Harold's Blog

Meeting with Planning Director

Tuesday instead of my weekly one-on-one with the town manager, I spent the time with the Planning Director who was joining me in a presentation to the Home Builders Association the next day. We went over State of Cary slides and quarterly update slides to decide what to present.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force (HIRD)

Tuesday night I joined a meeting of the Human Relations, Inclusion, and & Diversity task force. The agenda included three items. The first item was a presentation of “Count Me In, Cary” from Environmental Manager Allyssa Campo. The second item was a discussion on accessibility options downtown park. The task force will be providing feedback before the opening on November 19^th. The last item was recommendations for communications as part of a public awareness event.

Home Builders Association Presentation

Wednesday morning, I joined Scot Berry, Cary’s Planning Director, in a presentation to the Home Builders Association. There were roughly two dozen attendees for this talk. I provided an updated and scaled down version of the State of Cary address and Scot gave an update on development activities for the last quarter. There were only a few questions, and the presentation was well received.

North Carolina Association of Senior Citizen Clubs

The North Carolina Association of Senior Citizen Clubs was holding their first annual conference since pre-Covid in Cary and invited me to provide a welcome. In addition to providing a welcome I gave them a few fun facts about Cary and talked about places they might consider visiting. I am grateful they decided to hold their annual conference in Cary.

Economic Development Committee

Wednesday night I joined Council members Smith and Robinson in a meeting of the EDC (Economic Development Committee).

The first item on the agenda was a presentation by Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar on the “Count Me In, Cary!” Initiative. She talked through data related to the environment and trends. While there were several eye-opening statements presented, one interesting statement that popped out is that the number of days reaching 105 degrees in Cary will average about 10 a year by 2035. Wow! Ms. Widmar also presented a set of draft goals, strategies, actions, metrics, and targets for Cary:

DRAFT Sample Energy Actions:

• Incentivize energy efficiency and electrification upgrades in existing residential and commercial buildings.
• Establish a benchmarking and disclosure policy requiring large commercial buildings to report on energy use annually and make commitments to improve their energy use.
• Connect residents with vetted contractors and service providers who can provide individualized recommendations for energy efficiency and electrification.
• Implement a community “Solarize” program to reduce the cost of solar through equipment bulk purchasing and streamlined installation.
• Promote workforce development and training for clean energy installations and net-zero construction.

DRAFT Sample Transportation Actions:

• Invest in pedestrian and bike infrastructure projects such as bike racks, traffic lights at pedestrian crossings, and shade structures.
• Launch an on-demand transit pilot project to enhance accessibility and connectivity.
• Incentivize the installation of EV charging stations in new commercial, multi-family developments, and single-family developments.
• Provide incentives for adoption of electric vehicles and EV charging among residents, businesses, and visitors.
• Partner with Wake Tech to establish an EV and charging infrastructure maintenance workforce development program.

DRAFT Sample Solid Waste Actions:

• Develop ordinance for multi-family apartments, commercial establishments, schools, and government buildings that phases in mandatory recycling and composting requirements.
• Create partnerships to enhance and market reuse programs and services.
• Support the growth of a market for reusable materials in Cary, including by partnering with businesses to offer consumer goods reduced packaging.
• Establish a public recognition program to recognize and reward businesses and organizations for waste reduction policies and practices.
• Explore local action to target use of single-use plastics (e.g., plastic bags, straws)

DRAFT Sample Waste Actions:

• Implement technical assistance programs to support residents and businesses to become more water efficient.
• Conduct targeted outreach to increase usage of reclaimed water in the private sector.
• Pilot a GSI grant program to incentivize commercial and residential properties with no stormwater control measures to implement best practices (e.g., open space, cisterns, rain gardens, basins and green roofs)
• Implement public-private partnerships to promote the use and maintenance of GSI.
• Enhance tools and resources to help residents and businesses install and maintain GSI on their property.

DRAFT Sample Natural Resources Actions:

• Create a best practice toolkit for multiple audiences (e.g., HOAs, renters) to enhance landscaping and other sustainability practices.
• Offer incentives to developers to install and maintain privately-owned public spaces.

DRAFT Sample Community Resilience Actions:

• Create a centralized online resource hub with information and resources relat4d to emergency preparedness.

