Memorial Day Events
Monday morning I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz in the Memorial Day ceremony held at Hillcrest Cemetery hosted by Post 67. We heard from legislators, Congressman Wiley Nickel, and their featured speaker who was a decorated veteran. Afterwards I spent time thanking veterans for their service and a gold star family for their sacrifice.

Monday afternoon I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz in the Memorial Day ceremony held at Cary’s Veterans Freedom Park. In addition to hearing from congressional leaders Deborah Ross and Wiley Nickel, Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz made remarks and I read a proclamation. The Cary Town Band was present and entertained the crowd with several patriotic songs and a medley of armed forces anthems. The featured speaker was the VFW Vice Commander. Afterwards, the Cary Garden Club dedicated a Blue Star Memorial marker which is now on display at the Veterans Park. I hope to have a Gold Star Memorial marker dedicated at the park during the next year.
State of Cary at Cary Rotary

Tuesday midday I gave an updated version of the State of Cary address to the Cary Rotary at MacGregor. There were a few dozen people in attendance. I had a limited amount of time, so I had to cut about 10 minutes off the presentation. After my presentation I received questions on environmental issues and traffic.
Town Manager One-On-One
Tuesday afternoon I talked with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one meeting. Topics included the RFQ for town hall campus, the Cary-Apex joint meeting, and advisory boards.
Interview about Soccer with ABC11
Tuesday afternoon I was interviewed via zoom by ABC11 on the impacts of the TST tournament in Cary. This $1 million winner-take-all event is estimated to have created a $2 million boost to our market and region. In addition, there will be some incredible branding exposure for Cary and highlight one of our state-of-the-art sports venues.
Cary Matters with NC Senator Gale Adcock

Wednesday evening I had the pleasure of taping an episode of Cary Matters with long time friend, former Cary Mayor Pro-Tem, and member of the NC Senate, Gale Adcock. We talked about the $29.8 million house budget passed on May 18th and what can be expected. Some of the items expected to be in the budget include funding for the Year of the Trail program, funding for the NC Symphony, funding for floodplain protections, and funding for land acquisition projects, a major investment in parks, trails, and open space. We did one take of the entire episode and did a few more takes of the opening and closing. We were done in about 30 minutes.
News Story About Break-ins
Wednesday WRAL ran a news story about car break-ins in Cary. Here is a response from our police chief:
“… This is a problem being worked at local, state and national levels. We have apprehended a number of suspects, most being juveniles.
We are taking this problem very seriously for obvious reasons by enhancing current efforts and putting in place strategies that are focused upon prevention, enforcement, technology, education, and through partnerships. …”
It is important to remember that crime prevention is a partnership. Don’t be a victim of opportunity by leaving things unlocked and make sure to say something if you see something.
Cary Apex Joint Meeting

Thursday evening the Cary council and staff joined the Apex council and staff for a joint meeting. We talked about top priorities for each of our communities which was followed up with various questions. Apex is one of twelve amazing communities in Wake County with great people on their council and staff. In my individual conversations with their council members and staff I found that they are concerned about communicating with the public on development and environmental issues, future transit options, their residential and non-residential mix, and large greenfield development projects. Our meeting concluded after a couple of hours with a photo op.
Meeting TST Tournament Organizers
Friday morning I met with the two organizers of the TST (The Soccer Tournament) which was a huge success at the Wake Med Soccer park. The 7 versus 7 format combined with various rule changes made matches exciting and action packed. In my conversation with the organizers, they were very pleased with the tournament and looked forward to doing this in Cary next year. They mentioned that they might be creating a TTT (The Tennis Tournament) for Cary, which I would love. We’ll see.
NC Metro Mayors
The North Carolina Metro Mayors met Friday morning for the weekly legislative summary. Here is a report from KTS Strategies:
Sports Betting Bill Passes Senate
This week, the Senate passed legislation that would authorize and regulate betting on horse racing and professional, college, and amateur sports in North Carolina. H347, Sports Wagering/Horse Racing Wagering, was approved by the Senate Finance and Rules Committees before being sent to the floor for a two-day vote on Wednesday and Thursday. The bill received bipartisan support and passed third reading with a vote of 37-11 on Thursday. The bill will be sent back to the House for a concurrence vote before heading to the Governor for consideration. Governor Cooper has publicly expressed his support for sports wagering, and we anticipate he will sign the bill into law.
Medical Marijuana Hearing
S3, NC Compassionate Care Act, was heard in the House Health Committee on Tuesday. This bill would legalize medical marijuana for qualified patients with a debilitating medical condition. The bill establishes a Medical Cannabis Production Commission that has the authority to grant 10 licenses to medical cannabis suppliers in the state. To increase access in rural areas, the bill specifies that each supplier must operate at least one medical cannabis center in a Tier 1 county. S3 does not legalize cannabis for recreational use. The bill was for discussion only and did not receive a vote from the committee.
Boards and Commissions Appointments
S512, Greater Accountability for Boards/Commissions, passed the House by a party-line vote of 72-46 this week. This bill would change the composition and appointments structure of several state governing boards and commissions, resulting in less positions that will be appointed by the Governor. The bill would transfer some of the Governor’s appointments to elected state officials such as the agriculture commissioner, while others would be made by members of the General Assembly. S512 will be returned to the Senate for a concurrence vote before it heads to the Governor’s desk.
TST Semifinals

