Elections and Quarterly Meeting

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday I met with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Topics included the Tennis Park utility relocation, pickle ball, and the agenda for the quarterly meeting.

Elections

Tuesday night I attended a couple of election parties for Cary People in the legislature. I was pleased that Cary Council member Ya Liu become the first Chinese American elected to the NC House. I was also pleased to see my good friend Gale Adcock elected to the NC Senate. And Cary resident Maria Cervania will begin her first term in the NC House.

Quarterly Meeting

Thursday the council and staff held its last quarterly meeting of the calendar year. In addition to all the great information, the council unanimously approved two motions. The council approved the purchase of two Downtown Trolleys with a small difference in their appearance. The council also approved a process to fill Ya Liu’s seat along with disqualifying factors (same as for boards and commissions).

The following are some of my takeaways from the various topics:

Finance

  • Finances are in excellent condition
  • Last year we had $210 million in revenue and $160 in expenses with surplus going in fund balance
  • $33 million in planned spending from fund balance was in this year’s budget
  • Revenue was up 20% from last year
  • Sales tax revenue was highest ever
  • Fund balance at end of fiscal year was $98 million
  • Issues continue to be inflation and supply chain. As a result, there are strategic purchases such as fire trucks sooner than later

Development

  • This past quarter of the 34 cases seeking rezoning only 3 made it to council for a decision
  • Rezonings are down 29% based on the 5-year average
  • The conversion rate of proposals starting at staff and getting to the council process is 13.9%. The last five years: 14.3%, 13.4%, 26.0%, and 23.1%.
  • Development plans submitted are down 23% over the last 5 years
  • Permits are down 39% over the last 5 years

Economic Development

  • A proposed parking deck of 300 spaces next to the Rogers development should come to the council in about two weeks
  • Gurkens, on the corner of Academy and Chatham, has its lease expiring at the end of the year. There have been concepts of a restaurant at this space.
  • The fire administration building next to Gurkens will see redevelopment. Fire administration personnel will be relocated to Jordan Hall on Harrison Avenue. We are hoping to see a mix of uses to compliment existing restaurant and bar uses on Chatham and Academy.
  • The Lee and Associates building at Walnut and Kildaire should be finished in March.
  • Current inventory has 500,000 to 1 million square feet of flex space which will likely be used for life science and manufacturing
  • The South Hills mall redevelopment proposal, which will include the Centre project, will likely come to council early next year
  • Crosstown Pub did an excellent job buying the space next to them and creating a large outdoor patio area

Utilities

  • Our utilities serve over 280,000 people
  • There is 70 billion gallons of water in Jordan Lake
  • There is a 167,000 watershed that includes Greensboro and Burlington
  • We use ozone technology for water treatment and have been for 20 years
  • We were awarded the President’s award for safe water
  • We can currently treat 56 million gallons of water a day
  • We are prepared for 2023 regulatory changes
  • Future regulatory changes require us to identify any lead and copper lines. In Cary these would be lines before 1980 which is basically inside the Maynard loop. Compliance is required before October 16, 2024.

Recreation projects

Downtown Park

  • On target to complete construction by Summer of 2023

  • Bark Bar should be finished late 2022

  • Birds for the kids play area should arrive December 12th of this year

  • Academy Pavilion should be finished in early spring of 2023

  • Pavilion should be finished in spring of 2023

  • Phase one opening should be in spring of 2023

The Centre Project

  • Will be on 10.9 acres10,000 square feet

  • Includes dedicated space for seniors, community center, tournament center, and an arena

  • Should have final plans by summer of 2023

  • May be on 2024 bond referendum

Western Facilities

Community Center on Green Level Road
  • Minimum of 72,000 square feet
    • Indoor track, 3 multipurpose play areas, workout space, senior center, multipurpose rooms, and police substation
    • Design starts fall of 2023, design complete spring of 2025, construction starts summer of 2025 with completion in summer of 2026
Public Safety Center
  • On O’Kelly Chapel Road
    • 16,770 square feet for Fire Station #10
    • 9,300 square feet for 911 backup center
    • Location for Chatham County EMS
    • 800 square feet for Marketing and IT
Public Works Facility
  • 39,664 square feet
    • Includes operations, facilities, solid waste, fleet, fueling, and emergency response area

Cary Tennis Clubhouse Project

  • Design Starts in Winter of 2023
    • Design Complete in Spring of 2024
    • Construction begins Summer of 2024
    • Construction completed in Summer of 2026

Earnest Jones Project

  • 200 acres
    • Planning initiated in winter of 2023
    • Public engagement in Summer of 2023
    • Plans completed in Summer of 2024

Higgins Greenway

  • Construction starts Spring of 2023
    • Construction completed in Summer of 2024

Conceptual projects

  • Asian Garden
    • Thomas Brooks Park Cross County Course and Batchelor Greenway extension
    • Good Hope Farm
    • Rose Street Park

Ivey Ellington House

  • New foundation for move on old library site in January

  • Moved in February of 2023Will face Academy

  • May house downtown park offices and visitor center

  • Exterior redone immediately after the move

  • Interior redone in Summer of 2024

  • Possibility of tabletop deck behind building

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

  • Will require some updates to rules

  • One parking spot per ADU

  • No taller than primary dwelling

  • Size of ADU relative to size of primary dwelling but no more than 800 square feet

Legislative Updates

  • Philip Isley will be Cary’s lobbyist starting in January

  • We need to schedule meetings with school board and legislators

  • Council will need to set legislative priorities

Council Appointment for Ya Liu’s seat

  • Applications accepted from now until December 2ndCouncil meets in work session on December 8th to review candidates

  • If council decides to appoint new member to be sworn in as early as January

  • Disqualifying factors are same as boards and commissions

Downtown Trolleys

  • Classic Streetcar style

  • 22 passengers

  • Low floor height

  • ADA ramp

  • Custom Paint and Graphics

Annual Retreat

  • Will be held in Wilmington

  • May include a couple of speakers

  • Dates February 23 through 25

  • Set priority on many large projects

Mayor’s Mailbox

  • Complaints about maintenance at an apartment complex
  • Suggestions from middle school and elementary school students for dead batteries

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, staff reviews, Chinese Lantern Festival opening, a meeting of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Executive Board, Hometown Spirit Award reception, regularly scheduled council meeting, Waverly Place tree lighting, and Fenton tree lighting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, November 20th. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communications with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

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