2026, the smallest companies, with less than 20 employees, added 236,000 jobs. 95% of the economy’s net gains over that period.
• The consumer price index is spiking along with commodity price indexes. The biggest increases are fuel oil at 58.9% and motor oil at 40.9%. This impacts airline fares at 26.7%.
• The Raleigh Metro area since covid has seen a 19% increase in non-farm employment which is the highest in NC. Most of that was in construction, education & health services, and leisure & hospitality. The biggest decrease was 2.7% in manufacturing. The Raleigh Metro area increases are construction at 4.8%, education & health at 4.5% and financial at 3.7%.
• US labor force is flattening out.
• The US fertility rate has reached an all-time low, as of 2024, of 53.8 births per 1000 women.
• Participation in the labor force of 55 and older is dropping rapidly and is now 37.2%.
• Participation in the labor force of 25- to 34-year-olds has dropped significantly to about 82%.
• Between 2024 and 2025 the US gained 1.26 million residents via immigration.
• New single-family housing continues to decline.
• The number of people moving fell to a record low of 11.2% in 2024.
• Reflecting the again US population, the median age of people in owner-occupied homes increased from 33 years old in 2010 to 42 years old in 2024, while the median age in rented unites rose from 36 to 43 during the same period.
• Immigration fell by more than 50% in 2025 and is expected to decline further in 2026 to a level that is one-third of the long-term average from 2001 to 2019.
• 49% of renters in the US spend more than 30% of their income on housing and 26% spend more than half of their income on housing.
• Existing home sales are at a three-decade low of 4.1 million, and the US homeownership rate has declined in each of the past two years, reaching 65.2%.
• Home purchase prices rose by 54% nationally from 2020 to 2025.
• In 2025 the largest household category were people living alone at 29.5%. This is the first time ever. Households with children under 18 made up about a quarter of all households at 24.9%.
• WalletHub ranked NC as the 6^th best economy.
• Advanced industry job growth from 2020 to 2025 was 15.8% in NC.
• Tech job growth from 2020 to 2025 was 18.4% in NC.
• The percentage of white-collar jobs in the Raleigh-Cary area is 45.5%.
• Inflation likely averages modestly higher than the last two decades, driven by security, demographics and climate costs – partially offset by technology, innovation and productivity breakthroughs.
• The US has abundant energy resources but an increasingly difficult time delivering affordable, reliable, and clean energy fast enough to meet surging demand.
• Data Center construction spending is skyrocketing amidst the AI boom.
• “My guess is our grandkids will be working three and a half days a week. They’ll live to 100. They won’t have all our diseases.” – Jamie Dimon JPMorgan Chase CEO
• There is declining alcohol consumption in America. In NC, beer sales decreased by 9.7% overall between 2021 and 2025, according to the state’s Department of Revenue.

Housing Market Update

I was provided with the latest weekly market metrics for Cary from Doorify MLS for the week ending July 18, 2026. These figures cover single-family residences, townhomes, and condos across all price points in our town:

Weekly Market Overview

• Median Sales Price: $600,000
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): $636,450 (-5.7%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): $725,000 (-17.2%)
• Closed Sales: 37 properties
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): 48 (-22.9%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): 39 (-5.1%)
• New Pending Sales: 51 listings
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): 39 (+30.8%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): 28 (+82.1%)
• Active Inventory: 418 homes
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): 419 (-0.2%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): 446 (-6.3%)

Pricing & Velocity Metrics

• Median Days on Market: 31 days
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): 29 (+8.8%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): 31 (Flat at 0.0%)
• Percent of List Price Received: 98.3%
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): 99.6% (-1.3%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): 99.4% (-1.1%)
• Percent Closed Above List Price: 18.9%
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): 27.1% (-30.1%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): 20.5% (-7.8%)
• Median Sold Price per Sq. Ft.: $252
  • Prior Week (07/11/2026): $267 (-5.4%)
  • Same Week Prior Year (07/19/2025): $271 (-7.0%)

Key Takeaways

• Strong Buyer Demand Going Under Contract: New pending sales surged significantly up to 51 properties for the week (+30.8% over the prior week and +82.1% year-over-year), showing robust buyer engagement.
• Adjusting Sale Prices: While buyer activity remains high, closed median sales prices and list price percentages moderated slightly week-over-week, returning closer to typical mid-summer norms.

Thanks to Ms. Tucker for sharing this information.

Wake County Mayors Association

On Monday, I joined the mayors of Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Raleigh, Rolesville, Wake Forest, and Wendell for a meeting of the Wake County Mayors Association. While we discussed several issues, including the recent teen takeovers in Raleigh, much of the conversation centered on the events that have unfolded in Cary. The mayors recognize the vulnerabilities inherent in the council-manager form of government and understand that what has happened in Cary could happen in any of their communities. Several have already reviewed our recommended governance changes and are taking steps to implement similar measures in their own municipalities. Every mayor in attendance expressed strong support for me during this challenging time and offered both encouragement and valuable perspective.

Tuesday Council Work Session

The Cary Town Council held a work session on Tuesday evening. I was unable to attend due to a death in my family.

The agenda included policy updates, a discussion of hiring an external human resources consultant for the council, the Moving Forward Dashboard, a council-initiated item tracker, eliminating the Council Out and About newsletter, the 2026 revenue update, and the council meeting schedule.

Policy 143 was presented to inform the council that proposed revisions will be brought forward at the next meeting. The updates include language related to livestreaming council meetings, expectations for meeting minutes, and quorum notification requirements. Council members did not raise any questions during the discussion.

The council was also introduced to Policy 190, which establishes anti-retaliation protections for individuals reporting improper activity. The policy was developed in response to recommendations from the town auditor, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA), and Womble Bond Dickinson.

The next agenda item was a council-initiated proposal to hire an external human resources consultant to assist with the performance review process for the town manager, town attorney, and town clerk. This recommendation originated from Womble Bond Dickinson. Following discussion, the council directed staff to return with additional details, including the proposed scope of work.

The interim town manager then presented information about the new Moving Forward Dashboard, which is available at carync.gov/movingforward. The dashboard provides updates on the implementation of recommendations from the town auditor and Womble Bond Dickinson and includes a section where the public can review Procurement Card information.

During the discussion, council members requested that the dashboard also include information related to council compensation. They also asked staff to consider establishing a council subcommittee to address recommendations that are specifically aimed at the council.

The interim town manager then provided an update on the council-initiated item tracker, which outlines the status and progress of requests and initiatives brought forward by the council.

The Council Out and About newsletter, which was initiated by the former town manager, was also discussed. The council voted unanimously to discontinue the newsletter.

Staff also presented a revenue update, with a focus on sales tax, which accounts for approximately 21% of the town’s revenue. Based on current projections, sales tax collections are expected to exceed the budget by approximately $2.5 million.

The town clerk presented the proposed meeting schedule for the council’s review. The council’s next quarterly meeting is scheduled for September 15. Council members also agreed to hold their annual meeting during the third week of February beginning next year and continuing in future years.

The final item was to remove the item on Thursday’s agenda for RHA to buy the Amberwood property. That motion failed three to three.

Cary Public Service Academy

On Thursday afternoon, I spoke to participants in the Cary Public Service Academy, a week-long summer program sponsored by the Town of Cary for high school students, primarily members of the Cary Teen Council. The academy gives students an inside look at how local government operates through a combination of tours, demonstrations, volunteer activities, and discussions with Town leaders and staff.

Throughout the week, participants visit locations such as Bond Park, Fire Station 9, Public Works, Town Hall, and Downtown Cary Park. They also take part in police demonstrations, transit training with GoCary, volunteer with local organizations such as Dorcas Ministries, and participate in Q&A sessions and panel discussions with Town staff and me. The program concludes with students attending a Cary Town Council meeting.

My presentation provided an overview of how Cary’s government works, including elections, the role of the Town Council, Cary’s national recognitions, demographic trends, municipal services, development, downtown revitalization, and the Town’s sustainability initiatives. After the presentation, I spent about 20 minutes answering students’ thoughtful questions about local government and the community.

Thursday Council Work Session

Thursday evening marked the start of seven consecutive hours of meetings for the council. The evening began with a work session covering a range of topics, including the replacement of Aquastar, a drought update, the potential for a regional wastewater partnership, updates on GoCary and the Multimodal Center, and the proposed GoCary downtown loop.

During the first staff presentation, staff explained that Aquastar, Cary’s automated metering system, has been in service since 2008. Cary’s utility system provides water service to approximately 300,000 residents in Cary, Apex, and Morrisville. Staff noted that the current metering system is outdated, requires manual processes, depends on ongoing vendor support, presents maintenance risks, and is due for replacement. The proposed replacement system will be cloud-based, use an industry-leading platform, offer enhanced functionality, and provide greater automation. The target implementation date is 2027. Staff emphasized that ensuring a smooth transition is the top priority, even if that requires delaying the rollout. The proposal will also be presented to the advisory boards for their feedback. During the question-and-answer session, Council members requested additional information about the security of the new system.

Staff provided an update on drought conditions as of July 14. Based on current water supplies, no water use restrictions are anticipated, as the Town has more than 200 days of available supply. Staff also noted that significant rainfall has occurred since the July 14 update, further improving conditions. Staff reminded the Council that Cary has permanent year-round irrigation restrictions that have been in place for decades. Properties with odd-numbered addresses may irrigate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, while properties with even-numbered addresses may irrigate on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Irrigation is prohibited for all properties on Mondays. As a side note, we are currently supplying Durham with water.

Staff reported that Holly Springs is interested in partnering with Cary, Apex, and Morrisville on wastewater services to address its future capacity needs. This fall, the Council plans to meet with elected officials from Holly Springs to discuss the potential partnership. In addition, an engineering study will be conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed collaboration.

The next presentation provided an update on the regional Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, which will include a route through Cary. Staff reported that the project is approximately 30% through the planning and design process, with implementation targeted for 2032–2033.

Staff also updated the Council on the future multimodal transit center. Abatement work has been completed, and existing structures are currently being demolished. The next phase will focus on evaluating potential uses for the site and will include six to seven months of public engagement. Initial design work is expected to begin in late 2027. Funding for the project is provided through the Wake Transit Plan and includes both design and construction of the transit facilities.

The final presentation focused on the GoCary Downtown Loop. Staff reported that the route has been temporarily suspended due to a shortage of bus drivers. To address the staffing shortage, new drivers have been hired, and the transit system is expected to be fully staffed by August. During the discussion, a motion was made directing staff to return to the Council with information on the feasibility of reallocating resources from the Downtown Loop to provide additional service in west Cary or south Cary. The motion passed unanimously.

Council Meeting

Thursday night the council held its last council meeting of July. The agenda included five presentations and recognitions, eight consent items, three public hearings, and two discussion items.

Recognitions and presentations included proclamations for PRCR Month and Sister Cities, recognition of the Public Service Academy, the Interim Manager’s report, and the Special Commission’s report on its findings related to the former town manager. During the presentation of the Special Commission’s report, the presenter was interrupted by audience members who shouted over portions of the presentation. A summary of some of the Commission’s findings is included in this blog. The full report is available at https://carync.gov/movingforward.

The consent agenda included minutes, an amendment to the Chatham Cary Joint Land Use Plan, the call for a public hearing on the Jacobs Creek Annexation, the Swift Creek pump station electrical improvement project, a request for 22-REZ-06 to go back to P&Z, revisions to council’s rules and procedures, Salesforce licensing purchase, and adjustments to the meeting schedule.

The first two public hearings concerned the proposed annexation and rezoning of Pittard Sears Road to allow the development of eleven single-family homes. No members of the public spoke during either hearing.

The final public hearing addressed a resolution that would have authorized the RHA to operate in Cary for the purpose of acquiring and preserving affordable housing at Amberwood at Lochmere, located at 100 Eclipse Drive. The proposal was met with strong opposition from Lochmere residents, many of whom expressed their concerns during the hearing. At times, the meeting was interrupted by shouting and heckling from the audience. Following several hours of public comment and council deliberation, the council voted 5–2 to table the proposal indefinitely. Because the RHA faced a July 27 deadline, tabling the resolution indefinitely effectively ended consideration of the proposal.

The first discussion item was a rezoning proposal to allow Calyx Senior Living to build at Harrison Avenue and Reedy Creek Road. This was passed unanimously.

The last discussion item was for an anti-retaliation policy which was also approved unanimously. The policy establishes a clear process for employees to report suspected improper activity or retaliation and outlines how those reports will be investigated. Employees may report concerns to any department director, any attorney in the Legal Department, or the internal auditor. Alternative reporting procedures are available when potential conflicts of interest exist. Reports may be made anonymously, although anonymity may limit the ability to investigate, and the Town will protect confidentiality to the extent permitted by law. Cary will promptly, thoroughly, and fairly investigate all reports of suspected improper activity and retaliation, including referring allegations involving legal violations or misuse of public funds to the town attorney. When investigations substantiate wrongdoing, the Town will take appropriate corrective action while maintaining the confidentiality of personnel matters.

The policy notes that an employee “tip line” is also an appropriate reporting mechanism. The interim town manager is researching options for establishing a tip line, so a tip line will not be immediately available if this policy is approved.

The council meeting adjourned just before midnight.

About the Council Meeting

I have had the privilege of serving our community as an elected official for 22½ years. During that time, I have presided over countless council meetings on issues that have generated strong emotions and passionate debate. I have always believed that our council chambers should be a place where every resident has the opportunity to be heard respectfully, regardless of differing opinions.

Unfortunately, the recent council meeting with mostly Lochmere residents fell far short of that standard.

The council chambers were filled, reflecting the community’s deep interest in the matter before us. I welcome that level of civic engagement. However, what unfolded throughout the evening was deeply disappointing. The audience was marked by repeated heckling, interruptions, and displays of disrespect, not only toward members of the Town Council, but also toward our professional staff, citizens who came forward to speak, and even fellow members of the audience who held differing viewpoints.

There is an important distinction between passionate advocacy and disruptive behavior. Every resident has the right to express concerns, ask difficult questions, and disagree with decisions made by their elected officials. What no one has is the right to silence others, intimidate speakers, or create an atmosphere where respectful dialogue becomes impossible.

In my 22½ years of public service, this was the worst audience behavior I have witnessed at a council meeting. That is not a statement I make lightly. Our staff members work tirelessly to serve this community with professionalism. Citizens who take the time to address the council deserve to do so without fear of ridicule or interruption. Every member of the council deserves the opportunity to conduct the public’s business without constant heckling and personal attacks. Most importantly, every resident in attendance deserves an environment where differing opinions can be expressed civilly.

Our community is stronger when we listen to one another, even when we disagree. Democracy depends not only on the freedom to speak but also on the willingness to listen. Respectful disagreement is healthy; disrespect and disorder are not.

I remain committed to ensuring that our council meetings are open, transparent, and welcoming to all. Going forward, I ask everyone who attends our meetings to remember that while passions may run high, civility must remain our common ground. We can, and should, hold vigorous debates while still treating one another with dignity and respect.

Town Manager’s Report

Council,

It has been a full week. The updates below capture some of the operational highlights of the week. 
Wishing everyone a restful weekend.

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

Farmington Woods Elementary Water Main Connection

Construction of the new water main at Farmington Woods Elementary School is complete. The new water main is now active, site restoration is complete, and the project was finished one month ahead of schedule, well before the start of the new school year. Approximately 400 feet of 6-inch water main was installed to close a loop in Cary’s water distribution system, improving overall system resiliency.

NCDOT I40 and Reedy Creek Road Bridge Improvements

North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Division 5 is planning improvements to 2.3 miles of I-40 between Aviation Parkway (Exit 285) and Harrison Avenue (Exit 287). Right-of-way acquisition is expected to begin in summer 2028, with construction anticipated in fall 2031. The project is included in the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) 2055 Metropolitan Transportation Plan.

The project will add one travel lane in each direction and extend acceleration and deceleration lanes between ramps to improve traffic flow. As part of the project, the Old Reedy Creek Road bridge over I-40 will be replaced, preserving a vital regional bicycle and pedestrian connection serving the East Coast Greenway Trail, Reedy Creek Trailhead, Lake Crabtree County Park, William B. Umstead State Park, and the future Triangle Bikeway. Traffic on I-40 will be maintained during construction, while traffic on Old Reedy Creek Road will be routed across a temporary bridge.

Cary Public Service Academy

This week, the Cary Public Service Academy (CPSA) gave 20 Cary Teen Council members an inside look at the people, services, and teamwork that help make Cary a great place to live. Participants toured Bond Park, Fire Station 9, Public Works, the North Cary Water Reclamation Facility (NCWRF), Town Hall, and Downtown Cary Park, where they met with staff to learn how departments work together to deliver the services residents rely on every day. Along the way, they explored career opportunities in fields including engineering, transportation, public works, environmental services, public safety, and law, gaining firsthand insight into the wide range of professions that support local government. The program also included attending Thursday night’s Town Council meeting and concluded with a celebratory send-off at Academy Pavilion.

E-Bike Education Webpage Launched

This week, Cary launched a new e-bike and e-moto education webpage as part of its ongoing education campaign. The webpage includes information on the different types of electric bikes and e-motos, where they may legally operate, what to consider when purchasing one, and the rules that apply. The page can be found at carync.gov/ebikes. 

World Rugby Nations Cup at WakeMed Soccer Park

International rugby returned to WakeMed Soccer Park last weekend for the first time in more than a decade, as the USA Eagles defeated Spain in the championship match of the inaugural World Rugby Nations Cup. The match drew 7,397 spectators, reinforcing Cary’s reputation as a destination for major international sporting events.

Important Dates

Planning & Zoning Board
Monday, July 27, 6:30 p.m.

Womble Bond Dickinson’s Report

Since very few seem to be interested in reading the Womble Bond Dickinson Report and would just rather blame me for everything, I thought I would provide a few excerpts here:

…

The report concludes that the Council-Manager form of government has a structural vulnerability that enabled Mr. Stegall’s actions. By “structural vulnerability,” we mean a weakness that arises from the Council-Manager model. All governance structures involve trade-offs, and no design eliminates all risk. The Council-Manager model is not inferior or defective; it offers important advantages, including professional administration and separation of elected

officials from daily operations and employment decisions, a separation that helps prevent elected officials from misusing government for political or personal gain.

…

The report also places these matters in context. The Town remains financially strong, operationally capable, and served by dedicated employees and public officials. The issues identified in the report are serious, but they do not define the Town. Rather, they present an opportunity for the Town Council to respond in a measured, lawful, and forward-looking manner by strengthening safeguards, improving transparency, and improving the flow of financial information to the Town Council and Town residents.

…

The Town’s internal audit function, required by Town Council-adopted policy, was not maintained after Mr. Stegall eliminated the internal auditor position. The Town Council-adopted Fund Balance Policy was not followed in Fiscal Year 2023, and Mr. Stegall misstated compliance with that policy. Certain

discretionary budget changes and transactions, including a significant real-property purchase and other financial matters, were not reported to the full Town Council in a manner that allowed timely oversight. These operational failures did not appear to threaten the Town’s overall financial condition, but they undermined confidence in the completeness and reliability of financial information provided to the Town Council. Together, these matters were serious operational failures.

…

North Carolina has about six hundred and fifty (650) local governments, including

approximately five hundred and fifty (550) municipalities and one hundred (100) counties. Of those, only twelve (12) other North Carolina local governments have a triple-A rating for their general obligation bonds. For water and sewer utilities, only one (1) other North Carolina local government has a triple-A revenue bond rating. The Town is financially sound.

…

The insufficiency arises from the convergence of two foreseeable circumstances: (1) a manager may exercise authority unprofessionally, unwisely, or illegally to avoid complying with policies and standard procedures that impose financial controls on transactions the manager has personally undertaken, directed, or enabled; and (2) the Town Council, as the body charged with supervising the manager, may be unaware of such actions because it is appropriately separated from day-to-day Town operations and employment decisions.

…

As a result of this analysis, we concluded that Mr. Stegall directly or indirectly caused or substantially contributed to these operational failures through authority and practical discretion vested in him as Town Manager.

…

The facts are straightforward. Mr. Stegall, directly or indirectly, through those who reported to Mr. Stegall directly, controlled the flow of financial information and served as the gatekeeper of financial information provided to the Town Council. In his private one-on-one meetings or communications with individual members of the Town Council, Mr. Stegall selectively provided positive and favorable financial information to a particular Council member, but not the same information to all members of the Town Council. Mr. Stegall appears to have carefully managed his relationship with each Council member to ensure

that each believed Mr. Stegall was a strong leader doing an exceptional job as Town Manager.

…

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring the Town Manager and Finance Department to publish on the Town’s website, on a quarterly basis, the p-card transactions and reimbursements of the Town Manager, the Manager’s direct reports, and department heads.
2. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring the Town Manager and Finance Department to publish on the Town’s website, on a quarterly basis, all p-card transactions and reimbursements in the categories of travel, lodging, meals, and education over a threshold amount to be determined by the Town Council.
3. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to comprehensively review existing procedures and policies governing p-card transactions and reimbursements and adhere to the schedule for implementing the State Auditor’s thirteen (13) Recommendations outlined in the Town’s response to the State Auditor’s report.
4. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring the Town Manager to review procedures and policies governing p-card transactions and reimbursements every three (3) years, consider whether updates are appropriate, and report the Town Manager’s findings to the Town Council.
5. The Town Council should delete Section 20.H. of the Recommended FY27 Budget Ordinance or, alternatively, amend Section 20.H. to require the Town Manager to provide written notice to the Town Council before any budget amendment is initiated by the Budget Officer that appropriates Fund Balance. That notice shall include the purpose and justification for the amendment, as well as certification that the budget remains balanced and that the Town’s Fund Balance policy requirement will be met. Any member of the Town Council may request that the proposed amendment be placed on the next Town Council meeting agenda. This change should continue in future annual Budget Ordinances.
6. The Town Council should amend Sections 20.A-C of the Recommended FY27 Budget Ordinance (which permit the Budget Officer to (1) reallocate appropriations within functions, (2) execute interfunctional and interdepartmental transfers within the same fund, and (3) utilize appropriations contained in contingencies) to require the Town Manager or the Manager’s designee to report each change in writing at the next regular Council meeting.
7. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to research and provide recommendations on additional best practices in budget development, including but not limited to the topic of Town resident involvement in the budget process.
8. The Town Council should require advance notice to the Council prior to the purchase11 of interests in real property exceeding $300,000.00, excluding approved capital projects where any one (1) of the following events has occurred in connection with the capital project: (1) the Town Council identified the general location of such capital project in writing; (2) the Town Manager consulted with all members of the Town Council concerning the purchase; or (3) the Town’s obligations under the purchase contract are contingent upon Town Council review. Any Council member should have the right to request review of the transaction by the full Council before the Town becomes legally committed to the transaction.
9. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to reinstate and fill the position of Town Internal Auditor. Upon a majority vote of the Town Council, the Internal Auditor should review specific matters of Council concern and report results to the Town Council.
10. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to review existing procedures and policies for acquiring new technology, including software programs and other technological systems, and report the Manager’s recommendations to the Town Council.
11. The Town Council should engage an outside consultant to assist with the Council’s annual performance review of the Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Town Clerk. The consultant should gather confidential information from Town staff about performance, prepare a draft written evaluation, and propose goals for the Town Council to consider incorporating into the review.
12. The Town Council should include fiduciary obligations in the Town Manager’s contract. As part of the Town Manager’s annual review, the Town Manager should certify compliance with the ICMA Code of Ethics, and the Town Council should provide a similar certification of compliance with its adopted Code of Ethics.
13. The Town Council should amend the Personnel Ordinance to provide that the Town Manager directs and supervises the administration of all departments, offices, and agencies of the Town, subject to the general direction and control of the Council, but the manager is not the final authority for directing all activities of all Town employees.
14. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to follow standard personnel best practices for all positions—exit interviews, job postings, formal interview processes for job candidates, objective bonus and incentive systems, and predictable annual performance reviews of employees— and report to the Town Council in a timely manner how those practices have been followed.
15. The Town Council should adopt a policy providing protection against retaliation for employees who report problematic behavior and occurrences (i.e., whistleblowers).
16. The Town Council should require the Town Manager to provide the Town Council with written notice and justification for all positions added, eliminated, or repurposed.
17. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to review the current size and structure of the Town Manager’s Office, including comparisons to similarly situated municipalities and the Town’s historical structure, and to evaluate staffing levels, functions, reporting lines and costs, and report the Town Manager’s conclusions to the Town Council within a timeframe designated by the Town Council.
18. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring regular confidential employee surveys (at least every three years).
19. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to evaluate the costs, advantages, and disadvantages of creating a confidential employee-tip line.
20. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to evaluate the costs, advantages, and disadvantages of establishing an Organizational Ombuds program. A third-party Organizational Ombuds program provides a safe space to talk about an issue or concern, explores options to help resolve conflicts, brings systemic concerns to the attention of the organization for resolution and helps illuminate good ideas and opportunities that may get lost. See https://www.ombudsassociation.org.
21. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to develop a menu of initiatives to increase employee engagement and strengthen relationships among employees, departments, and the Manager’s Office, and to share the menu of initiatives with employees to gain employee feedback.

…

The Town Council’s decision to commission this review reflects an important institutional strength. Rather than treating the concerns examined in this report as isolated events, responding only to the conduct of one former official, or passively relying on investigations by state agencies, the Council asked for a broader review directed toward lasting improvement. That broader approach is warranted. Policies, procedures, reporting systems, and workplace practices should not depend solely on the judgment, style, or good faith of a single officeholder. Durable public institutions require systems that encourage sound judgment, reveal problems when judgment fails, and provide governing bodies with the information necessary to act responsibly.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Dozens of emails about the RHA proposal to buy Amberwood. Most were against the proposal but some we in favor.
• A message telling me how to run council meetings followed up by giving me a grade of B+.
• A request to “require the removal of fallen leaves from residential and commercial landscapes” to protect butterflies (This is probably an HOA requirement and not a town requirement)
• A comment about a Green Level Church Road rezoning 22-REZ-06.
• A lifetime of hate via emails, social media, etc. about what was reported by the State Auditor. Most believe I was knowledgeable, compliant, and/or responsible even if I knew nothing. (No, I was the whistleblower) I will not post any of the nastiness. I am sure it is easy to find with a search.
• Lots of messages of support, especially from people who know me and my character and lots of support from those who don’t personally know me. Here are a couple:

“I have been a proud Cary resident since 1978 and have lived downtown for the last five years.
I want to offer my support to you during this challenging time. I am confident that you have devoted significant time and effort to our community’s success. Many citizens have even greater respect for you because of how you are handling this difficult situation.
Please know that you have the support of most residents. It is frustrating that a small but vocal group can sow such venom and anger, but we appreciate your continued efforts.
Thank you for all that you do.  If I can contribute in any way to your efforts, please let me know.”

“Mayor Weinbrecht 

That was a term used by some last evening during the TOC Town Council Meeting but not offered to you.

I felt the need to reach out to you only, about what I felt.  I see in you the man and Mayor of 20 years ago, when I came in front of the council about a sub-division being annexed adjacent to my community.  At that time you were flanked by a council that had Cary in a growth mode, while still having the residence and tax payers at the front of their discussion and final decisions.

Sadly, I did not see nor hear the council members in that light, including my district new member.   I see the rest of the council group more interested in achieving and defending their own desired outcomes to promote themselves.

You are a good man and know what needs to be accomplished for the residence in a TOWN AND COMMUNITY you developed form the early stages of Cary.

Follow your own example, of creating a harmonious environment with strength, flexibility and knowledge‼️ 

DO NOT, FOR A MINUTE, THINK YOU ARE NOT NEEDED.

Please take care of yourself first, so you can be the leader that I still see in you.”

• Also, lots of email after the ugly council meeting on Thursday. Here are a few:

“Thank you for continuing to lead the Town Council with thoughtfulness and common sense. I did not attend the recent meeting however I read about it. I do not agree with anyone who says Council Members should resign. Everyone should stand firm. We unfortunately had one bad actor, and now he is gone, and I feel we have definitely learned from that experience and I know you and the other members continue to work to make things better.”

“I attended the contentious Council meeting on July 23. … I was not prepared for the onslaught of vicious comments against you and Council members. … I believe in you.”

“I just wanted to thank you for your patience last night…Thank you again for your service to our town.”

“First, I would like to apologize for our passionate outburst during last evening’s meeting. While tempers flared due to the importance of the issues, we should have maintained a more respectful tone. … Thank you for your service to our great town.”

“I attended last night’s meeting. It was a difficult meeting, to say the least, and I appreciate the professionalism that you and other council members exhibited throughout the evening. … Thank you for your service to the Town of Cary.”

