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!
How Cary Government Works
Cary’s government, like most cities in North Carolina, 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.
Cary Tennis Classic Board
On Monday night, I met with the Cary Tennis Classic Board. Much of our discussion focused on issues related to the former town manager. We also talked about the future of the Cary Tennis Park, particularly as interest grows in an expansion that would include pickleball.
We are well positioned not only to maintain the nation’s top public tennis facility, but also to attract tournaments that could generate millions of dollars in economic impact. The board will meet again next month as we continue preparations for the Cary Tennis Classic, which begins on June 28.
Muffins With the Mayor
On Friday morning, I met with approximately twenty senior residents as part of the Muffins with the Mayor program. I encouraged them to ask about any topic of interest, which ranged from noise sensitivity to housing density. After an hour and a half of discussion, the issue involving the former town manager had not been raised, so I brought it up myself and we discussed it as well.
I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and have asked staff to schedule another session as soon as possible.
As a side note, although neither I nor the council have offices at Town Hall, I hope to begin holding regular times to meet with residents who would like to sit down and discuss issues, as I continue to look for ways to increase transparency.
MLK Dreamfest Celebration
On Saturday night, I attended the MLK Dreamfest celebration at the Cary Arts Center alongside Council Members Bush, Craig, Richards, and Huang. Mayor Pro-Tem Bush delivered remarks and read a proclamation. The evening was a true celebration, featuring song, dance, poetry, and inspiring remarks from keynote speaker Rev. Jerome Gay Jr. The venue was filled to capacity, and the audience clearly enjoyed the program. Special thanks to our mistress of ceremonies, Kweilyn Murphy of ABC11, for guiding a wonderful evening.
Town Manager’s Weekly Report
Russ’s Message
Council,
As you may have seen, there is a chance for light snow late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon. Our Public Works staff is ready in the event we see any accumulation. As a reminder, Town Hall will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please refer to the news release for more details on closures and operations.
If you have some availability this weekend, I hope you can attend at least one of the annual Dreamfest events or programs. The full lineup of events is linked here. I hope you enjoy your weekend and please stay warm.
Russ
Interim Town Manager
311 Cases
311 handled 2,574 cases this week — here’s a breakdown of contact methods and our top 5 service areas.
Volume By Contact Method:
- Phone: 1,626
- Email: 397
- Web: 284
- Internal: 207
- Walk-In: 38
- Text: 9
- Social Media: 13
53.48% cases fell into these top 5 categories:
- Utility Billing & Services: 594
- Inspection Scheduling & Status: 289
- Permitting Inquiries & Payments: 203
- Water Meter Service & Requests: 180
- Loose Leaf Inquiries & Pickup: 105
2026 Biennial Survey
The Biennial Citizen Satisfaction Survey launched January 12, to assess how well Cary is delivering on its mission and to measure overall confidence in local government operations. Consultants working on behalf of Cary will contact a randomly selected representative sample of approximately 400 residents by phone. As in previous surveys, topics include public safety, services, communications, transportation, recreation, and the environment.
Green Level West Road Renaming Letters Mailed Out
In June of 2025, Council voted to rename a portion of Green Level West Road to High House Road, from NC 55 to Green Level Church Road, with an effective date of January 30, 2026. Wake County’s Board of Commissioners later voted to approve the renaming in August of 2025. This week, staff sent out the second reminder letter to property owners on Green Level West Road that will be re-addressed, along with an FAQ sheet on readdressing. Properties to be re-addressed will receive $300 to defray the costs of changing their address.
24-REZ-14 Weston PDD Amendment Balloon Test
On January 15, the applicants for 24-REZ-14 Weston PDD Amendment conducted a balloon test on site. A balloon was raised with a boom to a height of approximately 75 feet near the high point of the site, with the intent of providing neighbors with a reference for the visibility of the potential future building(s).
White Oak Greenway Maintenance
Nine storm drainage improvements along the White Oak Creek Greenway have been completed. These improvements extend from Jenks Carpenter Road to past N.C. 55 and are designed to more efficiently convey stormwater runoff away from the greenway trail. The upgrades will help reduce standing water and improve trail conditions during and after rainfall.
Chinese Lantern Festival Recap
The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival concluded another highly successful season at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, ending an eight-week run that welcomed 249,360 guests, 183 more than last year, and featured 22 sold-out nights during the holiday season. Celebrating its 10th year in Cary, the festival has grown into a beloved annual tradition since Tianyu Arts & Culture introduced it to North Carolina in 2015. In addition to its striking visual displays, the festival delivered meaningful community benefits by raising $7,014.61 for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and $7,659.49 for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina through online donations.
Three Kings Parade
The Town of Cary and Diamante Arts & Cultural Center concluded the holiday season with the 2026 Three Kings Day Parade along N. Academy Street and Town Hall campus. The event drew approximately 300 attendees and featured 20 colorful floats and community groups. The parade celebrated the cultural significance of Three Kings Day and highlighted the power of community partnerships to bring residents together.
Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting – February 4
The following neighborhood meetings will be held on Wednesday, February 4 at 6:30 p.m.
For more information and to register, please visit the Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting page.
Important Dates
Town Council Work Session
Tuesday, January 20
5:30 p.m.
Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, January 21
6:15 p.m.
Town Council Meeting
Thursday, January 22
6:30 p.m.
Q&A on Manager’s Resignation and Other Items
WithersRavenel Contract
Under North Carolina law, an elected official may work with a company that does business with the town. These situations are governed by G.S. 14-234.3, which addresses nonprofit board involvement, and G.S. Chapter 138A, which establishes broader ethical standards for state and local officials. Both statutes emphasize transparency, disclosure, recusal when appropriate, and the avoidance of even the appearance of impropriety, particularly in matters involving contracts or quasi-judicial decisions such as zoning.