The next item on the agenda was a Summary of Economic Development Activity from Jacki Roth who oversees Economic Development for the Cary Chamber. Her report included:

• Visits with about half a dozen existing Cary industries
• Business recruitment pipeline:
  • 2829 potential jobs
  • $644 million in potential capital investment
  • Industries mostly in advanced manufacturing &Life Science, corporate headquarters, consumer goods, and aerospace/aviation
• RDU Business Park by Merritt properties is moving forward again.
• Meetings with a couple dozen developers, commercial real estate brokers, and site consultants
• Meetings with regional collaborators in economic development

The last item on the agenda was a development update from Cary’s Economic Development Director, Ted Boyd. Here are some of my takeaways from his comments:

• A few of the fiscal and economic impacts of the Meridian East Chatham Project:
  • It will generate $1.55 million in development fees.
  • Development cost is estimated to be $87.5 million.
  • It is estimated to create 63 jobs.
  • It should be 70% complete by January 2024 and 100% complete by January 2025.
• Weston will experience significant change in the future. We are working with Highwoods Properties on several issues including mobility. The town will do a visioning exercise for the future of Weston.
• There is lots of interest in assemblage of properties in the downtown area. We are helping connect private parties together to help with design.
• There is interest in Crossroads for redevelopment.
• There may be another mixed-use node in Parkside Commons.
• The RFQ for the downtown campus produced eighteen submittals.
• The EDC will start providing the economic impact of large projects.
• In 2024 the EDC meetings will be aligned to occur before the council-staff retreat and council meetings.

The EDC meeting concluded in about 1 ½ hours.

NC Metro Mayors

The NC Metro Mayors did not meet this week, but a summary of legislative actions was provided by KTS Strategies:

Budget Update

Lawmakers returned to Raleigh this week and Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) announced that the House plans to take votes on the budget next week. 

Casino Proposal

House Republicans met on Tuesday to discuss outstanding budget items, including authorizing additional casinos in North Carolina.  State law currently allows casinos to be built only on tribal lands.  As reported by WRAL, one proposal would authorize four new casinos to be built in Rockingham, Nash, and Anson counties, with one allocated to the Lumbee Tribe in eastern North Carolina.  When asked about the meeting, Speaker Tim Moore said, “We don’t have anything to report back after the caucus, but probably will in the next couple of days.” Moore was also quoted saying that a proposal will not move forward without support from a majority of House Republicans, who currently hold seventy-two seats in the chamber.

ABC Bill

A proposed committee substitute (PCS) for S527, ABC Omnibus 2023, was heard in the House Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee this week.  The PCS would make several changes to state alcohol laws.  One of these changes would allow ABC stores to operate on Sundays and select holidays if they are petitioned to do so by the local board.  Another change would allow delivery and to-go sales of mixed beverages and wine, as was temporarily permitted by executive orders during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Four amendments were adopted, including one that would allow the sale of beer and wine at community college sporting events.  The bill was approved by the committee and has been referred to the House Finance Committee.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Thankfully, it’s been a long time since Cary has seen significant impacts from a hurricane, but there’s a chance that could change with Hurricane Lee. Staff are actively working together with their emergency management counterparts in our counties, as well as at the State, to ensure that Cary is prepared. Even if Lee stays offshore, its wind and rain could pose challenges for us to be ready for.
Because our jobs require us to work during the storm to help keep others safe and the community functioning, our focus right now is to encourage our staff to use this weekend to take steps to prepare themselves and their families for the storm and for the possibility of needing to be here with us rather than at home with loved ones.
Council, I know I speak for all of you when I say just how grateful we are for that level of personal sacrifice and commitment to Cary.
In appreciation,
Sean

Atlantic Tire Championships September 10 – 17

Cary will be hosting the Atlantic Tire Championships at the Cary Tennis Park from September 10 – 17. This is a Men’s Professional Challenger 75 and will be the second one hosted this year. Players in this event are usually ranked in the top 200 in the world. For tickets and more information, please go to the tournament website at AtlanticTireChampionships.com.

Carpenter Fire Station Road Bridge Progress

The contractor has begun staining the textured architectural concrete walls for the railroad overpass that supports CSX Railroad. The new railroad overpass spans the future east-west connector roadway that will ultimately connect Louis Stephens Drive to NC 55 Highway. The textured bridge walls are reminiscent of architectural features within and adjacent to the Historic Carpenter District. Staining is expected to be completed in September, and the new roadway is set to open to traffic in late Fall 2023.

New Signs in Native Gardens

Cary proudly supports native planting projects and more ecologically friendly landscaping practices that are designed to evolve with the changing seasons. These spaces help restore ecosystems, replenish groundwater, and provide habitat all year long even when plants are dormant. To underscore that native gardens look and function differently from traditional landscapes, approximately 30 temporary signs have been installed across town. These signs serve as physical reminders of Cary’s mission to grow resilient natural resources. Each sign has a unique website URL to deepen engagement opportunities.

Higgins Greenway Trail Invasive Plant Removal Project Launches

Cary will be performing an environmental project along the Higgins Greenway Trail from September 11 through the spring of 2024 to support our commitment to healthy urban forests and clean waterways. The project will include removing non-native invasive plants to maintain the best health of the existing native forests that surround the greenway trail. This area is an integral part of the Swift Creek Watershed, and healthy landscapes serve as a riparian buffer that protects water quality in our region. The work will be performed in stages so that portions of the greenway trail will remain open to the public for the project’s duration. The community is encouraged to visit the  project page to learn the specific locations of existing closures and to discover how you can join us in growing Cary’s urban forests by supporting native plants and wildlife in their own yards.

Programming for Native Plants and Prairies Ecosystems

Cary residents received an afternoon of tours and tips for protecting pollinators though an engagement opportunity at Good Hope Farm this week. Along with personalized information to transform their own lawns into native ecosystems, participants interacted with prairie habitats and native plant gardens. Live action performances from various birds, bees, and butterflies helped connect the concepts of the class and inspired students to join in Cary’s commitment to urban ecosystem restoration.

Cary Citizenship Scouting Event

In late September, Cary will host a ‘Citizenship in the Community’ Merit Badge experience for scouts. This event will include several activities, starting with an afternoon session on September 28 that explores the concept of ‘what it means to be a good citizen.’ After the session, participants will enjoy a pizza dinner prior to attending the September 28 Council meeting. The two-day experience will conclude with a full-day session on September 30, focusing on covering other badge requirements.
Registration for this event is limited to 50 scouts and will open at 9 a.m. on September 12. For further details, please visit the ‘Merit Badge Opportunities’ page or reach out to Rob Wilson for more information.

Upcoming Meetings

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, September 11
6:00 p.m.

Parks, Rec & Cultural Resources
Monday, September 11
6:15 p.m.

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, September 11
6:30 p.m.

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, September 12
6:00 p.m.

Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, September 13
6:30 p. m.

Council Meeting Work Session
Thursday, September 14
5:00 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, September 14
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A request for better street lighting in Fairview Estates.
• A request to light the arts center for ovarian cancer awareness on September 30^th.
• A request to meet with me about implementing C-COPS (I suggested they talk with the police chief and town manager first to learn what we already do in this area).
• A thank you for the town center park.
• A complaint about the Waverly Place rezoning (council has not seen this proposal yet).
• A complaint about the future connection of Middleton Avenue.
• A thank you for the signage at Walnut Street and Kildaire Farm Road.
• A complaint about I-440 graffiti.
  
  

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, attending the Atlantic Tire Championships, a CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s) Rail Subcommittee meeting, dinner with the past president of the USTA (United States Tennis Association), an Atlantic Tire Luncheon, Cary Chamber’s Business After Hours, a council work session, a regularly scheduled council meeting, playing George Washington at an event at Cary Christian Academy, a dragon boat festival rowing practice, dragon boat races, a campaign event for council member Ryan Eades, and presenting trophies at the Atlantic Tire Championships doubles and singles.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, September 17^th, 2023. 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.

San Diego

I spent most of this week in San Diego at a public works conference as part of my consulting job with a local engineering firm. There were two outings outside of work that I enjoyed.

The first was a dinner party with a couple thousand people on the deck of the USS Midway. That event included parachuters landing at the party and live entertainment on stage.

The second was a private tour of the PetCo Park which is the home of the San Diego Padres.

At the conference I saw all the latest and greatest public works machinery and software. It was very reaffirming that Cary is one of the national leaders in public works equipment and operations.

It was a great trip but absolutely exhausting. Needless to say I was glad to get home.

Mayor of Tampa

Earlier in the year I had met the Mayor of Tampa, Florida. So I felt it was important to reach out to her as they delt with the impacts of Hurricane Idalia:

“Mayor Castor,

I visited your beautiful city in May, and you were gracious enough to talk with us. I am thinking of you and your citizens as you navigate through the clean-up and recovery following the hurricane. While houses, streets, and other infrastructure takes time to be replaced, I know the Tampa community is strong and there to help each other.”

Mayor Castor’s response:

“Thank you Mayor. We fared well through the storm, some flood damage but no wind damage. Sad to see the damage in other areas. Appreciate you checking in on us!”

My thoughts and prayers are with all of those who knew the precious souls that lost their lives in this hurricane. I feel for those who lost property and know what it is like to lose everything to a disaster. It is a life-changing event.

Business North Carolina Magazine Interview

Friday morning I had a brief interview with a writer from Business North Carolina Magazine. Most of the interview was focused on Fenton and the Cary Town Mall site. We also talked about the history of Cary and how it has evolved over the years. The interview lasted about 15 minutes.

NC Metro Mayors

There was no meeting of the NC Metro Mayors Friday but there was a summary of legislative actions created by KTS Strategies:

Legislative Schedule

No votes or committee meetings were held this week as budget negotiations continued. Legislative leaders have said they expect to have a budget vote on the week of September 11th.  

Medicaid Expansion Update

NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley was quoted in a press conference on Monday saying Medicaid expansion will not launch by the expected start date of October 1^st due to the delay in finalizing a state budget. H76, now Session Law 2023-7, was passed by the legislature in March and would make North Carolina the 40^th state to expand Medicaid. Enactment of the program was tied to successful passage of the state budget and DHHS does not have the authority to move forward without final approval from the General Assembly. “It has become clear to us that we will not be able to have a budget passed in time and enacted, so we will not be able to go live with expansion at this time. Depending on how far it slips for them to give us the final authority to move forward, it could be December at the earliest, or it could be in early 2024,” Kinsley said when asked about the new launch date. If enacted, this legislation will increase the eligible population for Medicaid coverage to adults aged 18-64 who have incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. DHHS estimates this would extend health insurance coverage to more than 600,000 North Carolinians. 

Vetoed Bills

Last week, Governor Roy Cooper vetoed two pieces of legislation. To date, Cooper has vetoed sixteen bills this session. Below are the vetoed bills:

• S512, Greater Accountability for Boards/Commissions- This bill would change the composition and appointments structure of several state governing boards and commissions, resulting in less positions that will be appointed by the Governor. The bill would transfer some of the Governor’s appointments to elected state officials such as the Agriculture Commissioner, while others would be made by the General Assembly.
• S747, Elections Law Changes- The bill would require absentee ballots to be received by 7:30 PM on Election Day, prohibit private money from elections administration, and give more freedom to poll observers for watching the voting process. The bill also creates a ten-county pilot program that would implement a signature verification requirement for mail-in absentee ballots.

Cary Environmental Symposium

Friday night I joined council members Bush, Eades, and Johnson at the Cary Arts Center for the first Cary Environmental Symposium. I provided welcoming remarks before the featured speakers. The following is an excerpt from my remarks:

“Good evening! I am honored to welcome you to the 1st Tree Speaker Symposium, an event that celebrates not only the beauty of our trees but the critical role they play in sustaining life on our planet. Trees are not just silent witnesses to our history; they are active partners in shaping our future.

…

Cary takes great pride in its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Trees are not just part of our landscape but are an integral part of our being. They provide us with clean air to breathe, shade on hot summer days, and a sense of tranquility.

We understand the significance of trees and have taken steps to ensure their protection and growth. In Cary we currently have a canopy of just over 50% and we want to increase that with programs like our tree canopy preservation program that encourages responsible development and respects the natural environment. We also engage in tree planting initiatives – Our Tree, My Tree, involving our community members in efforts to expand our urban forests.

This past year, many of you were involved in our Count Me In, Cary initiative – our campaign that explores the impacts of climate change, identifies challenges and opportunities, and implements solutions that work for us. I encourage each of you to stay involved throughout the program. Over the coming months, we will assess potential impacts our community has on climate change and the environment, and then create a strategy for action.

In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers, speakers, and attendees for coming together to celebrate the beauty and importance of trees. I hope you leave this symposium with a renewed sense of purpose, determined to be the stewards that our planet so desperately needs. …”

The event lasted a couple of hours.

North Carolina Youth Classical Arts for Charity

Saturday evening, I attended a charity event at West Cary Middle School held by the North Carolina Youth Classical Arts. They performed classical music from Southern India to raise money those in need. One group in need was a blind school for women in India. It is the only blind school in India and does not receive government funds. Those performing at this event were students from NC State, UNC, and Panther Creek High School. I am grateful that they were not only sharing their talents to enrich our lives but were raising money for a good cause.

Misleading Information from Candidate

Unfortunately a candidate for the Cary Council used the shooting tragedy in Chapel Hill this week as a platform to make promises to improve school security, talk with the police chief, and get more school resource officers. There are several concerns about these types of promises:

• It implies that our schools are not safe.
• It implies that our police chief and department need direction and are not doing their job adequately.
• It does not mention that Cary already funds school resource officers in all high schools and has officers in middle schools and elementary schools.
• It does not consider that the school board, not Cary, makes decisions on school resource officers.
• It does not mention how additional school resource officers would be funded.
• It does not mention that safety is a partnership with the police department and not strictly an issue for the police.

My recommendation is for this candidate to sit down with the police chief now instead of waiting until the election. Our officers will gladly talk about safety measures being taken to keep our town and children safe. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don’t mislead the public and make them feel unsafe. While we are consistently ranked as one of the safest communities in the nation, that safety recognition means nothing if our citizens don’t feel safe.

It is also important to know that our police department will talk with anyone at any time about safety and how you can make yourself safer. We have one of the greatest police departments in the nation and I would put them up against any department anywhere. So if you have concerns just call them.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

This week I had the opportunity to present at a Cary Rotary Club meeting at MacGregor Downs Country Club. During the meeting, I shared our collective vision for Cary and outlined key projects expected to be completed by the end of this year, along with the inspiring concepts that will shape our future. It was a pleasure to engage with the members, address their questions, and discuss Cary’s bright future.
Have a great Labor Day weekend. 
Sean

Thinking of Tampa

As Hurricane Idalia threatened Florida’s west coast earlier this week, Mayor Weinbrecht connected with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to share Cary’s hopes and well-wishes. The two Mayors got to know each other in May during the Cary Chamber’s Intercity Visit. Mayor Castor said that Tampa faired relatively well and that her thoughts are with coastal neighbors who were suffering, and she thanked Mayor Weinbrecht for reaching out. 

Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival 2023

What an incredible weekend at Lazy Daze! The record heat couldn’t hold us back, and the forecasted rain stayed away, giving us the perfect setting for an unforgettable experience. With a massive turnout of over 50,000 attendees, the energy was electric from start to finish. The music was on point, the art was inspiring, and the sense of community was heartwarming. From the new Pixel Wall to the Paint by Number, the food trucks to the cultural celebrations, to the hundreds of artists showcasing their work, Lazy Daze 2023 was a great success. Shoutout to everyone who volunteered, visited, purchased art, ate delicious food, sang & danced, and celebrated with us.

Cary Microtransit Feasibility Study RFP

Staff released a Microtransit Feasibility Study RFP this week to select a consultant to analyze the current GoCary service area and offer flexible solutions to provide transit service to parts of Cary that aren’t quite ready for a fixed route. The study will include a robust public engagement component, so stay tuned to GoCary.org for details. Contact Kevin Wyrauch, Senior Transit Planner, with any questions.

Delivering Customer Service

At the Council meeting on April 13, during the Viridis rezoning public hearing, Ms. Kelli Jackson, who lives on K.C. Farm Road just outside of Cary Town Limits, shared concerns about her mail delivery on Green Level West Road. Specifically, she asked if the Town could help her, and her neighbors get the United States Postal Service (USPS) to move their mailboxes. Even though Ms. Jackson and her two neighbors live on the south side of the road, their mailboxes are located on the north side, necessitating that they cross Green Level West Road every day to get their mail. Through the expertise of Assistant Development Services Director Rob Wilson, Jess Stanford who works in Planning and leads Cary’s addressing efforts, and the USPS, the mailboxes were moved to the south side of the street on August 27. 

Lake Grove Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Improvements

Transportation staff had been in contact with community members who raised concerns about the lack of warning devices when crossing Lake Grove Blvd. Staff from transportation, stormwater and community projects worked together to identify improvements that enhance pedestrian visibility at the intersections, provide better access for stormwater maintenance, and prepare for a future greenway connection. Staff met with community representatives and garnered support for the project, after which project funding came from the Spot Traffic Safety Improvement Program.

Lake Pine Drive Improvement Project Complete

The Towns of Cary and Apex have been working collaboratively through a Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s (CAMPO) Locally Administered Project Program (LAPP) grant to improve Lake Pine Drive from east of Pine Plaza Drive/MacGregor Plaza Drive to the Apex/Cary town limits (northeast of Versailles Drive). This jointly funded project added turn lanes, bike lanes, additional sidewalks, a street-side trail, and a pedestrian refuge island to increase safety and mobility in this corridor. Final pavement markings were added to the newly constructed road to complete the project.

Dig In and Grow Green This Fall with Environmental Outreach

Cary residents are encouraged to Dig In and Grow Green this fall with an extensive lineup of environmental activities now through December. In keeping with our commitment to build collaborative and attainable stewardship strategies for a sustainable future, this campaign has opportunities for residents of all ages and stages. The possibilities abound whether they are interested in natural resources, energy, water quality, waste diversion, or simply enjoying an outdoor activity in our beautiful community! The events, hosted in partnership with regional groups, include diverse hands-on experiences like joining an educational tree walk, learning about native plants, celebrating the harvest with local farmers, art-based children’s programs, exploring residential solar, talking with wetland experts, picking up free compost, and more. Staff are encouraged to help promote the campaign by pointing curious community members to the one-stop-shop web calendar at carync.gov/green.

Upcoming Meetings

Human Rel. Inclusion, & Diversity
Tuesday, September 5
 6:00 p.m.

Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday. September 6
2:00 p.m.

Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, September 6
5:15 p.m.

Virtual Neighborhood Meeting
Wednesday, September 6
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about picking up yard waste.
• A request for a legacy park bench.
• Compliments to all the town staff and volunteers for a successful Lazy Daze.
• A request to introduce someone to the town manager.
• A complaint about a proposed rezoning at Waverly Place (council has yet to see anything).
• A complaint about multiple yard diggings by communication companies.
• Complaints about insurance for volunteer groups. (The town is paying the insurance)
• A complaint about granting the gas utility franchise without talking about carbon emissions. (State grants most authority for these utilities)

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a meeting of the HIRD (Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity) task force, an HBA presentation with the town manager, welcoming remarks at the NCASCC (NC Association of Senior Citizen Clubs) Conference, an Economic Development meeting, and a NC Metro Mayors meeting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, September 10^th, 2023. 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.

Council Meeting Prep

Monday I contacted each council member to see if they had questions or concerns about the upcoming council meeting agenda. Some expressed concerns about the Trinity Road rezoning which was scheduled as a public hearing.

Later in the day I met with staff and Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz to go over the agenda items.

Town Manager One-On-One

My last meeting on Monday was my weekly meeting with the town manager. Topics of discussion included Accessory Dwelling Units, downtown trolleys, the future expansion of the tennis center, the future Mills Park Community and Senior Center, and the future center at South Hills.

Cary 2^nd Best Places to Live in Southeast According to Livability

I was notified this week that Cary was ranked the 2^nd best place to live in the Southeast by Livability. Here is what they said about Cary:

“Nestled between the stunning Western Carolina mountains and the famous East Coast beaches of the Outer Banks, Cary, NC, uses its enviable location to its advantage. Located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, Cary is in the center of the Research Triangle Area, which places the city less than 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. This central location and its proximity to the Research Triangle Park — the largest research park in the U.S. — make Cary one of the best places to live in the Southeast. With a robust job market, the city of 180,341 is known as a hotspot not only for employees of the Research Triangle Park but also for entrepreneurs looking to launch new businesses. 

Although Cary has the amenities of a large city, including a great restaurant and bar scene, it retains an affordable cost of living and a small-town feel, reflected in the high safety rating given by background check company GoodHire. In 2022 they named Cary, NC, the safest city in the United States. Locals noted that they feel safe running or walking the quaint neighborhoods and greenways. But the safe, close-knit environment isn’t the only reason Cary is desirable for young families. The schools here are fantastic. According to Public School Review, which analyzes and evaluates the quality of public schools, Cary has one of the highest concentrations of top-ranked public schools in North Carolina.  

Finally, Cary is a flourishing city that offers a fantastic arts scene (gorgeous public art, galleries and more), a variety of eateries, must-visit breweries and great sporting events. Baseball fans can rejoice as Cary is home to the USA Baseball National Training Complex.” 

We are blessed to be recognized as one of the best places to live year after year.

Governor and Tools4Schools

Tuesday I joined the Governor and several elected officials from Cary and the state government in a tour of Tools4Schools in Cary. This store was created by WakeEd Partnership to provide school supplies for 11,000 Wake County teachers for free. If you would like to donate to this great cause, go to their website here.

The Governor arrived and spent time talking and taking pictures with teachers before greeting elected officials. Then he talked with the media before donning an apron and helping the volunteers. The Governor was there a little over an hour.

Downtown Park Tour

Tuesday afternoon I joined council members Robinson and Smith on a tour of the downtown park which is in its final stages of construction. This was the first tour of the park that I have had in months, and much has changed. You can now get a good look and feel at how it will be experienced. I am eager for the opening on November 19^th.

Cary Candidates Forum

I attended the Cary Chamber’s Candidates forum Wednesday morning at Prestonwood. Each candidate was asked three questions. Unfortunately, the candidates had basically the same answers for each of the questions on Bus Rapid Transit and Affordable Housing so there wasn’t as much to gain from listening to them as I had hoped. From my seat it appeared that Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz was the strongest candidate with Ryan Eades second. There were candidates that echoed, almost word for word, a party platform on affordable housing. I still believe that party politics in Cary is a great threat to our success.

As a reminder, I am endorsing incumbents in this election so you can take my comments as somewhat biased.

Diwali Dance Practice

Wednesday evening, I joined about a dozen people from Cary, Apex, and Morrisville to practice dancing at Diwali in October. While they have been practicing for months this was only my third practice due to a variety of reasons. I will be dancing three of the dances, one includes a duet with Mayor Cawley of Morrisville.

Lazy Daze Reception with Town Crier

Thursday evening, I joined a few dozen people for a reception to welcome John and Mary Webster from our sister city Markham, Canada. John Webster is an award-winning town crier and has been Cary’s official town crier for the last 19 years. At the reception I gave a few remarks and presented him with a small gift. John also made remarks and presented a letter from Mayor Scarpitti.

Council Meeting

The last regularly scheduled council meeting of August was held Thursday night and included a special presentation, one consent item, five public hearings, and one discussion item.

Our town crier read a proclamation for Lazy Daze and presented a proclamation from our sister city’s mayor in Markham, Canada.

A rezoning proposal for townhomes at Trinity Road and Deerwood Place generated several speakers criticizing the proposal. Concerns included additional traffic, stormwater, and not fitting in with surrounding houses. This will next go to the Planning and Zoning Board for their review and recommendation.

The council meeting concluded after about an hour and a half.

NC Metro Mayors

The North Carolina Metro Mayors met Friday and were provided a legislative update. The following is an update summary from KTS Strategies:

Legislative Schedule and Budget Update

Following a flurry of votes last Wednesday, this week was quiet at the General Assembly. No votes or committee meetings were held by either chamber. A state budget has yet to be finalized and legislative leadership continues to negotiate. Senior House Appropriations Chair, Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), is one of the leaders responsible for writing the budget. He was quoted this week saying the current plan is to have a budget vote on the week of September 11^th. There will not be substantive legislative activity over the next couple of weeks and we may not see any more votes or committee work until after Labor Day.

Casino Proposal

On Monday, Rockingham County Commissioners unanimously voted to approve a rezoning request that opens a 192-acre lot along U.S. 220 for potential development of a casino and entertainment district in the county. State law currently allows casinos to be built in North Carolina only on tribal lands. The General Assembly would have to change the law to authorize this development. One of the items currently being discussed in budget negotiations is whether to allow more casinos to be built in the state. As reported by WRAL, one proposal would authorize four new casinos to be built in Rockingham, Nash, and Anson counties, with one allocated to the Lumbee Tribe in eastern North Carolina. