Cary Chamber Leadership Conference, and OSA Report

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.

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 28th 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 28th 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 16th meeting. It was part of our June 23rd 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 16th meeting. It was part of our June 23rd 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 26th, 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!