I did not conduct business with the Town of Cary while contracting with WithersRavenel.
However, the negative environment created at Town Hall by the actions of former Town Manager Stegall has had a harmful impact on staff and the organization as a whole. In addition, a false narrative surrounding WithersRavenel has cast an unwarranted shadow over a homegrown company that has provided excellent service to the town for decades. I do not want the current environment to cause harm to any individual or business. The last thing we need is for good people or a good company to be unfairly damaged.
For these reasons, I have terminated my contract with WithersRavenel. I will not provide further interviews on this matter.
The following questions were addressed on my January 4th and January 11th blog:
- Was the $1.3 million in fraud returned to Cary? Yes …
- Why didn’t you know about the town manager’s behavior?
- When did you learn about the land purchase to Cary Elementary?
- Do you have conflicts of interest?
The questions that are new or updated are below.
Why did you give push back to a council member that wanted to move forward with changes now?
Multiple reviews are currently underway concerning the former town manager’s actions, including a third-party investigation and audit, an investigation by the North Carolina State Auditor, a Wake County District Attorney investigation, and an SBI investigation. Acting before these reviews are complete risks a “ready, shoot, aim” approach and could undermine sound decision-making. Responsible action requires full and accurate information.
We will continue to be open and transparent with the public and will share information as it becomes available.
I look forward to continuing to work with that council member and the full council team on the trust and transparency initiatives we have previously discussed.
How could you not know all the things the former manager was doing?
We function as a board of directors for the Town of Cary and are not involved in its day-to-day operations. We do not maintain offices at Town Hall and have limited contact with staff, typically only in the presence of the town manager. Our role is to establish policy. Our understanding of the organization is based on its performance and on information provided by staff. This structure is comparable to a corporate model in which the council serves as the board and the town manager serves as the CEO; as in a corporation, board members are not involved in daily operations.
This arrangement, known as the council–manager form of government, is used by nearly all municipalities in North Carolina. While there may be a perception that town staff report directly to me or that I hold ultimate authority, that is not accurate. Staff report to the town manager, who serves as the liaison to the town council and is responsible for staff actions and the information presented to council members. I am one of seven council members who collectively exercise authority over the town manager, town attorney, and town clerk.
The former town manager was highly adept at misleading both staff and council. He falsely warned staff of severe council repercussions from council if certain actions were not taken, while selectively providing differing information to individual council members.
Despite these challenges, the organization continues to perform at a high level, delivering an exceptional quality of life while maintaining the lowest tax rate in Wake County.
Did I know the book “Top of the Arc” cost the town $150,000?
No.
I am not aware of any current or former council member who knew of this. We were all interviewed for the book and were aware that it was being written, but there was no reason to believe that a personal endeavor would be funded by taxpayers. Needless to say, we were shocked to learn that taxpayer dollars were used for this purpose.
Why did you pay the town manager’s severance?
First, he has not been paid any severance and will not receive severance unless and until all terms of his contract are met. The town entered into an employment agreement with the former town manager in 2016 that provides six months of severance unless the manager committed a criminal act, a provision that is standard in employment contracts across the country. While his conduct was clearly harmful, no evidence of a criminal act has been presented to the town at this time.
Under the contract, the severance provision applies regardless of whether he resigned or was terminated. Had the town declined to honor the agreement, the former manager could have pursued legal action and likely still would have been entitled to severance, resulting in additional costs to taxpayers. Extended litigation also brought the risk of further harm, including the possibility of false statements or public disparagement of the town and its employees.
As of the past few days, the former manager has been under investigation by the Wake County District Attorney’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation.
What changes have you made and will you make?
At the November 20 council meeting, I made a motion, approved by the council, to ensure that all council meetings are streamed and televised. I viewed this as an essential first step toward greater transparency.
Second, the council has eliminated one-on-one meetings. Going forward, informational update meetings with the town manager will include two council members and the mayor, along with three additional staff members. These meetings are referred to as “3 x 4” meetings.
Although we do not maintain offices at Town Hall, I am exploring ways to establish regular times to meet with residents and discuss their concerns.
Additional changes will also be implemented in how the budget is reviewed.
Finally, the internal review being conducted by Womble, Bond, and Dickinson is expected to result in further procedural improvements.
Mayor’s Mailbox
- Concerns about taxes.
- Several complaints about the former manager’s contract.
- “I can only hope that you do not take responsibility for another person’s poor choice, and if you do, let go and let God. Move forward and continue the invaluable leadership that has made Cary a great community.”
- “As a 15-year resident I’ve observed all the good you have done for Cary. I and my family have benefited from your efforts. The township is much better off and is a great place to live.”
- “I appreciate you, and I believe that you are doing a good job as our mayor! Thank you for leading the Town of Cary with excellence for many years…I am disappointed to hear that several of my fellow citizens are blaming you and council members for the bad decisions made by our former town manager.”
- Complaints about the movie “The Voice of Hind Rajab” being shown at the Cary Theater.
- A request to develop a sister city relationship with Italy.
- Complaints about a proposal for apartments in Weston.
- A complaint about taxpayers’ dollars spent managing the downtown park.
- A complaint about ICE in Cary.
- A request to rewrite the Cary Community Plan and basically stop funding our sports venues.
Next Week
Next week’s activities include a Wake County Mayors Association meeting, a GRCVB (Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau, 3X4 meetings, two council work sessions, State of Cary slides prep, a CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) Executive Board meeting, and a regularly scheduled council meeting.
Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, January 25, 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.
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