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, with no other meetings. It is important to spend time with my family after our recent personal loss.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, August 2^nd, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Real Estate Summary for Cary

The following is a real estate summary from Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate:

Key Regional Highlights for June 2026:

• Market Volume & Activity: Cary recorded 224 closed sales during June. This leads nearby Morrisville (22 closed sales) and Holly Springs (83 closed sales), while trailing Apex (190 closed sales) and Fuquay-Varina (112 closed sales).
• Active Inventory: Cary holds 400 active listings on the market. This is the highest available inventory in the immediate area, tracking ahead of Apex (399), Fuquay-Varina (312), Holly Springs (162), and Morrisville (76).
• Home Values: Cary’s median sales price stands at $642,500. This places it just below Apex ($655,545), but well above Holly Springs ($635,000), Morrisville ($567,500), and Fuquay-Varina ($510,000).
• Demand & Sales Pace: Properties in Cary continue to move rapidly, with a median of 10 days on the market. This matches or outpaces most neighbors, including Holly Springs (9 days), Morrisville (14 days), Apex (15 days), and Fuquay-Varina (19 days).
• Price Per Square Foot: Cary commands the highest median sold price per square foot in the area at $269. For comparison, Apex is at $243, Morrisville is at $241, Holly Springs is at $238, and Fuquay-Varina is at $213.

Overall, Cary remains a highly competitive, high-value benchmark within the county, combining a fast sales pace with the largest selection of active inventory for incoming buyers.

Cary Chamber Leadership Conference

Wednesday and Thursday, I was grateful to attend the Cary Chamber Leadership Conference and have the opportunity to deliver the welcome remarks. This year’s lineup of speakers was outstanding and offered valuable insights from a variety of perspectives.

We heard from Steve Lerch of Story Arc Consulting, who challenged us to think differently and embrace new ways of seeing opportunities. Dr. Sarah Glova followed with an engaging presentation on the science behind how people navigate change and how leaders can use that knowledge to guide their teams more effectively.

NC Senator Gale Adcock and former Cary Mayor Pro-Tem provided an informative legislative update, offering valuable perspectives on issues impacting our community. We wrapped up the first day with Stan Phelps, who shared practical strategies for excelling under pressure and thriving in the game of business.

It was an inspiring start to an exceptional conference, and I appreciate everyone who helped make it such a meaningful experience.

The second day of the Cary Chamber Leadership Conference began with a mid-year economic update and a look ahead to the 2027 outlook, presented by Ted Abernathy. I look forward to sharing some of his findings in my next blog post.

The conference concluded with an inspiring presentation from Dr. Amna Shabbir, a physician, high-performance and well-being strategist, Master Certified Professional Coach, and professional speaker. She shared insights on leadership, well-being, and achieving sustainable high performance.

OSA Report

Thursday afternoon the State Auditor reported on the Town of Cary managed by Sean Stegall. You can find their report here.

The following is the town’s Response:

Cary Town officials held a news conference this evening to answer questions from the media in response to the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor’s (OSA) investigative report released earlier today. The investigation was prompted last year by allegations made to the OSA about Cary’s former Town Manager, who resigned in December 2025.

“When Town staff brought concerns to the Council last fall, we did not look away. Those concerns led to the former town manager’s departure, and they were serious enough that we welcomed the State Auditor’s involvement when his office contacted us in November,” said Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. “We take this report seriously, and our focus remains on strengthening the policies and practices that guide our work.”

Councilmembers and Interim Town Manager Russ Overton addressed the media this evening following OSA’s release of its report, which also included Cary’s official response. In it, the Town provided additional context, identified actions Cary has completed or initiated, and outlined the work that remains.

“As an organization, we recognize that it’s our responsibility to understand what happened, learn how we can help prevent it from happening again, and make sure our operations and culture meet the expectations of our staff and our community,” said Overton. “The recommendations from the OSA’s report and others help us do exactly that.”

For greater insight into Cary’s implementation of the recommendations, the Town has launched a Moving Forward Dashboard, which lists recommendations from the State Auditor and other independent reviews, the status of each, and supporting information.

Overton says staff will update the dashboard as milestones are reached and additional information becomes available.

“Some changes are already in place, others are underway, and more work remains,” said Overton. “The dashboard gives our community a clear way to see what we have committed to do and how we are following through.”

In its response, Cary discusses what actions have already been completed or initiated, including:

• Commissioning an independent review of procurement card spending, financial reporting, oversight, and organizational culture;
• Restoring key financial oversight positions;
• Strengthening procurement card controls;
• Updating procurement, contracting, travel, and reimbursement procedures;
• Increasing financial reporting to the Town Council and community;
• Expanding public access to Town Council meetings;
• Adopting Cary’s first anti-retaliation policy;
• Improving documentation of decisions and approvals; and
• Updating financial and administrative procedures throughout the organization.

The State Auditor’s report is one of several independent efforts Cary is using to guide its path forward.

North Carolina law requires every local government to undergo an annual independent financial audit. Cary used its fiscal year 2025 audit as part of its broader moving-forward effort. At Council’s request, the external auditor, Cherry Bekaert LLP, performed additional work related to concerns about procurement cards and travel and training expenses. The findings and recommendations were presented to Council on February 5.

In January, Council hired outside law firm Womble Bond Dickinson to conduct a Special Commission review of procurement card use, reimbursements and expenditures, financial reporting, and organizational culture. Council received the final Cary Council Special Commission Report on July 14. A representative from the firm is scheduled to formally present its findings at the July 23 regular Council meeting.

Recommendations from the annual independent audit, the Cary Council Special Commission Report, and the State Auditor’s investigative report are included in the Moving Forward Dashboard, giving residents a singular place to review the findings and follow Cary’s implementation work.

“While the former town manager’s actions created challenges that Cary must address, they do not define our organization or diminish the strength we have built over many years. Cary remains financially sound, operationally strong, and supported by an exceptional staff,” said Mayor Weinbrecht. “The Council and staff are committed to addressing these recommendations with the professionalism, transparency, and accountability our residents expect and deserve.”

Review the Town’s response and related reports, watch the full news conference, and follow implementation at carync.gov/movingforward.

The following is my statement:

I would like to thank the State Auditor and his team for their thorough work in identifying these issues and recommending solutions. Addressing these concerns has been my top priority since I first became aware of the problems stemming from the former town manager’s actions.

The State Auditor’s report does an excellent job of explaining what occurred. To gain a more complete understanding, I encourage everyone to also read the publicly released Womble Bond Dickinson report. That report provides valuable insight into how these events happened and why they occurred. You can find both reports at https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/newsroom/bottom-line/get-the-facts-moving-forward.

If we are committed to creating meaningful and lasting change, we must understand and address all three: the what, the how, and the why.

I also believe it is important to acknowledge that the former Town Manager did an excellent job during his first six to seven years in the position. Even today, it is unclear when his performance and judgment began to change. However, by November 20, 2025, the day he was dismissed, it was evident that he was no longer the same person we had hired nine years earlier.

In reading the State Auditor’s report, it appears that spending became increasingly out of control and that there was a lack of accountability within both the staff and the Council. The natural question is: How did this happen?

Part of the answer lies in the lack of organizational infrastructure, which exposed a vulnerability in the council-manager form of government. This form of government is intentionally designed to create a separation between elected officials and staff in order to reduce the risk of political interference and corruption. It also relies on the assumption that a qualified, ethical professional will be appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization.

What this model does not fully account for is the possibility that the appointed manager fails to uphold those professional standards. In our case, that was the situation with our former Town Manager.

Another critical weakness was the absence of a system that allowed employees to raise concerns directly with the Council without fear of retaliation. Without those safeguards, problems were able to continue unchecked.

Is this unique to Cary? Certainly not. Other municipalities have experienced similar situations in recent years, where the actions of town or city managers created significant organizational and financial problems, including Rocky Mount and Pilot Mountain.

It is also important to understand the timeline to provide context for this entire situation.

In early November, several staff members approached me confidentially to share concerns about the former Town Manager’s conduct. At the quarterly staff meeting on November 13, the Town Manager was asked three separate times about violating the fund balance policy. Each time, he denied any wrongdoing. At that point, I concluded that he posed a serious risk to the Town’s well-being, and I contacted our Internal Auditor the following day.

Two business days later, the Council met in closed session to discuss the Town Manager. During that meeting, I shared the concerns that had been reported to me. However, because the information had come from staff members who wished to remain anonymous, a majority of the Council was not prepared to dismiss the Town Manager based solely on those reports.

Two days later, during another closed session, I asked four senior staff members to appear before the Council and share directly what they had previously shared with me, despite the significant personal and professional risks they believed they were taking. They agreed to do so. Those individuals were Interim Town Manager Russ Overton, Assistant Town Manager Dana Widmar, Chief Strategy Officer Susan Moran, and Town Clerk Ginny Johnson.

After hearing their accounts, the Council unanimously voted to remove the Town Manager from his position. His access to Town Hall was immediately revoked, and his system accounts were immediately suspended.

I also want to address my discussion of these closed sessions. As a general rule, the proceedings of a closed session should remain confidential except for the portions reflected in the publicly released minutes. Before including this account, I sought and received the agreement of the staff involved, the town attorney, and Council members.

Finally, since the evening the former manager was removed from his position, we have been working to address the issues that were identified and strengthen the Town’s governance and oversight.

To improve transparency, on November 20 I introduced a motion to livestream all Council meetings, which the Council approved. The Interim Town Manager also established regular informational meetings involving two Council members, the Mayor, the Town Manager, the Town Attorney, the Town Clerk, and senior staff to improve communication and oversight.

We have already implemented additional internal controls, including a delegation of authority policy that strengthens oversight of spending and financial approvals by the Town Manager and staff.

In addition to the State Auditor’s recommendations, our independent investigation conducted by Womble Bond Dickinson produced a number of additional recommendations. Those recommendations are scheduled to be considered by the Council at our next meeting, and I fully expect we will move forward with implementing them as well.

The bottom line is that no system is immune from dishonesty or misconduct. Individuals can abuse positions of trust, and when that happens, they can cause significant harm. While no system can eliminate every risk, the changes we have made represent important steps toward strengthening accountability, increasing transparency, and restoring public confidence in our Town government.

The following are comments from DigitalP about the OSA’s report. They asked me to share:

The Downtown Cary Park documentary project included two years of filming and multiple short videos (4) for social media to go along with the full documentary. Which had a public viewing at the park with Joy and Doug McRainey talking about the project to the crowd. It was then placed on the town’s YouTube channel where it still lives as well as the downtown Cary park website. That’s $70k that was always intended for public viewing and historical documentation.

…

Last thing for context. We made a retreat video in 2020 that was called “the framework”. This video was then used for new employee orientation for the next five years: https://vimeo.com/395558517/64e1725d56 .

So, while the initial cost of a retreat video is attention grabbing, the town used them for a long time.

Since very few seem to be interested in reading the Womble Bond Dickinson Report and would just rather blame me for everything, I thought I would provide a few excerpts here:

…

The report concludes that the Council-Manager form of government has a structural vulnerability that enabled Mr. Stegall’s actions. By “structural vulnerability,” we mean a weakness that arises from the Council-Manager model. All governance structures involve trade-offs, and no design eliminates all risk. The Council-Manager model is not inferior or defective; it offers important advantages, including professional administration and separation of elected

officials from daily operations and employment decisions, a separation that helps prevent elected officials from misusing government for political or personal gain.

…

The report also places these matters in context. The Town remains financially strong, operationally capable, and served by dedicated employees and public officials. The issues identified in the report are serious, but they do not define the Town. Rather, they present an opportunity for the Town Council to respond in a measured, lawful, and forward-looking manner by strengthening safeguards, improving transparency, and improving the flow of financial information to the Town Council and Town residents.

…

The Town’s internal audit function, required by Town Council-adopted policy, was not maintained after Mr. Stegall eliminated the internal auditor position. The Town Council-adopted Fund Balance Policy was not followed in Fiscal Year 2023, and Mr. Stegall misstated compliance with that policy. Certain

discretionary budget changes and transactions, including a significant real-property purchase and other financial matters, were not reported to the full Town Council in a manner that allowed timely oversight. These operational failures did not appear to threaten the Town’s overall financial condition, but they undermined confidence in the completeness and reliability of financial information provided to the Town Council. Together, these matters were serious operational failures.

…

North Carolina has about six hundred and fifty (650) local governments, including

approximately five hundred and fifty (550) municipalities and one hundred (100) counties. Of those, only twelve (12) other North Carolina local governments have a triple-A rating for their general obligation bonds. For water and sewer utilities, only one (1) other North Carolina local government has a triple-A revenue bond rating. The Town is financially sound.

…

The insufficiency arises from the convergence of two foreseeable circumstances: (1) a manager may exercise authority unprofessionally, unwisely, or illegally to avoid complying with policies and standard procedures that impose financial controls on transactions the manager has personally undertaken, directed, or enabled; and (2) the Town Council, as the body charged with supervising the manager, may be unaware of such actions because it is appropriately separated from day-to-day Town operations and employment decisions.

…

As a result of this analysis, we concluded that Mr. Stegall directly or indirectly caused or substantially contributed to these operational failures through authority and practical discretion vested in him as Town Manager.

…

The facts are straightforward. Mr. Stegall, directly or indirectly, through those who reported to Mr. Stegall directly, controlled the flow of financial information and served as the gatekeeper of financial information provided to the Town Council. In his private one-on-one meetings or communications with individual members of the Town Council, Mr. Stegall selectively provided positive and favorable financial information to a particular Council member, but not the same information to all members of the Town Council. Mr. Stegall appears to have carefully managed his relationship with each Council member to ensure

that each believed Mr. Stegall was a strong leader doing an exceptional job as Town Manager.

…

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring the Town Manager and Finance Department to publish on the Town’s website, on a quarterly basis, the p-card transactions and reimbursements of the Town Manager, the Manager’s direct reports, and department heads.
2. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring the Town Manager and Finance Department to publish on the Town’s website, on a quarterly basis, all p-card transactions and reimbursements in the categories of travel, lodging, meals, and education over a threshold amount to be determined by the Town Council.
3. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to comprehensively review existing procedures and policies governing p-card transactions and reimbursements and adhere to the schedule for implementing the State Auditor’s thirteen (13) Recommendations outlined in the Town’s response to the State Auditor’s report.
4. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring the Town Manager to review procedures and policies governing p-card transactions and reimbursements every three (3) years, consider whether updates are appropriate, and report the Town Manager’s findings to the Town Council.
5. The Town Council should delete Section 20.H. of the Recommended FY27 Budget Ordinance or, alternatively, amend Section 20.H. to require the Town Manager to provide written notice to the Town Council before any budget amendment is initiated by the Budget Officer that appropriates Fund Balance. That notice shall include the purpose and justification for the amendment, as well as certification that the budget remains balanced and that the Town’s Fund Balance policy requirement will be met. Any member of the Town Council may request that the proposed amendment be placed on the next Town Council meeting agenda. This change should continue in future annual Budget Ordinances.
6. The Town Council should amend Sections 20.A-C of the Recommended FY27 Budget Ordinance (which permit the Budget Officer to (1) reallocate appropriations within functions, (2) execute interfunctional and interdepartmental transfers within the same fund, and (3) utilize appropriations contained in contingencies) to require the Town Manager or the Manager’s designee to report each change in writing at the next regular Council meeting.
7. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to research and provide recommendations on additional best practices in budget development, including but not limited to the topic of Town resident involvement in the budget process.
8. The Town Council should require advance notice to the Council prior to the purchase11 of interests in real property exceeding $300,000.00, excluding approved capital projects where any one (1) of the following events has occurred in connection with the capital project: (1) the Town Council identified the general location of such capital project in writing; (2) the Town Manager consulted with all members of the Town Council concerning the purchase; or (3) the Town’s obligations under the purchase contract are contingent upon Town Council review. Any Council member should have the right to request review of the transaction by the full Council before the Town becomes legally committed to the transaction.
9. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to reinstate and fill the position of Town Internal Auditor. Upon a majority vote of the Town Council, the Internal Auditor should review specific matters of Council concern and report results to the Town Council.
10. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to review existing procedures and policies for acquiring new technology, including software programs and other technological systems, and report the Manager’s recommendations to the Town Council.
11. The Town Council should engage an outside consultant to assist with the Council’s annual performance review of the Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Town Clerk. The consultant should gather confidential information from Town staff about performance, prepare a draft written evaluation, and propose goals for the Town Council to consider incorporating into the review.
12. The Town Council should include fiduciary obligations in the Town Manager’s contract. As part of the Town Manager’s annual review, the Town Manager should certify compliance with the ICMA Code of Ethics, and the Town Council should provide a similar certification of compliance with its adopted Code of Ethics.
13. The Town Council should amend the Personnel Ordinance to provide that the Town Manager directs and supervises the administration of all departments, offices, and agencies of the Town, subject to the general direction and control of the Council, but the manager is not the final authority for directing all activities of all Town employees.
14. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to follow standard personnel best practices for all positions—exit interviews, job postings, formal interview processes for job candidates, objective bonus and incentive systems, and predictable annual performance reviews of employees— and report to the Town Council in a timely manner how those practices have been followed.
15. The Town Council should adopt a policy providing protection against retaliation for employees who report problematic behavior and occurrences (i.e., whistleblowers).
16. The Town Council should require the Town Manager to provide the Town Council with written notice and justification for all positions added, eliminated, or repurposed.
17. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to review the current size and structure of the Town Manager’s Office, including comparisons to similarly situated municipalities and the Town’s historical structure, and to evaluate staffing levels, functions, reporting lines and costs, and report the Town Manager’s conclusions to the Town Council within a timeframe designated by the Town Council.
18. The Town Council should adopt a policy requiring regular confidential employee surveys (at least every three years).
19. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to evaluate the costs, advantages, and disadvantages of creating a confidential employee-tip line.
20. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to evaluate the costs, advantages, and disadvantages of establishing an Organizational Ombuds program. A third-party Organizational Ombuds program provides a safe space to talk about an issue or concern, explores options to help resolve conflicts, brings systemic concerns to the attention of the organization for resolution and helps illuminate good ideas and opportunities that may get lost. See https://www.ombudsassociation.org.
21. The Town Council should direct the Town Manager to develop a menu of initiatives to increase employee engagement and strengthen relationships among employees, departments, and the Manager’s Office, and to share the menu of initiatives with employees to gain employee feedback.

…

The Town Council’s decision to commission this review reflects an important institutional strength. Rather than treating the concerns examined in this report as isolated events, responding only to the conduct of one former official, or passively relying on investigations by state agencies, the Council asked for a broader review directed toward lasting improvement. That broader approach is warranted. Policies, procedures, reporting systems, and workplace practices should not depend solely on the judgment, style, or good faith of a single officeholder. Durable public institutions require systems that encourage sound judgment, reveal problems when judgment fails, and provide governing bodies with the information necessary to act responsibly.

Town Manager’s Report

Council,

This week was really about staying connected. We spent time with business and nonprofit partners at the Chamber Leadership Conference, kept staff informed as new information became available on the reports and where they could find updates on our progress, and answered questions from the media and residents at last night’s meeting. Open communication and strong relationships are important as we continue moving forward together.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

Water Resources Update

As of July 13, Cary has 199 days of supply. 120 is the trigger for Stage 1 water restrictions. The ideal supply is 220-290 days.

Cary Quarterly Economic Development Report

Cary Chamber of Commerce President Mark Lawson submitted a summary of economic development activity between July 2025 and June 2026.

Powell Bill Program Submission Complete

Cary has completed another successful Powell Bill Program submission and expects to receive more than $5 million in state funding this year. The annual program provides fiscal aid to municipalities based on population and maintained street mileage to support street maintenance, transportation improvements, and related infrastructure. Throughout the year, staff track, measure, and verify data to produce the certified statement and geographic information system (GIS) map required for the submission. This year’s report documents approximately 5 miles of new streets, bringing Cary’s total maintained roadway network within the corporate limits to 530 miles.

SCWRF Receives Award for Wastewater Treatment

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has recognized the South Cary Water Reclamation Facility (SCWRF) with its Partnership for Clean Water Phase III Directors Award for Wastewater Treatment. This national recognition honors utilities that demonstrate a sustained commitment to optimizing wastewater treatment performance, protecting water quality, and advancing environmental stewardship. The Partnership for Clean Water program encourages utilities to continuously improve treatment processes through rigorous self-assessment and operational optimization. By improving the quality of treated water while minimizing energy use, the SCWRF continues to protect local waterways and uphold high operational excellence standards.

Haleys Branch Public Meeting Recap

Wake County hosted its second public input session for the Haleys Branch Trails at Lake Crabtree project at Downtown Cary Park on July 9. The meeting shared proposed trail alignments, trail types, and the project timeline for the planned 400-acre trail system, which will feature 14.3 miles of public mountain bike trails. This meeting concluded the public engagement phase, with construction expected to begin in winter 2027 and be completed in early 2028. Cary has committed to contributing $2.5 million toward the project’s development.

Ramps Installed at Cary Action Sports Park

A portion of the Action Sports Park ramps were replaced this week as part of ongoing site maintenance. The new steel ramps are more durable than the previous wood structures and will reduce ongoing maintenance expenses. Riders eagerly watched the new structures take shape throughout the week and were excited to use them once they opened.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting – August 5

The following neighborhood meeting will be held on Wednesday, August 5, at 6:30 p.m.

• 26-REZ-09 Twin Lakes PDD Amendment

For more information and to register, please visit the Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning meeting page.

Important Dates

Town Council Work Session
Tuesday, July 21
5:30 p.m.

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, July 22
6:00 p.m.

Town Council Work Session
Thursday, July 23
5:00 p.m.

Town Council Meeting
Thursday, July 23
6:30 p.m.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A lifetime of hate via emails, social media, etc. about what was reported by the State Auditor. Most believe I was knowledgeable, compliant, and/or responsible even if I knew nothing. (No, I was the whistleblower) I will not post any of the nastiness. I am sure it is easy to find with a search.
• Comments thanking council for holding the emergency meeting (…I can tell y’all are trying to support the staff when there were a few idiots trying to do extravagant things to support the former dear leader. You showed a great deal of grit. Thank you for working so hard to right the ship. …)
• Complaints about a proposal by the Raleigh Housing Authority to make Amberwood Apartments affordable housing.
• A complaint about ICE activities.
• A compliment about my interview on CiviPod.
• Comments on a potential Cary Smoke-Free ordinance.
• A complaint about contracted work damaging a yard.
• A complaint about traffic signs not being maintained.
• Comments about a Pittard Sears Road rezoning proposal.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Cary Public Service Academy, two work sessions, and a council meeting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 26^th, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

I would like to thank the State Auditor and his team for their thorough work in identifying these issues and recommending solutions. Addressing these concerns has been my top priority since I first became aware of the problems stemming from the former town manager’s actions.

The State Auditor’s report does an excellent job of explaining what occurred. To gain a more complete understanding, I encourage everyone to also read the publicly released Womble Bond Dickinson report. That report provides valuable insight into how these events happened and why they occurred. You can find both reports at https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/newsroom/bottom-line/get-the-facts-moving-forward.

If we are committed to creating meaningful and lasting change, we must understand and address all three: the what, the how, and the why.

I also believe it is important to acknowledge that the former Town Manager did an excellent job during his first six to seven years in the position. Even today, it is unclear when his performance and judgment began to change. However, by November 20, 2025, the day he was dismissed, it was evident that he was no longer the same person we had hired nine years earlier.

In reading the State Auditor’s report, it appears that spending became increasingly out of control and that there was a lack of accountability within both the staff and the Council. The natural question is: How did this happen?

Part of the answer lies in the lack of organizational infrastructure, which exposed a vulnerability in the council-manager form of government. This form of government is intentionally designed to create a separation between elected officials and staff in order to reduce the risk of political interference and corruption. It also relies on the assumption that a qualified, ethical professional will be appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization.

What this model does not fully account for is the possibility that the appointed manager fails to uphold those professional standards. In our case, that was the situation with our former Town Manager.

Another critical weakness was the absence of a system that allowed employees to raise concerns directly with the Council without fear of retaliation. Without those safeguards, problems were able to continue unchecked.

Is this unique to Cary? Certainly not. Other municipalities have experienced similar situations in recent years, where the actions of town or city managers created significant organizational and financial problems, including Rocky Mount and Pilot Mountain.

It is also important to understand the timeline to provide context for this entire situation.

In early November, several staff members approached me confidentially to share concerns about the former Town Manager’s conduct. At the quarterly staff meeting on November 13, the Town Manager was asked three separate times about violating the fund balance policy. Each time, he denied any wrongdoing. At that point, I concluded that he posed a serious risk to the Town’s well-being, and I contacted our Internal Auditor the following day.

Two business days later, the Council met in closed session to discuss the Town Manager. During that meeting, I shared the concerns that had been reported to me. However, because the information had come from staff members who wished to remain anonymous, a majority of the Council was not prepared to dismiss the Town Manager based solely on those reports.

Two days later, during another closed session, I asked four senior staff members to appear before the Council and share directly what they had previously shared with me, despite the significant personal and professional risks they believed they were taking. They agreed to do so. Those individuals were Interim Towm Manager Russ Overton, Assistant Town Manager Dana Widmar, Chief Strategy Officer Susan Moran, and Town Clerk Ginny Johnson.

After hearing their accounts, the Council unanimously voted to remove the Town Manager from his position. His access to Town Hall was immediately revoked, and his system accounts were immediately suspended.

I also want to address my discussion of these closed sessions. As a general rule, the proceedings of a closed session should remain confidential except for the portions reflected in the publicly released minutes. Before including this account, I sought and received the agreement of the staff involved, the town attorney, and Council members.

Finally, since the evening the former manager was removed from his position, we have been working to address the issues that were identified and strengthen the Town’s governance and oversight.

To improve transparency, on November 20 I introduced a motion to livestream all Council meetings, which the Council approved. The Interim Town Manager also established regular informational meetings involving two Council members, the Mayor, the Town Manager, the Town Attorney, the Town Clerk, and senior staff to improve communication and oversight.

We have already implemented additional internal controls, including a delegation of authority policy that strengthens oversight of spending and financial approvals by the Town Manager and staff.

In addition to the State Auditor’s recommendations, our independent investigation conducted by Womble Bond Dickinson produced a number of additional recommendations. Those recommendations are scheduled to be considered by the Council at our next meeting, and I fully expect we will move forward with implementing them as well.

The bottom line is that no system is immune from dishonesty or misconduct. Individuals can abuse positions of trust, and when that happens, they can cause significant harm. While no system can eliminate every risk, the changes we have made represent important steps toward strengthening accountability, increasing transparency, and restoring public confidence in our Town government.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Cary #5 for Best Drivers

Allstate ranked Cary 5^th in the nation for best drivers. Here is what they say about the report:

“Now in its 18th year, the report ranks the 200 largest U.S. cities based on auto insurance claims data and includes insights from Drivewise, available in the Allstate app. Drivewise provides feedback on behaviors such as speeding, braking and phone use to help drivers improve how they drive. Together, the data shows how often crashes occur and highlights behaviors that increase risk, giving drivers actionable ways to stay safer, avoid the costs associated with collisions and help lower their insurance costs over time.”

This is good news especially since we are committed to Vision Zero.

Moody’s Affirms Cary’s Triple A Bond Rating

For the second time this year one of the three major bond rating agencies has given Cary its highest rating. This, once again, acknowledges Cary’s strong financial position. The following is the press release:

Moody’s has affirmed the Town of Cary’s Aaa status, underscoring the Town’s strong financial management and long-term fiscal stability.The affirmation by Moody’s places Cary among a distinct set of communities nationwide that maintain a top-tier credit rating, which helps lower borrowing costs for capital projects such as parks, greenways, streets, public safety facilities, and utility infrastructure that Cary residents rely on and enjoy. 

“Moody’s reaffirming our Aaa status says a lot about the discipline of this organization and staff, as well as Cary’s strong financial position,” said Interim Town Manager Russ Overton. “For decades, our team has taken a steady, careful approach to budgeting and planning. Because of that, Cary’s residents benefit from lower borrowing costs and our ability to keep investing in the projects our community depends on.”

Cary’s Aaa rating reflects a consistent track record of sound budgeting practices, strong financial reserves, and responsible planning that positions the Town to manage growth while maintaining financial stability.

Read more about Cary’s financial stewardship at carync.gov/acfr. To learn about how Cary sells bonds to help pay for important projects, visit https://carync.gov/municipalbonds. 

Driver Shortage Causes GoCary to Suspend Downtown Loop

The GoCary Downtown Loop service has been suspended because of a driver shortage. Here is the press release:

Beginning Thursday, July 9, GoCary’s Downtown Loop (DL) service will be suspended until further notice to help maintain reliable service across the GoCary network. The service change is the result of an ongoing driver shortage and supports GoCary’s efforts to maintain dependable service across the remainder of the transit system.

Other GoCary fixed routes will continue to serve most Downtown Loop stops, providing riders with access to many of the same downtown destinations. Customers who need assistance can contact GoCary Customer Service by calling (919) 485-RIDE (7433).

“We appreciate our riders’ patience and understanding as we make this service adjustment,” said Transit Director Kelly Blazey. “We’re committed to keeping customers informed and encouraging them to use GoCary.org or the GoCary app to plan their trips and stay up to date on the latest service information.”  

In addition to other GoCary routes serving most Downtown Loop stops, more than 2,000 free public parking spaces, including four parking decks, are available throughout downtown. For parking information and maps, visit carync.gov/parking. GoCary is actively recruiting bus operators and encourages interested applicants to apply.

Cary Introduces Fee-Based Public EV

Beginning August 1^st users of Cary’s Public EV charging stations will be paying. Here is the press release:

Beginning August 1, electric vehicle (EV) drivers using Cary-owned public EV charging stations will transition to a fee-based charging model to support the long-term reliability and maintenance of the Town’s growing public charging network. The new fee structure comes as EV adoption continues to accelerate both locally and across the Triangle. From 2024 to 2025, the number of registered electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in Cary grew by 29%. Today, more than 6,200 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles are registered in Cary, and demand for public charging continues to grow.

Charging fees will be based on the amount of electricity used, at a rate of $0.20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). To encourage turnover and keep charging stations available for other drivers, an idle fee of $10 per hour will apply after three hours of charging, following a 15-minute grace period. The idle fee is in addition to the charging rate, and the maximum daily charge is $100. For drivers, the charging experience will remain familiar. Users will continue to access and pay for charging via their smartphones, just as they do with many other public charging networks throughout the region.

“Electric vehicles are becoming an increasingly common part of everyday life in Cary,” said Energy Manager Sara Caliendo. “This transition helps ensure our public charging network remains reliable, accessible, and financially sustainable as more residents and visitors choose electric transportation.”

Charging fees will help offset the costs of electricity, software, routine maintenance, repairs, and future equipment replacement while supporting continued investment in Cary’s public charging infrastructure. Cary currently maintains 65 public charging ports located at parks, parking decks, and other community destinations.

The move also aligns Cary with neighboring communities and industry standards, where fee-based public charging has become the norm. By encouraging turnover at charging stations, the new model is expected to improve charger availability and reduce long-term occupancy of charging spaces.

Most EV owners complete the majority of their charging at home or at work, making Cary’s public charging network an important supplemental resource for convenient “top-off” charging while visiting parks, downtown destinations, community centers, and other public spaces.

The transition supports Cary’s Sustainability & Climate Action Strategy by helping maintain dependable infrastructure that encourages cleaner transportation options while ensuring public resources are managed responsibly. It also complements Cary’s broader Green Fleet initiative, which continues to expand the use of alternative fuel vehicles and innovative technologies to reduce emissions while maintaining high-quality municipal services.

“Cary is committed to building a transportation system that is both sustainable and resilient,” Caliendo said. “A reliable public charging network is an important part of that vision, and this update helps position us to support the needs of our growing EV community for years to come.”

EV drivers can visit carync.gov/evcharging webpage to:

• View the new charging rates
• Find public charging locations
• Learn how to access charging stations
• Review frequently asked questions about the transition

Housing Information from Howard Hanna Allen Tate

The Broker in Charge from Howard Hanna Allen Tate provided the latest residential real estate data for Cary from the June 2026 Doorify MLS market review. The following numbers show the performance of single-family homes, townhomes, and condos combined in our town compared to last year and last month:

• Median Sales Price: $645,000 (up 3.4% compared to June 2025, and up 2.4% from May 2026).
• Closed Sales: 223 homes (up 17.4% year-over-year, and up 14.4% month-over-month).
• Median Days on Market: 10 days (down 16.7% year-over-year, but up 66.7% month-over-month).
• List Price Received: 99.8% (up 0.5% year-over-year, but down 0.4% month-over-month).
• Median Sold Price per Square Foot: $268 (up 0.4% year-over-year, and up 2.1% month-over-month).
• New Listings: 258 properties (up 10.3% year-over-year, and up 1.6% month-over-month).
• Active Inventory: 399 available properties (down 4.8% year-over-year, and down 1.2% from last month).
• Months Supply of Inventory: 1.8 months (down 18.9% year-over-year, and down 13.6% month-over-month).

Presentation to Sister City Le Touquet Delegation

Monday afternoon, I joined Council Member Craig in welcoming visitors from our sister city, Le Touquet. The delegation included the mayor, city staff, and more than 20 teenagers accompanied by chaperones.

To make the trip possible, the students spent two years raising funds, with a portion of their efforts matched by their government.

During the presentation, I provided an overview of our local government structure and shared demographic information about our community. The students from Le Touquet also gave a presentation highlighting the initiatives of their youth, including several environmental projects and sustainability efforts.

Next year, I will be traveling to Le Touquet with members of Cary Sister Cities to celebrate the 35th anniversary of our partnership. In case you’re wondering, my trip will be funded without the use of taxpayer dollars.

Sister City Le Touquet Reception

Later Monday evening, our Sister Cities organization hosted a reception to welcome the mayor and the student delegation from Le Touquet. I joined the mayor in offering welcoming remarks, and we exchanged commemorative gifts. Members of both the Cary Sister Cities organization and the Le Touquet delegation also shared remarks during the reception.

Check Presentation for Over $1 Million from Congresswoman Ross

On Tuesday, I joined five members of the Town Council and Congresswoman Ross for a check presentation ceremony celebrating more than $1 million in federal funding to support the restoration and stabilization of Walnut Creek, beginning at Downtown Cary Park. During the ceremony, remarks were delivered by Assistant Town Manager Widmar, Wake County Chairman Mial, Congresswoman Ross, and me. The following are my remarks:

“Thank you, Congresswoman Ross, Chairman Mial, our partners from Wake County, the EPA, and everyone who has joined us today.

On behalf of the Cary Town Council and our community, I want to express our sincere gratitude for this investment in the Walnut Creek Stabilization and Restoration Project. We are honored to receive this funding, and even more grateful for the partnerships that made it possible.

One of the things I appreciate most about this project is that it demonstrates government working the way it should. Walnut Creek begins here in Cary, but it doesn’t stop at our town limits. It flows into Raleigh and through communities that all share the same watershed.

Flooding, water quality, and environmental stewardship don’t recognize municipal boundaries, so solving these challenges requires all levels of government to work together.

Today’s investment is a great example of that collaboration. Federal leadership helped secure the funding. Wake County and regional partners have been committed to the overall success of our area as well. Our staff has worked diligently to identify opportunities that improve water quality, restore natural habitat, reduce flooding, and protect critical  

infrastructure. Together, we are making investments that will benefit not only today’s residents, but generations to come.

This project also reflects Cary’s long-standing commitment to thoughtful environmental stewardship. By restoring stream banks, expanding vegetation, and creating opportunities for future greenways and trails, we are improving the health of Walnut Creek while creating a more resilient and connected community.

To Congresswoman Ross, thank you for your leadership and advocacy. We are proud to accept this funding and look forward to putting it to work for our residents, our environment, and everyone who calls the Walnut Creek watershed home. Thank you.”

Here is the town’s press release of the event:

Congresswoman Deborah Ross visited Cary today to present the Town of Cary with a ceremonial check recognizing $1,092,000 in federal funding for the Walnut Creek Stabilization and Restoration Project.

Secured through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency‘s State and Tribal Assistance Grants Program during the Community Project Funding process, the award is one of multiple federal grants supporting Cary’s broader Walnut Creek Stormwater Management Project. Combined with additional EPA funding, Town investment, and in-kind services, the project represents approximately $4 million in federal support for restoring one of Cary’s most important waterways.

The Walnut Creek Stormwater Management Project is a long-term initiative focused on improving the health and stability of the Walnut Creek watershed. Walnut Creek is a federally designated impaired stream, making restoration efforts critical to improving water quality and reducing erosion.

Project improvements include stabilizing streambanks, restoring riparian buffers, and revegetating disturbed areas to strengthen the stream corridor and improve ecological health. The work will also help protect critical public infrastructure, including sanitary sewer lines located near the stream.

By improving conditions at the headwaters of Walnut Creek, Cary is helping protect water quality downstream while serving as a responsible upstream partner. Restoring native vegetation and preserving natural floodplain functions will also provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators while strengthening the watershed’s long-term resilience.

“This project reflects the kind of thoughtful, long-term planning our community expects,” said Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar. “By investing in the health of Walnut Creek today, we’re protecting water quality, strengthening our natural environment, and safeguarding critical infrastructure so Cary remains one of the best places to live for generations to come. We’re grateful for Congresswoman Ross’s partnership in helping us move this work forward.”

Leveraging federal grant funding allows Cary to maximize local taxpayer investment while advancing large-scale environmental restoration projects that might otherwise take significantly longer to complete.

Construction will occur in phases over the coming years as design and restoration work progress.

We are so grateful to receive this money for such an important environmental project. Thanks to Congresswoman Ross who continues to advocate for Cary and surrounding communities.

Soul Saving Station’s 84^th Convocation Welcome

Wednesday evening, I was scheduled to welcome attendees to the Soul Saving Station’s 84th Annual Holy Convocation, which was held in Cary. Unfortunately, I mistakenly had the event on my calendar an hour earlier than its actual start time. As a result, I wasn’t able to deliver my welcome remarks, but I did have the opportunity to visit with several pastors and the presiding bishop. I hope they had a wonderful and meaningful convocation. I invited them back for next year’s convocation.

Sister City Le Touquet Youth Delegation Picnic

Later Wednesday evening, I joined the Cary Sister Cities organization for a picnic honoring the Le Touquet delegation. It was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with our guests in a more informal setting.

I especially enjoyed a 20-minute conversation with several of the students about politics, local government, and the role their generation can play in shaping the future. It was an engaging and thoughtful discussion, and I was impressed by their curiosity, insight, and level of interest.

I look forward to seeing my friends from the Le Touquet delegation again next year when I visit their community.

Town Manager’s Report

Council,

Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July week. It’s good to be back at work and start the new fiscal year.

This week, we shared the great news that Moody’s affirmed Cary’s Aaa bond rating. It reflects the strong financial stewardship and thoughtful planning that have served Cary well for many years.

I hope you all have a great weekend and find a little time to enjoy it.

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

7/6/2026 Water Update

As regional rainfall has been below normal, Cary is actively monitoring the developing dry conditions and taking action to respond. This report will provide a status update, context, and a summary of actions taken. Future updates will be issued as changing conditions warrant action.

311 Monthly Snapshot

311 processed 11,233new cases in June.

Volume By Contact Method

• Phone: 6,890
• Email: 1,588
• Web: 1,381
• Internal: 720
• Walk-In: 236
•  Text: 364
• Social Media: 54

52.9% Fell in these top five categories

• Utility Billing & Services: 2,538
• Inspection Scheduling & Status: 1,379
• Permitting Inquiries & Payments: 850
• Water Meter Service & Requests: 687
• Garbage Inquiries & Pickup: 485

Ceremonial Check Presentation for Walnut Creek

Congresswoman Deborah Ross visited Cary on Tuesday to present a ceremonial check recognizing $1,092,000 in federal funding for the Walnut Creek Stabilization & Revegetation Project. The award is one of several federal grants supporting Cary’s broader Walnut Creek Stormwater Management Project, which is leveraging approximately $4 million in grant funding alongside Cary investment and in-kind services. The multi-year project will stabilize streambanks, restore riparian buffers, revegetate disturbed areas, improve water quality, and protect critical public infrastructure.

Cedar Street Parking Deck Stairway Closure

As contractors complete the final punch list for the Cedar Street Parking Deck project, portions of Stair 1, which provides access to E. Chatham Street, will be repainted. To accommodate this closeout work, Stair 1 will be closed nightly from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday, July 13, through Thursday, July 16. During the closures, parking areas will remain accessible via the elevator or Stair 2, which provides access to E. Cedar Street.

Crest Road Asphalt Repair Complete

This week, staff, in partnership with a paving contractor, completed road paving and repair work on Crest Road. The project included full-depth reclamation to address deterioration beneath the pavement. During this process, a cement-based stabilizing material was mixed into the existing roadway foundation to strengthen the subgrade before the new asphalt surface was installed, creating a smoother and more durable driving surface.

Independence Day Celebration at Koka Booth

More than 8,200 residents and visitors gathered at Koka Booth Amphitheatre on July 4 to celebrate Independence Day and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

When forecasted heat index values exceeded 100 degrees, staff quickly adjusted the evening’s schedule by condensing the program and delaying gate opening to create a more comfortable experience for attendees, performers, and staff. The celebration featured an original poem, “An Ode to NC 250”, by North Carolina Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, followed by “Well, I Declare: America at 250”, a performance by actor Mike Wiley and musician Dawn Landes. The evening concluded with an extended fireworks display over Symphony Lake.

Cary Tennis Classic Recap

Last week, the Tennis Park hosted the Cary Tennis Classic professional tennis tournament, welcoming more than 2,500 spectators throughout the week. Due to extreme heat and newly implemented player heat rules, much of the schedule was adjusted to early morning and evening matches.

In partnership with the United States Tennis Association North Carolina (USTA NC) and the Western Wake Tennis Association (WWTA), the tournament hosted several community events throughout the week. Tuesday featured a Try Tennis event and wheelchair clinic, Wednesday included an Abilities Tennis event for participants with intellectual disabilities, Thursday welcomed families for Kids Day, and Friday concluded with the Charity Classic benefiting Transitions LifeCare.

The tournament concluded with men’s and women’s singles and doubles championship matches, marking another successful week of professional tennis and community programming at the Cary Tennis Park.

Community and Coffee: A Healthy Homes Conversation

On June 24, staff welcomed more than a dozen seniors to Community & Coffee: A Healthy Homes Conversation at the Senior Center. Alongside Preserving Home CEO Dan Sargent, staff shared information about Healthy Homes Cary, Cary’s home repair program for low- and moderate-income homeowners that helps residents age in place by preserving safe and sanitary housing, correcting hazardous structural conditions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing accessibility for people with disabilities. While the program is available to eligible homeowners of all ages, more than 75% of participants have been seniors. The event gave residents an opportunity to connect directly with program leaders, ask questions, and learn more about available resources.

Maynard Tank Class of 2027

Having closed the books on another successful graduation season, the Maynard Road Elevated Water Storage Tank now proudly welcomes the Class of 2027. On July 7, contractors climbed 138 feet to the catwalk to install the new class year, continuing a cherished Cary tradition.

Important Dates

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, July 14
6:00 p.m.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Advisory Board
Tuesday, July 14
6:00 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, July 15
6:15 p.m.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about our ordinance to control Bamboo
• A complaint about the Searstone rezoning proposal 24-REZ-02
• A request to hang additional American flags along North Academy Street and the Downtown Cary Park
• Thanks for funding the Historic Preservation Master Plan in the budget
• Complaints about the Raleigh Housing Authority’s attempt to buy Amberwood apartments
• A concern expressed about the recent ICE shooting
• A complaint from Terry’s Floor Fashions about property taxes
• A complaint about protesters on South Academy on Saturday

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, and the Cary Chamber Leadership Conference.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 19^th, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Raleigh/Cary #7 Most Educated MSA

WalletHub recognized the Raleigh/Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area as the #7 most educated in the nation. I dare say Cary would probably be better than that on its own since over 80% of our residents have some kind of college degree. Here is their stated methodology:

To identify the most and least educated cities in America, WalletHub compared the 150 most populated U.S. metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, across two key dimensions, including “Educational Attainment” and “Quality of Education & Attainment Gap.”

We evaluated those dimensions using 11 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest educational attainment and quality of education. For metrics marked with two asterisks (**), we used the square root of the population to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for minor differences across cities.

Finally, we determined each metro area’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

I dare say Cary would probably be better than that on its own since over 80% of our residents have some kind of college degree which is more than Durham who was ranked #2.

Latest Housing Market Update

The Berkshire Hathaway York Simpson Underwood Realty does a monthly analysis of home prices and sales in Cary. The following is some of their findings as of June 30^th:

• 876 homes were sold in the last 30 days.
• New to the market was 165 homes.
• Days on the market averaged 33 days.
• The average home price was $719,409, which is slightly down in the last 30 days.
• The average price sold was $765,430, which was up 8.3%.
• 213 homes were sold in the last 30 days.

CiviPod Interview

Monday I did an interview with a rising high school senior who hosts a podcast focused on civic life, leadership, and community engagement. Our interview lasted about an hour and a half. The questions I answered were:

• For people hearing your story for the first time, who is Harold Weinbrecht?
• Before becoming mayor, you spent nearly three decades as a software engineer at SAS. What inspired you to move from technology into public service?
• Looking back, how has your engineering background influenced the way you approach leadership and decision-making?
• Throughout your career, what has been one of the biggest challenges you’ve faced, and what did it teach you about leadership?
• Cary has consistently been ranked as one of the best places to live in America. From your perspective, what has made Cary so successful?
• Cary has experienced incredible growth over the last two decades. How do you balance welcoming new residents while preserving the identity and character of the town?
• When you walk through Downtown Cary Park—or another project you’re especially proud of—what goes through your mind knowing you helped shape it?
• Looking ahead, what do you hope Cary looks like ten or twenty years from now?
• Technology has changed almost every part of our lives. How do you think it should change local government?
• Artificial intelligence is becoming one of the biggest technological shifts of our time. Where do you see AI helping cities—and where should governments be cautious?
• One of CiviPod’s goals is helping more young people understand how their communities work. Why do you think local government matters more than many people realize?
• Many young people follow national politics but know very little about what’s happening in their own towns. Why do you think that is?
• If a high school student wanted to make a difference in their community today, where would you encourage them to begin?
• Have young people influenced the way Cary makes decisions? If so, how?
• Throughout your career—in technology and in public service—what values have guided the way you lead?
• Leadership often means making decisions that not everyone agrees with. How do you approach those difficult moments?

• Do you think we, as young people, are aware enough of what’s happening in our communities, our country, and the world? Do we understand the laws and decisions that affect our daily lives? Why or why not?

You can hear my answers by going here.

GoRail Meeting

On Wednesday, I joined Assistant Town Manager Widmar for a meeting with the North Carolina Director of GoRail, a nonprofit organization that advocates freight rail. We discussed freight rail issues and reviewed grant opportunities that may be available. The Director also asked for my support with future advocacy efforts and will be sending additional information for review.

July 4^th at Koka Booth

The Fourth of July celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheatre was scaled back because of the extreme heat. It marked the third consecutive day with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. As a result, both the Cary Town Band and the North Carolina Symphony were forced to cancel their performances. In their place, attendees enjoyed performances by actor Mike Wiley and singer-songwriter Dawn Landes.

Although attendance was about two-thirds of what is typical for the event, the amphitheater was still filled to capacity. At 8:00 p.m., I welcomed the crowd before introducing Mike Wiley and Dawn Landes. The following are my remarks:

“Good evening, everyone, and welcome to Koka Booth Amphitheatre! I am Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and on behalf of the Town of Cary, it is my pleasure to welcome you, your family, friends, and visitors to our Independence Day celebration and the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding.

This evening, we come together not as strangers, not as people defined by our differences, but as Americans. It’s no secret that our country has faced challenges and disagreements. We don’t all see every issue the same way, and that’s part of living in a free society. But tonight reminds us that what unites us is greater than what divides us.

We are one nation, bound together by the enduring ideals of liberty, opportunity, and hope. We celebrate the freedoms that generations before us fought to secure. And we recognize an important truth: freedom isn’t free. The liberties we enjoy today have been preserved through the courage, sacrifice, and selfless service of the men and women of our Armed Forces.

This evening, we offer our deepest gratitude to all who have served and to those who continue to serve our country. If you are a veteran or an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces, would you please stand so we may recognize and thank you for your service?

[Pause for applause.]

Thank you for your commitment and sacrifice that have helped ensure that our freedoms we celebrate tonight remain a reality for all Americans.

America has always been a nation striving to live up to its highest ideals, of liberty, equality, justice, and opportunity for all. That journey continues, and each generation has the privilege and responsibility of helping write the next chapter.

Two hundred and fifty years after our nation’s founding, those ideals remain as important as ever. Tonight, actor Mike Wiley and singer-songwriter Dawn Landes bring that story to life through history, music, and unforgettable performances. Their program invites us to reflect on where we’ve been, celebrate who we are, and imagine what our next 250 years can become.

Thank you for joining us. Happy semi quincentennial Independence Day, and please join me in welcoming Well, I Declare: America at 250!”

Despite the heat it was a great patriotic evening. Happy 250^th Birthday America!

Cary Tennis Classic

This week, Cary Tennis Park hosted the Cary Tennis Classic, a professional tournament featuring both men’s and women’s competition. The event is part of the ATP Challenger Tour at the ATP 75 level and the WTA Tour at the WTT 100 level.

Both the ATP and WTA follow an extreme heat policy based on the wet-bulb temperature, which measures the lowest temperature to which air can be cooled through the evaporation of water. Because it reflects how effectively the human body can cool itself through sweating, the wet-bulb reading is a key indicator of heat stress. When temperatures and humidity push the wet-bulb reading above established thresholds, play must be delayed or suspended to protect player’s safety.

As a result, most matches were scheduled for the early morning or evening hours, and even some morning matches were temporarily suspended because of the heat. Despite these challenging conditions, the tournament directors did an outstanding job of adjusting the schedule and ensuring that all matches were completed.

At the time of this posting the championships matches had yet to be played. Here are the finalists:

Men’s Singles: Legout vs Shick

Men’s Doubles: Reynolds/Watt vs Niam/Niklas-Salminen

Women’s Singles: Broadus vs Stefanini

Women’s Doubles: Kuwata/Raina vs Harrison/Hewitt

To find out who won go here.

For more than 11 years, we have proudly hosted the Cary Tennis Classic, welcoming world-class players from around the globe. Beyond showcasing elite competition, the tournament also generates significant economic benefits for our community, supporting local businesses and enhancing Cary’s reputation as a premier destination for international sporting events.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about garbage not being picked up.
• A concern about ICE.
• A thank you for my budget remarks: “you were fair and straightforward”.
• A thank you for adding public safety positions: “this budget makes significant progress toward Cary’s essential needs”.
• Interest expressed in serving on the Economic Development Committee.
• A huge thank you for all the staff running the Cary Tennis Classic which had to work around heat rules to get matches played.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a presentation to visitors from sister city Le Touquet, France, a check presentation ceremony from Congresswoman Ross, remarks to the Soul Saving Station’s 84^th Convocation, and a Ring of Honor proclamation presentation at the NC Courage game.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 12^th, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

#9 Best Mid-Sized City for College Grads

CoWorkingCafe ranked Cary is the 9^th best mid-sized city in the US for college grads. They based their ranking on job percentage for recent graduates (Cary – 6.7%), unemployment rate for people in their 20s (Cary – 5.0%), and median income for graduates (Cary – $90,044).

Meeting with Citizen on Cost

On Monday afternoon, I met with the Interim Town Manager and a citizen to discuss opportunities for reducing costs. The citizen presented a proposal in which his business would analyze several categories of expenses and identify lower-cost alternatives.

State of Cary – Coldwell Banker Howard Perry & Walston

On Tuesday morning, I presented an updated version of the State of Cary address to realtors from Coldwell Banker Howard Perry & Walston. During the question-and-answer session that followed, several attendees expressed concern about the number of apartment developments and a desire to see more for-sale housing options. I explained that the Town’s role in the development process does not allow us to distinguish between rental and for-sale housing. They also inquired about the location of future development opportunities in Cary, and I noted that the southern part of Cary contains the largest amount of undeveloped land available for future growth. The visit lasted approximately one hour and fifteen minutes.

Sears Farm PDD Amendment Proposal Meeting

Tuesday afternoon, I met with representatives regarding the Sears Farm PDD Amendment proposal. They walked me through their proposal and discussed the good-faith efforts they have made to work with Searstone. It appears that most of the disagreement between the two parties is about Lot 41, which is adjacent to the pond. I am hopeful that they can reach a compromise before the Council votes on the matter.

Council Work Session

Council held a work session on Tuesday evening to discuss the meeting schedule, e-bikes, and a potential smoke-free ordinance.

The council and staff tentatively set August 18 as the date for the next quarterly meeting. They also discussed possible future joint meetings with the Apex, Holly Springs, and Morrisville councils, as well as the Chatham County Board of Commissioners and the Wake County Board of Education. Because there was interest in pursuing these opportunities, staff will work to coordinate and schedule the meetings.

Staff provided a comprehensive overview of e-bikes, mopeds, and electric motorcycles, explaining that the primary distinction between these devices is their speed, making enforcement and identification challenging. Staff also updated the council on policies adopted by neighboring municipalities. Currently, Cary allows e-bikes with a maximum speed of 15 mph. Council directed staff to develop a dedicated webpage, launch a public education and social media campaign, and draft ordinance amendments that would establish penalties, define mobility devices, and set sidewalk speed limits. The proposed ordinance changes will be presented to council for further discussion later this year.

The final work session topic was a potential smoke-free ordinance, with much of the discussion focused on e-cigarettes and vaping products. Staff reviewed the town’s current ordinance, which prohibits the use of lighted tobacco products in town buildings and public transportation vehicles. They also provided background on the wide range of tobacco and nicotine products now available compared to when the ordinance was adopted in 2007. The discussion included a review of policies in neighboring municipalities.

Council did not reach a consensus on a preferred approach and directed staff to develop additional options for consideration, including:

• Adding vaping products to the list of prohibited items in town buildings and vehicles
• Expanding the ordinance to include tobacco-free and nicotine-delivery products
• Extending regulations to town-owned outdoor facilities
• Considering regulations for privately owned public spaces

Staff will bring these options back to council for consideration later this year.

Council Meeting

Thursday the council held its last meeting of the fiscal year in which we passed our FY2027 budget. The agenda included one consent item to call for a public hearing, a public hearing on the Hatcher Property 23-REZ-14, and two discussion items.

The public hearing on the Hatcher Property had speakers mostly in favor of the rezoning proposal. This will go to the Planning and Zoning Board for their review and recommendation and return to council for a vote in a few months.

The first discussion item was the bid award for the construction of the GoCary Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility to Swinerton Builders for a total bid amount of $49,387,755.00. Capital costs for the facility will be fully funded by the Wake Transit Plan and a Federal Transit Administration Buses and Bus Facilities formula grant. Existing appropriations from capital project GC-10030 will fully fund the project. This was unanimously approved by council.

The final discussion item was the FY2027 budget. The Fiscal Year 2027 Recommended Operating and Capital Budget totals $573,475,875, a 12.2% increase from the prior year.

This budget:

• is rooted in Council and public priority input
• represents the single largest investment in public safety in Cary’s history
• is the first step in instituting a predictable, transparent approach to funding Cary services

This budget is the first step in a three-year smoothing approach that addresses rising operational costs and capital investment needs in a predictable and transparent manner. This budget increases Cary’s property tax rate by 2.75 cents to $0.3675 per $100 of assessed valuation. A $2-per-month increase to the solid waste fee and a 4% increase in utility rates are also recommended. I made the following statement during the budget discussion:

“I would like to thank the staff who worked exceptionally long hours to complete this budget. It was a significant undertaking, particularly this year as we continued addressing the challenges that emerged following the former manager’s breach of trust.

I mention the breach of trust because it is the context in which this budget was developed.

That breach led to inaccurate information being provided to the Council over several years, leaving critical needs unaddressed, particularly within our police and fire departments.

For 18 consecutive years, Cary maintained the lowest property tax rate in Wake County. Based on what I know today, I believe the low tax rates of recent years were achieved, at least in part, through an incomplete and misleading assessment of the Town’s long-term needs. The Council was repeatedly presented with information suggesting that a tax increase was unnecessary when, in reality, additional revenue was needed simply to sustain existing service levels.

The result has been a significant backlog of public safety and infrastructure needs. Cary has not added a new police officer position in more than a decade and is currently understaffed by 89 officers. At the same time, our growing community requires two additional fire stations to meet increasing service demands.

We have now reached a point where public safety service levels could be affected if these staffing and infrastructure needs are not addressed. In fact, some areas of Cary are already experiencing longer average police and fire response times. This budget is designed to confront those realities, address critical needs, and begin closing the gaps created by years of underinvestment and misleading forecasting.

Almost all of the egregious spending undertaken by the former manager in recent years has occurred without Council knowledge. Fortunately, the overall impact on the budget was limited. The Council and Interim Manager are already implementing changes to strengthen oversight and prevent similar extravagant spending in the future. We also anticipate recommendations from both the internal investigation and the State Auditor, which will lead to additional improvements in our financial controls and governance practices.

Approximately 60% of our revenue comes from property taxes and 21% from sales taxes. Both revenue sources have remained relatively flat, as population growth has slowed to about 1% over the past two years and sales tax collections have not significantly increased. At the same time, more than 80% of our expenditure is dedicated to Public Safety and Public Works, where costs continue to rise with double-digit inflation in many areas of town services.

Maintaining the high level of services that Cary residents have come to expect over the past several decades will require significant investment over the next three years.

Now more than ever, economic development must be a priority. With the community largely built out and population growth slowing, economic development is one of the few sustainable ways to expand the tax base and reduce pressure for future property tax increases. Unfortunately, this budget reduces funding for the second consecutive year to the organization that leads much of our economic development efforts, the Cary Chamber of Commerce. In my view, that is a mistake and sends the wrong message to our business community.

Strategic investments that deliver measurable economic returns must remain a priority. Cary’s world-class facilities, including WakeMed Soccer Park, USA Baseball, and Cary Tennis Park, attract major events, draw visitors from across the region and nation, and generate millions of dollars in economic impact for our community.

Choosing not to invest in assets that consistently produce these returns would be shortsighted. Economic development is not optional; it is essential to maintaining both our quality of life and a competitive tax rate in the years ahead. These investments help sustain our high quality of life, support local businesses, and maintain a competitive tax rate for residents. As we plan for the years ahead, investments that create long-term economic value should remain a core component of every budget.

The good news is that this budget moves us in the right direction. At the annual council–staff retreat in February priorities identified by council, in order, included public safety, capital investment, high performing staff, affordability, maintaining service levels and facilities.

This budget begins to address the significant backlog created by the shortage of police officers and the lack of fire stations, equipment, and personnel. It is important to emphasize that this budget represents the first phase of a three-year public safety recovery plan. As a result, future budgets will also need to prioritize public safety investments to fully address these critical needs.

This budget also makes meaningful progress in addressing the Town’s capital needs, with 54% of the capital budget dedicated to maintaining parks, roads, and other community infrastructure. Key investments include the widening of Carpenter Fire Station Road, the Multi-Modal Center, and the design of two new fire stations.

However, the budget does not fully keep pace with the growing needs of our roads and sidewalks. While $3 million was allocated for sidewalk improvements, an additional $3.7 million was needed this year just to maintain current service levels. As a result, we continue to fall behind. Similarly, road maintenance funding fell approximately $5 million short of identified needs, further increasing the maintenance backlog.

Addressing these shortfalls will require significant investment in future budgets. Delaying road maintenance only increases long-term costs, as road conditions continue to deteriorate over time. Even a one-year delay can result in substantially higher repair and reconstruction expenses, making timely investment both fiscally responsible and cost-effective.

The budget does a good job investing in our exceptional staff who have suffered under decisions made by the previous manager. It is important to note that out of 55 additional staff in this year’s budget, a budget director and two internal auditors are included.

Affordability was identified as a top priority by this council. In fact, a penny of the tax rate was specifically dedicated to affordable housing after advocacy from a special-interest group. As a result, the council budgeted an additional $700,000 in addition to the manager’s recommendation.

Unfortunately, that additional funding was directed at organizations that had already been included in the budget and did not result in the creation of additional housing units. In fact, one of those organizations still lacks sufficient funding to move its project forward.

I am concerned that making spending decisions in response to requests from a special-interest group, particularly one that includes individuals who worked on council campaigns, is not sound public policy. Simply allocating more money to a problem does not guarantee meaningful results.

Many residents are expressing concerns about affordability in general, not just affordable housing. Affordable housing initiatives are primarily intended to benefit future residents, while current residents bear the cost through higher taxes or cuts in services. As a result, this is actually adding more financial burden to the people that are expressing concerns with affordability.

At their core, tax rates reflect our values and priorities as a community. If we want Cary to remain one of the premier places to live, work, raise a family, and run a business in the nation, we must continue to evolve, adapt, and invest in our future.

This budget establishes a tax rate of 36.75 cents. While it does not achieve all the goals I would like to see accomplished, it represents meaningful progress in several important areas and positions our community to continue moving forward.

I have expressed several concerns about this budget, and to some this may be difficult to hear. However, my responsibility is to be candid about both the strengths and shortcomings of the decisions before us. On balance, I believe this budget moves Cary in the right direction, and for that reason, I will support it.”

The council approved the budget unanimously. While adoption of the budget fulfills the Town’s legal obligation, it does not mark the end of Cary’s budget process. Council will continue to consider emerging opportunities and priorities at quarterly meetings, regular meetings, and work sessions as opportunities arise.

Town Manager’s Report

Council,

Thank you for your work on the FY 2027 Budget and for adopting it last night. This year’s budget process included more public input than any in Cary’s history, and I appreciate the involvement of you, our Boards and Commissions, many staff members who contributed, especially our budget team, and everyone who participated throughout the process.

This budget provides the resources needed to deliver the everyday services that keep Cary running, from public safety and utilities to parks, transportation, and an abundance of behind-the-scenes work residents may never see but rely on every day. It also reflects Cary’s continued commitment to strong financial stewardship as we plan for the future.

As a reminder, there will not be a Weekly Report next week since Town Hall and most staffed facilities will be closed on Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day and America’s 250th Anniversary.

Have a great weekend.

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

Water Main Construction Begins at Farmington Woods

Construction has begun on a new water main project at Farmington Woods Elementary School to close a loop in Cary’s water distribution system, improving system resiliency. The project includes utility locating, installation of the new water main, system testing, and restoration of affected grass and sidewalks. Work will primarily occur on school property, and while traffic impacts are not anticipated, nearby residents have been notified of the project. All work is expected to be completed within two months, before the start of the school year on August 17, weather permitting.

Morrisville Square Sewer Repair Complete

During the week of June 8, contractors working on behalf of Cary completed sewer and creek bank repairs along Crabtree Creek near Morrisville Square. Fallen trees had blocked the center of the creek channel, diverting water toward the banks and causing significant erosion. The erosion resulted in a creek bank failure and damaged a 15-inch sewer line. Staff diverted sewer flow to an alternate outfall line while contractors removed the fallen trees, repaired the sewer line, and stabilized the creek banks with boulders to help prevent future erosion.

Old Apex Water Storage Tank Recoating Complete

As part of Cary’s ongoing water system asset management program, restoration work was recently completed on the Old Apex Water Storage Tank, a 3-million-gallon ground storage tank that has served Cary’s Central Pressure Zone (CPZ) since 2001. The project included surface preparation, minor repairs, and application of a new protective coating. The coating is expected to protect the tank from environmental exposure for up to 10 years, extending its service life and supporting long-term system reliability.

Pride in the Park

On June 13, thousands of people gathered at Downtown Cary Park for Pride in the Park, a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. The event featured more than 50 vendors, arts and crafts activities, and a silent disco. Pride-themed lighting was also displayed throughout downtown Cary in recognition of Pride Month.

Cary for the Cup Recap

Downtown Cary Park hosted two Cary for the Cup Watch Parties during the Stanley Cup Final, with Hurricanes fans filling the Great Lawn on June 11 and June 14. The first watch party drew an estimated 800 fans, with more than 1,600 visitors to the park during the event.

Attendance increased significantly for the June 14 watch party, with staff estimating 1,500 to 1,800 fans gathered on the Great Lawn and more than 3,500 visitors to the park during the event. Visitors also traveled from nearly twice as many origin points as at the first event.

Staff enhanced the championship atmosphere by incorporating red lighting during Hurricanes goals and key game moments and distributing Canes-themed Downtown Cary Park stickers and red glow sticks. Across both events, 87% of visitors traveled from within 20 miles of the park, demonstrating strong local participation while reinforcing Downtown Cary Park’s role as a regional destination.

Juneteenth Celebration

More than 1,000 people attended the annual Juneteenth Celebration at Downtown Cary Park on June 20. This year’s theme, “Freedom Dance,” highlighted movement as a form of expression, resilience, and joy. Through performances rooted in African dance traditions and contemporary dance, the event explored the role of movement in storytelling and cultural traditions.

Important Dates

There are no meetings scheduled for next week.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting. It will come back to council after the staff has gathered information.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It was brought up at the May 28^th Council meeting.

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Council will vote on a draft ordinance of this later this year.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It was part of our June 23^rd work session.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Council will vote on options to add to the current ordinance later this year.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Complaints on the budget.
• Concerns about fireworks around town causing fires since we are in a drought.
• A complaint about water being turned off after not paying utility bill.
• Concerns about the Hatcher Property rezoning proposal in the Carpenter Special Planning Area.
• A request to create an ordinance to ban bamboo (it is already on our prohibited plant list).
• A story from former mayor Glen Lang about how our firefighters saved his life.
• A complaint about panhandling.
• Comments and recommendations about a smoke-free ordinance.
• Complaints about the Trenton Road rezoning proposal.
• A question about Powell Bill funding.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, an interview with CiviPod, a meeting with GoRail, and the Cary Tennis Classic.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 5^th, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Wake County Mayors Association

The Wake County Mayors Association met Monday evening, with mayors from Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Rolesville, and Wendell in attendance. Discussion topics included municipal budgets, strategies for addressing the needs of residents experiencing mental illness, the issuance of proclamations, and planning for upcoming July 4th celebrations.

CAMPO Executive Board

Wednesday afternoon, I met as a voting member with the Executive Board of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO). CAMPO is the federally designated transportation planning agency for the greater Raleigh and Triangle region, overseeing regional mobility planning across Wake, Chatham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, and Johnston counties. The agenda included three consent items, one public hearing, and three discussion items.

All three consent items were approved unanimously. These included approval of the meeting minutes, the FY2027 Wake Transit Work Plan and Project Agreement, and Amendment #4 to the FY2026–FY2035 Transportation Improvement Plan.

The public hearing concerned approval of the Triangle Mobility Hub’s Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA). In May, GoTriangle’s project team presented a comprehensive overview of the project’s early planning phases, public engagement results, and site-selection process, which resulted in a recommended location for the new mobility hub. The proposed site is located in Research Triangle Park on the southwest corner of the NC 54 and Miami Boulevard intersection. Following the Public Hearing, the Executive Board unanimously approved the LPA.

Of the three discussion items, two required board action and were approved, while the third was presented for informational purposes only. The Board approved the technical recommendation for the Triangle Bikeway East Design Project, allowing design work to advance to the 30 percent completion stage. The Board also approved the regional impact target modal mix for SPOT 8. A modal mix refers to the distribution of transportation investments among roads, bicycle facilities, pedestrian infrastructure, aviation, and ferry services. The target modal mix is a key component of CAMPO’s adopted prioritization methodology and helps guide staff in developing draft point assignments for transportation projects. The FY2028 Locally Administered Projects Program (LAPP) target modal mix was presented for information only.

Before adjournment, a commissioner from Granville County, which has a population of approximately 65,000 residents, expressed concerns that the county rarely receives transportation funding and argued that the current process makes it difficult for smaller counties to compete successfully for available funds. CAMPO staff indicated they would meet with county representatives to explore potential adjustments that could improve funding opportunities.

Juneteenth Celebration

On Saturday, I was joined by five of my fellow council members at the Juneteenth Celebration at Downtown Cary Park. During the event, I had the honor of offering the following remarks before presenting a proclamation:

“Good afternoon, everyone.

Juneteenth reminds us of the enduring importance of freedom, the resilience of those who endured injustice, and the continued work of building communities rooted in understanding, respect, and opportunity for all. It is a time to reflect on our shared history while celebrating the richness of black heritage and culture and the many contributions that continue to strengthen our nation and our community.

Here in Cary, we are proud to celebrate Juneteenth as an opportunity to come together, learn from one another, and honor the stories, traditions, and experiences that shape our community and nation.

Today’s Juneteenth Celebration has been thoughtfully curated by Historian Darrell Stover. We invite you to experience the spirit of “freedom dance,” where movement takes center stage, honoring expression, resilience, and joy through live performances and moments that invite everyone to join in.

In recognition of this celebration of freedom, I would now like to read a proclamation.

Happy Juneteenth!”

This year’s theme, “Freedom Dance,” attracted performers and dance companies from across North Carolina. I had the opportunity to speak with one attendee who traveled from Goldsboro specifically to take part in the celebration, a testament to the event’s growing reputation and impact.

This marked the seventh year that Cary has hosted a Juneteenth celebration, and each year the event continues to grow in both attendance and significance. My thanks to Darrell Stover and the many volunteers, performers, staff members, and community partners whose hard work made this year’s celebration such a success.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It has been scheduled for the May 28^th Council meeting.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It has been scheduled for the May 28^th Council meeting

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It will come back to council with recommendations for a future meeting.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It will come back at a future council meeting with recommendations.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Complaints on the budget.
• Questions about peacemaking in local politics.
• A complaint that I was bragging about increasing home prices (I was merely providing information, not bragging. Sorry to come across that way.)
• A question about the progress of the Marigold Affordable Housing project.
• A complaint about panhandling.
• A comment about “racing on Ederlee Drive on Regency Woods Place”.
• A complaint about maintenance of stop signs.
• A complaint about the rezoning proposal at Searstone.
• A complaint about council’s proposed creation of fees for using EV charging stations.
• A request to use the old Cary Town Center site for Major League Baseball. (I would love that, but Epic owns the property not the town).
• A request to bring Little Caesars to Cary (Out of my scope as mayor).

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, meetings with residents, a meeting with the Searstone applicant, a State of Cary, a council work session on e-bike safety and a smoke free ordinance, and a council meeting to vote on budget.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, June 28^th, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Purpose of this Blog

It is my hope that this blog will provide insight not only into who I am meeting with on behalf of the Town, but also the topics we discuss. I believe strongly in open and transparent government. This blog is one of several initiatives I implemented when I became mayor in 2007 to make the governmental process more accessible to our citizens.

This blog is written with sincerity, honesty, and a commitment to accuracy so our constituents can better understand the work we do. After all, we work for them!

Cary #15 Place to Live in US

According to Stacker, Cary ranks as the 15th best place to live in the United States. In its assessment, Stacker highlighted several of the community’s strengths:

“Cary, located near North Carolina’s Research Triangle, has been called one of the safest cities in America. The town is home to the North Carolina Courage of the National Women’s Soccer League and USA Baseball’s national training complex. Cary has its own public transportation system with fixed-route and door-to-door service.”

While town leaders have faced criticism regarding the budget, tax policies, and the former town manager, it is important to keep those discussions in perspective. Cary continues to earn national recognition as one of the best places to live in the country. In fact, this marks the third such distinction the town has received in the past month.

Cary Home Values Continue to Increase

According to a report provided by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices York Simpson Underwood Realty, home values in Cary continue to rise. In my State of Cary address earlier this year, I reported that the average home price was $650,000. Their latest data from the past 30 days highlights this continued growth:

• Average home price: $717,414

• Average sale price: $706,847

Cary Tennis Classic Board Meeting

The Cary Tennis Classic Board met Monday evening for our final meeting before this year’s tournament, which runs from June 28 through July 5. We reviewed several exciting updates, including catering by Craft Public House, which will be a significant enhancement to the tournament experience compared to last year. We also discussed additional sponsorship opportunities and expanded premier seating options for attendees.

Another highlight of the meeting was planning for our July 4 celebrations, which will begin with the mayor’s 250 Celebration competition and continue with a community BBQ cookout.

Everything is coming together for what promises to be our best tournament yet. I hope to see everyone at the Cary Tennis Park for a week of outstanding tennis and community celebration.

Tennis Event for 250 Celebration

On Monday, I met with a group to discuss an exciting event scheduled for July 4 as part of the Cary Tennis Classic. The event will feature a fun competition open to participants of all ages, with gift cards and prizes awarded to winners.

Following the competition, all attendees will be invited to enjoy a BBQ cookout and watch the doubles finals and singles semifinals. More details will be announced soon, so stay tuned!

Council Work Session

Thursday evening the council held a work session to adjust the calendar and provide feedback on additional proposed budget changes.

The council has decided to cancel the June 18^th budget work session and move the July 28^th work session to July 21^st.

Here are some notable changes in the proposed budget from council:

• Revenue sources of $527,000 by charging for EV use on public property, increasing Parks and Rec fees, and increasing building permits
• Additional budget cuts:
  • Available for Mid-Year Funding: $250,000
  • Website Overhaul: $600,000
  • Chamber of Commerce: $30,000
  • Contracted Festivals: $92,500
  • Contracted Videos: $117,120
  • Renovation/Upfit of 911 Center: $1,000,000
• $1,687,128 added to proposed budget:
  • Remaining funds required for Housing to be funded at$5.3 million (the equivalent of one penny)
  • Funding in the Police budget for a contract with SafeChild
  • Additional funds for Public Works and Fire department personnel cost
• $10 million in fund balance above policy was available for use. As a result the council now favors a 2.75 cent tax increase which would make the rate 36.75 cents per $100 of value.
• Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and council member Bansal made a motion to take additional fund balance to lower the tax rate further. Staff advised against this saying we could go below our fund balance policy. The motion failed 5 to 2.

Council Meeting

The Cary Town Council held its first regularly scheduled meeting of June on Thursday night. The agenda included eight consent items, four public hearings, three discussion items, and a closed session.

The Public Speaks Out portion of the meeting included several speakers, most of whom expressed concerns about a potential tax increase. It was disappointing to hear misinformation continue to be repeated, including the claim that the town paid the former town manager a severance package, which is not accurate.

Five of the consent items were approval of minutes. The remaining three were the

Bid Award for Upper Brier Creek Sewer Interceptor Rehabilitation Project, the Verizon Wireless Equipment Agreement, and a resolution for new installment purchase debt for 15 vehicles including sanitation and heavy-duty trucks and public safety vehicles. All consent items were approved unanimously.

The first public hearing focused on the budget, with several speakers expressing concerns about a potential tax increase and what they viewed as wasteful spending.

The second and third public hearings addressed the Jacobs Creek annexation and rezoning requests. Following the hearings, some council members voiced concerns that single-family residential rezonings of this type could increase the town’s infrastructure costs and place additional demands on municipal services.

The final public hearing concerned ACT 39, a proposed amendment to the Cary Community Plan’s Carpenter Special Planning Area. Several speakers spoke in opposition to the proposed changes.

The first discussion item involved a request to amend the Official Zoning Map by rezoning approximately 0.51 acres at 6708 Bandelier Lane from Office/Research and Development (ORD) to Residential 20 Conditional Use (R-20 CU). The rezoning included conditions limiting the property to a single detached dwelling unit and associated accessory uses, as well as architectural and site design standards addressing building materials, building form, garage placement, future additions, and driveway access. The rezoning also preserved the existing Watershed Protection Overlay District (Jordan Lake Subdistrict). The request was approved unanimously.

The second discussion item was the selection of an independent auditor to conduct the Town’s annual financial audits. After reviewing submitted proposals, staff identified two finalists: Cherry Bekaert LLP and Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC. Staff then interviewed both firms to address questions and further evaluate their proposals. Following the interviews, Cherry Bekaert received a unanimous recommendation from the staff members involved in the selection process. The council unanimously approved the recommendation.

As its final discussion item, the council considered a revised Resolution Delegating Authority to Negotiate, Award, Approve, and Execute Contracts and Other Instruments. The resolution was adopted unanimously. Additional information can be found here.

Manager’s Report

Council,

It was great seeing everyone in meetings this week and thank you for all the work you’ve done on this year’s budget.

As a reminder, there will not be a Weekly Report next week, as Town Hall and most staffed facilities will be closed next Friday in observance of Juneteenth.

Have a great weekend and GO CANES!

Russ Overton

Interim Town Manager

Demolition Begins on Site of Future GoCary MMTC

Abatement for 21 properties is complete, and demolition of existing buildings on the future GoCary Multi-Modal Transit Center (MMTC) site is scheduled to begin later this month. Work will occur on Cary-owned property and within the public right-of-way between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Weekend work is not anticipated but may be approved if needed.

Demolition is expected to continue through spring 2027, weather permitting. No road closures are anticipated at this time; however, advance notice will be provided if closures become necessary.

This work is an important first step in supporting a growing transit network that includes local and regional bus service, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), future commuter rail service, and Amtrak intercity passenger rail service.

Annual Street Improvement Project Update

Paving for the FY 2026 Street Improvements Project, which will resurface approximately 11 miles of roadway across Cary, is expected to begin later this month in the MacDonald Woods neighborhood and continue through July before moving to Copperleaf and Stonewater. Additional project locations are listed on the project webpage.

Since construction began in April, crews have focused on preparatory work, including upgrading more than 100 curb ramps to improve ADA accessibility and replacing more than 1,000 linear feet of curb and gutter. Work remains on schedule and is expected to be completed this fall, weather permitting. Staff will continue coordinating with residents and businesses and providing advance notice of upcoming construction activities.

Temporary Closure of Town Hall Parking Deck

The Town Hall Parking Deck will close on June 18 for ADA improvements and stairwell maintenance. The ADA improvements are expected to be completed by June 28, allowing the deck to reopen to vehicle traffic and parking that day. Cleaning and painting of the stairwells will continue through July 8, and the stairwells will remain closed during that work. The parking lot in front of Herb Young Community Center will remain open during construction. For more information about alternative parking options, visit carync.gov/parking.

Hurricane Watch Party Series at Downtown Cary Park

Park staff estimate that approximately 800 fans attended Downtown Cary Park’s first Cary for the Cup Hurricanes Watch Party last night, gathering to watch the game on the Great Lawn Pavilion’s big screen and cheer on the Canes.

Additional watch parties are planned for June 14 and, depending on the championship series, June 17. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and join fellow fans to cheer on the Canes

Rose Park Manor Grand Opening

Last Friday, partners celebrated the grand opening of Rose Park Manor, a new affordable senior housing community near downtown Cary. Developed in partnership with Beacon Management Corporation, the community includes 81 affordable housing units reserved for seniors age 55 and older earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI). The project was made possible through significant investment from Cary and Wake County. Rose Park Manor advances goals identified in the Imagine Cary Community Plan and Cary Housing Plan by expanding housing choices for seniors, supporting infill development, and promoting walkable, transit-oriented living.

2026 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship

From May 29 through June 6, Cary hosted the NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship for the 16th time in the last 18 years through a partnership with the University of Mount Olive, USA Baseball, and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA). The event, which attracted 8,136 attendees over 10 days, was the first NCAA Division II finals tournament played at the National Training Complex’s new field. During opening weekend, Fire Chief Mike Cooper threw the ceremonial first pitch, and the Fire Department Honor Guard presented the colors during three games, including the opening game of the championship series.

National Trails Day Celebration

On June 6, residents celebrated National Trails Day and Cary’s 100-mile greenway milestone with a Discovery Walk along Higgins Greenway. Beginning at Downtown Cary Park, the guided walk explored one of Cary’s newer greenway segments and highlighted its role in connecting people to recreation, transportation, and community destinations. Supported by the Friends of Page-Walker, the Greenway Committee, and the Public Art Advisory Board, the walk also showcased the corridor’s history, public art, and cultural significance.

Important Dates

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, June 17, 6:15 p.m.

Council Initiated Items

The council has a process that allows members to introduce items for discussion at meetings, often leading to further action. Given the recent increase in these requests, I will begin sharing them here along with my perspective on their pros and cons.

Temporary moratorium on Data Centers

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush, and I provided the second. It has been scheduled for the May 28^th Council meeting.

Data centers are centralized facilities that house IT equipment for storing, processing, and distributing massive amounts of data. While they are the vital backbone of the modern internet and AI, they also pose notable environmental and community challenges by requiring massive amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water. This proposal would direct staff to put a moratorium on data center approvals.

PROS:

• They generate significant long-term property and sales tax revenue for local municipalities, often offsetting the need to raise taxes on residents.
• They provide the essential computing power required to run the cloud, stream media, and train heavy AI models.
• Modern facilities offer unparalleled uptime, physical security, and disaster recovery protections for critical business information.
• Unlike large manufacturing plants or warehouses, operational data centers generate minimal daily traffic and produce very little localized air pollution.

CONS:

• We may not have authority to permanently prohibit them.
• They demand immense amounts of electricity and millions of gallons of water for cooling, which can strain local utility grids and drive-up energy costs for surrounding communities.
• Unless heavily offset by renewable energy sources, heavy reliance on power can prolong the use of fossil fuel plants and contribute to electronic waste.
• The constant operation of high-powered cooling fans and backup generators can create significant, round-the-clock noise disturbances for nearby residents.
• While construction creates many temporary jobs, fully operational data centers typically require very few on-site staff, delivering fewer permanent local jobs than other large-scale developments.

Partnering with the school board to pilot school zone safety improvements

This proposal was submitted by Council Member Bansal, and I provided the second. It has been scheduled for the May 28^th Council meeting

Several schools in Cary, particularly middle schools and high schools, are experiencing transportation safety concerns on and around school property. While the schools are responsible for transportation operations on campus and NCDOT oversees roadway infrastructure decisions, progress on improvements has been slow and resident complaints have continued to increase. This proposal would direct staff to work collaboratively with the schools on programs and strategies to help address these concerns.

PROS:

• Allows the Town to take a more proactive role, even when we are not the primary decision-maker.
• Responds to growing community concerns regarding school transportation safety.

CONS:

• The Town is currently understaffed, so this effort could require shifting staff resources away from other projects.
• Potential solutions could result in additional costs to taxpayers if Cary contributes funding toward implementation.

E-Bike Safety

This proposal was submitted by Council Members Bansal and Richards and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It will come back to council with recommendations for a future meeting.

The council initially launched a pilot program in June 2022 to allow e-bikes. After a one-year trial period, the program was made permanent, with a posted speed limit of 15 mph on greenways. Recently, however, there have been complaints that e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices are traveling at excessive speeds and creating potentially hazardous conditions.

PROS:

• We are listening to our citizens’ complaints.
• Preventing e-bikes and scooters will possibly make greenways safer.

CONS:

• There is basically no way to enforce an ordinance that has e-bikes or not.
• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.
• We are revisiting a decision that was made after a one-year trial and review of data.

Smoke Free Ordinance

This proposal was submitted by Mayor Pro-Tem Bush and Council Member Craig and presented at the April 16^th meeting. It will come back at a future council meeting with recommendations.

PROS:

• Eliminates toxic secondhand smoke.
• Current ordinance does not match state law and Raleigh/Wake ordinance.

CONS:

• Any enforcement effort would require additional officers and officers’ time. We are currently underfunding officers and require overtime to maintain existing levels of service.

Affordable Housing on Old Library Site

This proposal, submitted by Mayor Pro Tem Bush and Council Member Bansal, would place a podium-style parking deck with affordable housing on the former library site. This has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda.

PROS:

• Adds parking across from Downtown Cary Park.
• Create affordable housing units in the downtown area.

CONS:

• May underutilize one of the municipality’s most valuable properties. Downtown Cary Park generates approximately $16 million annually in economic impact, and this site could represent an opportunity for a more transformative use.
• The town has already invested millions in renovating the Ivey-Ellington House, positioning this area as a premier destination.

How Cary Government Works

Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina and most mid-sized cities in the U.S., uses a council–manager form of government. This system works a lot like a company, but for local government. Residents elect a council and a mayor, who set policy by passing laws, approving the budget, and guiding the town’s overall priorities. The council then hires a professional manager to run the town’s day-to-day operations.

Think of it like a company: the council acts like a board of directors, making policy and representing the public, while the city manager acts like a CEO, overseeing all departments, such as finance, public works, police, and fire, and managing town staff. The mayor leads council meetings, represents the town publicly, and has limited executive authority. While the council and mayor make policy decisions and receive regular reports, they usually see only high-level summaries rather than the detailed inner workings of each department.

In short, just as a board hires a CEO to run a company, Cary’s council hires a manager to run the town, ensuring professional management while elected officials focus on big-picture decisions and community priorities.

You can find additional information about how Cary’s government works on the town’s website here.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Complaints on the budget.
• A complaint about structure safety at Downtown Cary Park.
• Suggestions for Cary recycling.
• A complaint about potentially charging Cary residents to park in Cary and non-residents to visit parks.
• A complaint about the Trenton Road rezoning 25-REZ-12.
• A complaint about a mural on the Brew Coffee building.
• A request to honor a student who won a national award.
• A complaint about the intersection at Highcroft Drive and Green Hope School Road.
• A complaint about Cary workers blowing leaves at the Amtrak Station.
• A complaint about the proposed Searstone rezoning 24-REZ-02.
• A request to speak at a Sampson High School Alumni Association meeting in Cary.
• A request to not allow fireworks at events like Diwali.
• A request to give details on how Powell Bill funds were used.
• Complaints on the proposed Act 39 Carpenter Special Planning Area Comprehensive Plan Amendment.
• A complaint that we are not stopping or limiting irrigation due to the drought: “We must ban irrigation completely.” (Cary has had permanent alternate day irrigation in place since the early 2000s. Unlike Raleigh, our water source at Jordan Lake has a 6-month supply).
• A complaint about free fare fixed route transit.
• A complaint that Cary allows “racing on Ederlee Drive”.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Wake County Mayors Association meeting, a CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) Executive Board meeting, and a Juneteenth event.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, June 21^st, 2026. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.