Recommendations Committee Meeting
On Monday evening, the Council subcommittee tasked with developing policy recommendations based on the findings of the State Auditor and the firms Womble Bond Dickinson and Cherry Bekaert met for the third time.
The committee decided to move forward with creating a Resident Advisory Task Force to make recommendations regarding council compensation and allowances. A letter similar to the following will be sent to each advisory board:
“The Council Recommendations Committee recently received Council’s approval to create a Resident Advisory Task Force to assist Council in developing policies related to council-specific issues involving WBD, CB, and the OSA. Topics will include compensation and allowances for elected officials, as well as other related matters that may be identified by Council.
Council has asked each advisory board to select one member to serve on the task force. Members may volunteer or be nominated by another board member. Each board is asked to vote on its representative during its October meeting, or in early November if additional time is needed.
I will work with each of you this week to ensure this item is included on your upcoming agenda. When discussing this opportunity with your board, please share the following:
- The task force will include one representative from each advisory board.
- The first meeting is anticipated to take place during the third week of November.
- A recurring meeting day and time have not yet been established. The task force will determine its meeting schedule once membership is finalized.
Following your meeting, please send the name of your board’s selected representative to the Clerk’s Office.”
The Resident Advisory Task Force will meet remotely, and the public will be able to observe the meetings. No Council members will attend the task force meetings. A staff liaison will be available to answer questions and provide support.
The initial charge to the task force will be to:
- Recommend the Council’s total compensation.
- Recommend whether Council members should receive allowances, reimbursements, or flat compensation only.
- Recommend how Council compensation should be adjusted or increased over time.
Information provided to the task force will include current salary and compensation information, references from Lori Bush’s email to the Recommendations Committee, and relevant studies from Raleigh, Charlotte, and Wilmington.
The committee spent the remainder of its meeting discussing expenditure related to travel, training, and conferences. Council Member Richards will prepare a slide deck outlining next steps regarding travel, training, and conference-related expenditure at the next meeting. The next meeting of the Recommendations Committee is scheduled for October 22.
New Member Orientation
Thursday evening, I had the opportunity to present a brief State of Cary address to the new members of Cary’s nine advisory boards.
The presentation highlighted the important role our advisory boards play in shaping Cary’s future and covered a range of timely topics, including the manager transition, recent accolades, demographics, finances, the economy, development, street projects, transit, sustainability, housing, greenways and sidewalks, parks, sports venues, and the Imagine Cary Community Plan.
Round Rock, Texas Visit
Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of speaking with a group of about 40 people from Round Rock, Texas, including elected officials, city staff, and business leaders.
Round Rock is a fast-growing community of about 125,000 people just north of Austin. I spoke for about 15 minutes, followed by another 15 minutes of questions and discussion. I shared more about Cary, our national award recognitions, strong economy, demographics, and business climate. Much of the discussion centered on Cary’s approach to economic development and creating a strong environment for businesses to grow.
While it can be easy for those of us who live here to focus on what could be better, people from across the country continue to take notice of what makes Cary such a special community. I’m honored and grateful to serve a community that attracts this kind of national interest and recognition. It was a great reminder that there is a lot to be proud of in Cary.
Triangle Oktoberfest
Friday evening, I had the pleasure of joining Apex Mayor Gilbert, Morrisville Mayor Cawley, Cary Council Member Craig, and Cary Council Member Huong at the 12th Annual Triangle Oktoberfest.
This wonderful event is made possible through the collaboration of the Cary-MacGregor Rotary Club and the Apex Sunrise Rotary Club, with about a dozen Rotary Clubs from across the region also participating. Triangle Oktoberfest celebrates German culture here in the Triangle while supporting charitable organizations both in our community and around the world. Over the years, the event has raised more than $1 million for these causes.
This year, instead of tapping the keg as we have in previous years, I joined Mayors Gilbert and Cawley in a stein-hoisting contest. In true collaborative spirit, we ended up in a tie!
The evening was a fantastic celebration of German culture, featuring a traditional German band, authentic food and drink, wiener dog races, stein-hoisting competitions, and plenty of entertainment.
If you missed this year’s celebration, be sure to mark your calendar for next year’s Triangle Oktoberfest!
Town Manager’s Report
Council,
Russ and Danna joined several of you at the State of the County Address this week. The event covered a variety of topics, including parks and affordable housing. All 12 Wake mayors, including Mayor Weinbrecht, also shared video updates.
Later in the week, I met with a delegation from Round Rock, Texas, a city of about 141,000 just north of Austin, to discuss downtown redevelopment. The Chamber coordinated the visit, and the group toured Downtown Cary Park and the Cary Arts Center while they were here.
SAS also held an event celebrating its 50th anniversary. SAS has been headquartered in Cary for more than 40 years, so glad they call Cary home.
It was a full week, and a great reminder of the partnerships that have helped create the Cary we all enjoy.
Have a good weekend.
Scot Berry
Assistant Town Manager
Moving Forward Dashboard Updates
Cary has updated its Moving Forward Dashboard to reflect progress through this week, changing the status of eight recommendations to Development (OSA 01, OSA 03, OSA 06, OSA 07, OSA 12, WBD 03, WBD 04, and CB 05) and two recommendations to Research (OSA 11 and CB 02).
311 Monthly Snapshot
311 processed 11,515 new cases in September.
Volume by Contact Method
- Phone: 7,107
- Email: 1,607
- Web: 1,271
- Internal: 698
- Walk-In: 179
- Text: 576
- Social Media: 77
54.2% of cases fell into these top five categories:
- Utility Billing & Services: 2,368
- Inspection Scheduling & Status: 1,381
- Water Distribution System Inquiries & Requests: 1,150
- Permitting Inquiries & Payments: 727
- Water Meter Service & Requests: 618
Click here for a more detailed look at Cary 311 activity trends.
Emergency Preparedness Continues Beyond September
National Preparedness Month has ended, but preparedness continues year-round. Residents can prepare by reviewing household plans, refreshing supplies, and considering the needs of children, older adults, and pets. Sign up for ReadyWake alerts and Cary news releases to receive important updates, and visit Ready Cary for preparedness resources. Cary 311 provides non-emergency information and services. Call 911 for immediate threats to life or property.
Sustainability Tour at SCWRF
This Thursday, a group from the Senior Center joined staff to tour the South Cary Water Reclamation Facility (SCWRF) to learn about Cary’s approach to environmental stewardship and how wastewater is treated. The SCWRF features pollinator gardens, bee hives, and a 2.1MW solar array, in addition to being recognized as the Partnership for Clean Water Director’s Award recipient in 2026. A similar offering for adults is offered on Nov. 7, and still has availability for registration in RecTrac.
Women’s All-American Championships
The Tennis Park hosted the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Women’s All-American Championships Sept. 19-27. Nearly 250 top-ranked NCAA Division I women’s tennis players from across the nation competed for 10 singles and five doubles qualifying spots in the national championships later this fall.
American Dance Festival Recap
An estimated 1,200 people gathered at Downtown Cary Park’s Great Lawn Pavilion Saturday evening as the American Dance Festival returned for its second year. The contemporary dance showcase featured four festival-commissioned works by North Carolina choreographers. Attendees enjoyed the performances from blankets and lawn chairs in the cool autumn weather.
Important Dates
Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday, October 5, 5:15 p.m.
Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, October 5, 6:00 p.m.
Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, October 5, 6:30 p.m.
Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity Advisory Board
Tuesday, October 6, 6:00 p.m.
Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday, October 7, 12:00 p.m.
Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting
Wednesday, October 7, 6:30 p.m.
Town Council Work Session
Thursday, October 8, 5:00 p.m.
Town Council Meeting
Thursday, October 8, 6:30 p.m.
Mayor’s Mailbox
- Complaints about the Convenience Center being shut down. ((In the 1950s, the Town built the convenience center within the railroad right-of-way. The railroad has now requested the property back, and we have been given until the end of this year to vacate the site. We do have enough space at the current location to continue accepting yard and food waste. However, other materials will need to be taken to one of the county’s convenience centers, which are located within 15 minutes of virtually anywhere in Cary. As a side note, Cary was the only municipality in Wake County operating its own convenience center; all the other municipalities rely on county facilities. Building a new convenience center in Cary is estimated to cost more than $5 million, which would equate to approximately one penny on the tax rate. The Town Council voted, in a public meeting with public input, not to pursue a new facility, particularly given that county convenience centers are readily available to Cary residents.)
- A complaint about the Flatiron project at the west traffic circle (This project was approved years ago. The decision was an amendment to the developer agreement which, btw, saved Cary $1.5 million. Due to new guidelines by the legislature the project is not required to have parking however they will be providing sufficient parking.)
- A request to have a town hall (We are doing district meetings with the citizens, and I am doing “Muffins with the Mayor” – both are town hall style. That is, you can talk about whatever you want.)
- A complaint about Alston Commons that was approved. (Property owners have the right to develop as long as they abide by the Cary Community Plan. That plan was created by Cary citizens.)
Next Week
Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a domestic violence event, a Northwoods Elementary event, a council work session, and a council meeting.
My next post will be on Sunday, October 11th, 2026. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov. Note that all emails sent to me in my role as mayor are public documents.
Dashboard of Recommendations by Cherry Bekaert, OSA, and Womble Bond Dickinson
The latest updates on the Town’s actions in response to recommendations from Cherry Bekaert, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA), and Womble Bond Dickinson are available on the Town’s Moving Forward Dashboard. There are 39 recommendations in total. This link gives the progress on each of those recommendations:
https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/newsroom/bottom-line/moving-forward-dashboard
You can also sign up to receive notifications whenever the dashboard is updated.
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.
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 at the October 8th meeting.
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.
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!
