Town Manager One-On-One
Monday I met with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Our conversation included ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), the HRID (Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity) committee, council decisions on development, the upcoming quarterly, and historic preservation.
Cary Matters
Wednesday I joined council member Craig in a taping of Cary Matters. This episode is about the 48th Cary Lazy Daze festival which is coming up in a few weeks. The taping was in two takes and took about fifteen to twenty minutes.
Economic Development Committee Meeting Cancelled
Wednesday evening the Economic Development Committee meeting was cancelled due to a lack of a quorum. Here is a summary of business opportunities in the pipeline:
- Active Pipeline: 46 projects | 9094 jobs | $4.4B potential investment
- Site Visit from Project Boston (The Press) – med device company with Novo contract
- Activity remains steady despite the cost of capital
- Industry sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Life Science/med device, IT, Corporate HQ
North Carolina Metro Mayors
Friday I joined a meeting of the North Carolina Metro Mayors. Here is a legislative summary from consultants Checkmate Government Relations:
Veto Overrides
On Wednesday, July 31st, the House convened for the reconsideration of vetoed bills. The house overrode three of Governor Roy Cooper’s vetoes.
House Bill 155, Titles for Off-Road Vehicles/Low Speed Vehicle Inspection, was overridden with a 73 to 41 vote. H155 expands the types of vehicles allowed on roads with speed limits of 55 MPH or less. Governor Cooper remains concerned with these vehicles’ safety measures.
House Bill 556, Tenancy In Common/E-Notary/Small Claims Changes, was overridden with a 74 to 40 vote. Governor Cooper vetoed this because he disapproves of giving landlords the right to deny people housing whose main form of rent comes from federal housing assistance funds.
House Bill 690, No Central Bank Digital Currency Payments To State, was overridden with a 73 to 41 vote. H690 would prohibit a state agency or the General Court of Justice from accepting a payment using central bank digital currency, or from participating in any test of central bank digital currency by any Federal Reserve branch. These bills will await a final override vote in the Senate.
Governor Cooper Withdrawal
Governor Roy Cooper removed himself from presidential candidate Kamala Harris’s shortlist for Vice President. Though the Governor has removed himself from the shortlist, he continues to support the Harris campaign. A Harris-Cooper ticket could have had down ballot implications in North Carolina. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce her running mate in the next week.
Upcoming Schedule
According to the Adjournment Resolution passed in July, the next date that the House and Senate can return would be Monday, September 9th. However, it is likely this will be a skeletal session that will not require members to be in town. It is likely that the next substantive session will be held in November after the election.
Town Manager’s Report
Russ’ Message
This week, the staff has been busy with meetings leading up to next week’s Quarterly Meeting. The team is excited to update you on several important topics next Thursday. There will not be a Council Weekly Report next Friday since any timely updates will be shared at the meeting.
I hope you enjoy your weekend!
Russ
Walnut Street Roadwork Beginning
Beginning August 5, construction will begin on Phase 1 of the Walnut Street Road Diet Project. Preliminary utility repairs are complete, and staff worked this week to notify citizens, including hanging door-to-door notices along the project extents and posting dynamic message boards on Walnut Street and Cary Towne Boulevard. Phase 1 work combines restriping, additional signage, and signal modifications to allow for a single vehicle lane in each direction, a center turning lane, and buffered bike lanes in each direction. During construction, drivers and other road users should expect continuous work zone traffic control (orange cones) with intermittent lane closures and diversions. Upon completion, staff will continue to study the corridor to determine future phases of work. In parallel with the Phase 1 work, progress continues on the pedestrian hybrid beacon on Walnut Street, adjacent to Cary High School. Trenching and boring work along the shoulders of Walnut Street continues, with lane closures planned in August for installation of the mast arm pole in the median. All work is on schedule to finish before the start of the traditional calendar school year.
Cary Introduces Utilization Study with Surveys to Business
Cary is partnering with Keen Independent Research LLC, a national economic consulting firm, to assess its procurement from small and diverse businesses. Business owners may receive a call this summer asking about company structure, the type of work performed, and interest in partnering with Cary. Business groups and trade associations may also receive communication requesting in-depth interviews to gain insight into current market conditions. Participation is encouraged to help Cary enhance its outreach to firms.
Fenton Development Updates
Fenton is evolving into a high-density Destination Center, fostering business development through high-quality design and a connected mix of uses, with a proposed hotel as the latest addition. Mainsail Hotels has submitted a development plan for a proposed seven-story, 225-room hotel in Fenton. Active construction is underway on a new five-level, 772-space parking deck at the existing surface lot northeast of Fenton Gateway Drive and Ridgeview Walk Drive, as well as on phase two of Quinard Drive, extending from the existing roundabout in Fenton to SE Maynard Road. Both projects are expected to be completed in 2025.
Cary’s Greenway Safety Campaign
As Cary’s Greenway Safety Campaign continues, key rules and etiquette are being shared with the community in various ways. Webpage banners, trail-side signs, greenway pavement stickers, and pop-up engagement events along the greenways are spreading the word. These messages have also been converted to video and are being shared on Cary’s social media posts, paid social media, and with WRAL webpage viewers. Check out upcoming pop-up engagement dates and take the Greenways survey at www.carync.gov/greenways.
Reedy Creek Road Project Nominated for a Mobi Award
Cary’s Reedy Creek Road Complete Street Project has been nominated for the NCDOT Mobi (Mobility) Award! This project, which involved creating bicycle lanes, roundabouts, and landscaping, started in 2011 and was completed in 2023. Designed to enhance the safety and well-being of both motorists and pedestrians while protecting the environment and promoting quality of life, it has now been nominated for the 2024 NCDOT Mobi Award. Cast your vote today!
Platinum Honors for Cary’s Wastewater Facilities
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has honored each of Cary’s three wastewater treatment facilities with the Platinum Peak Performance Award. This prestigious recognition is given for over five years of 100% compliance and outstanding wastewater treatment performance.
- North Cary Water Reclamation Facility – Platinum 11 Years
- South Cary Water Reclamation Facility – Platinum 11 Years
- Western Wake Regional WRF – Platinum 9 Years
Art House Theater Day at The Cary
On July 25, The Cary joined over 95 theaters nationwide to celebrate the vital role of art house theaters and independent films in our cultural landscape. Art House Theater Day honors the ambitious and innovative art that provokes, challenges, entertains, and inspires. To mark the occasion, The Cary hosted a free screening of the 4K restored version of James Cameron’s classic film The Terminator, celebrating its 40th anniversary. The enthusiastic audience enjoyed both the film and the newly installed seats. As a proud member of Art House Convergence, The Cary supported the fifth annual Art House Theater Day, which began in 2016 and now involves more than 150 cinemas across the country.
USA Baseball Complex Performance Center
USA Baseball has had a busy summer with events and national teams of various age groups playing at the complex and utilizing the new Performance Training Center. Staff has scheduled local to international play around USA Baseball’s activities. In July, the Canadian National Baseball team held several productive training sessions. Following this, local kids used the facility for team placements when weather closed the grass fields. The Performance Training Center is becoming an increasingly valuable asset for Cary.
Upcoming Meetings
Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday, August 5
5:15 p.m.
Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, August 5
6:00 p.m.
Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force
Tuesday, August 6
6:00 p.m.
Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting
Wednesday, August 7
6:30 p.m.
Town Council Meeting (Quarterly)
Thursday, August 8
1:00 p.m.
Mayor’s Mailbox
- A complaint about the Waverly Place rezoning proposal 23-REZ-12
- Two complaints about the Regency Holt rezoning proposal 22-REZ-19
- A complaint about the Piney Plains rezoning proposal 19-REZ-25
- A complaint about the Imagine Cary 2.0 process
- Five complaints about Cary’s budget and tax rate
- A complaint about a proposed rezoning on Walker Street (Council does not have a staff report on this yet)
- A complaint that we were in the top 10 for worst places to retire (Not true, we are in the top 10 for best places to retire)
- A complaint about beggers
Next Week
Next week’s activities include staff meetings, Human Relations Inclusion and Diversity meeting, Cary Chamber Leadership dinner, Council-Staff quarterly meeting, and activities related to the Cary Tennis Classic.
Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, August 11th, 2024. 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.
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