Saturday night my wife and I attended the semi-final matches of the TST which were won by Newtown Pride and SLCFC. These were great matches and the stands around each pitch were packed. Council members Robinson and Eades were also there viewing the action.
Gale Adcock NC Senate Reception
Sunday afternoon I will attended a reception for NC Senator and former Cary Mayor Pro-Tem Gale Adcock. She has served Cary citizens as a council member, NC representative, and a NC Senator for decades. I am honored to call her a friend and feel blessed that she represents Cary.
Town Manager’s Report
Sean’s Message

I’ve heard from several of you about how well last night’s dinner with Apex’s council went; I agree. The setting along with the informal agenda and set-up combined to create a positive and relaxed event good for fellowship and relationship building and nurturing. I’m told that Assistant Town Clerk Sarah Schubert handled the logistics, including with The Mayton, and she certainly did a great job – thanks, Sarah!
Finally – and most importantly – Happy Birthday, Mayor!
Sean
Memorial Day Remembrance 2023

Despite a misty rain, over 400 people gathered at Veterans Freedom Park for Cary’s Memorial Day Remembrance. Congresswoman Deborah Ross and Congressman Wiley Nickel spoke briefly followed by a powerful message from the new Vice Commander of the States VFW Helen Nelson. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Mayor Pro-Tem Don Frantz provided remarks on behalf of Cary and read the proclamation. The Cary Garden Club also dedicated the new Blue Star Memorial out at Veterans Freedom Park with the unveiling of the marker and laying of a wreath. It was a wonderful way to honor those that have fallen fighting for our country.
Bike Plan Focus Group

Cary’s Bike Plan Focus Group, with Councilmember Lori Bush in attendance, held its second meeting on Tuesday. The citizen-based group discussed an overview of our plan engagement efforts during April and Bike Month in May, the analysis underway of the existing plans and policies, what Level of Traffic Stress for bicyclists means within Cary, the varying widths of bike facilities and how they impact comfort, safety and use, and bike facility selection process and design guidance.
As we move into June, we invite the public to provide input on the bike plan through our online survey and mapping tool, open until the end of the month. The community’s input is valuable, so please take a few minutes to share your thoughts and ideas.
Cary Academy Students Work Experience Program

Two Cary Academy students, Mason Herr and Roderick McKenzie, chose Cary for their two-week Work Experience Program. While with the staff the rising seniors spent time with a variety of departments learning the ins and outs of local government management. During their time with Cary, they visited the Traffic Center, attended lots of meetings, experienced a walking tour of development in Downtown, and played the BudgetCary Game.
Celebrate Diversity Day

In recognition of Celebrate Diversity Month, Cary’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hosted a program on Tuesday that created opportunities for staff to explore and celebrate our diversity as an organization through creating deeper understandings of others. Dozens of participants enjoyed sampling foods from various cultures and/or ethnicities, playing diversity bingo and winning prizes, exploring a wealth information and resources from the DEI staff, and sharing poetry readings penned by staff. The two-hour drop-in gathering allowed colleagues to engage and learn by flexing Cary’s collective DEI muscle in fun ways while exploring commonalities, interests, and lived experiences.
NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse National Championship

This past weekend, Cary hosted the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse National Championship at WakeMed Soccer Park. Teams traveled from Northwestern University, University of Denver, Syracuse University, and Boston College to participate in the tournament. The teams, their fans, and a local crowd packed the stadium to 7,709 for Friday night semifinals and 6,705 on Sunday for the finals. Northwestern raised the trophy for the 8th time as champions (but the 1st time in Cary).
Upcoming Meetings
Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday
June 5
5:15 p.m.
Information Services Advisory Board
Monday
June 5
6:00 p.m.
Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday
June 5
6:30 p.m.
Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force
Tuesday
June 6
6:00 p.m.
Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday
June 7
2:00 p.m.
Economic Development Committee
Wednesday
June 7
5:15 p.m.
Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday
June 8
5:00 p.m.
Council Meeting
Thursday
June 8
6:30 p.m.
Mayor’s Mailbox
- A concern that recent dog park renovations prevent use by handicapped individuals.
- A safety concern about runners on Green Hope Road.
- A thank you for what the town is doing for the LGBTQ+ community.
- A complaint about people parking in the parking garage next to the library that were not going to the library.
- A list of ideas about homelessness.
- A thank you to the town’s 311 staff.
- A proclamation request for National Gun Awareness.
- A complaint about lack of public transit to the TST.
- A complaint about a physical barrier on Petty Farm Road.
Next Week
Next week’s activities include staff meetings, an affordable housing potential partnership meeting, a Human Relations Inclusion and Diversity Task Force meeting, an Economic Development meeting, a council work session, the first regularly scheduled meeting of June, a Cary Council candidate event, a special award presentation, and Green Hope High School’s Graduation.
Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, June 11th, 2023. 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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.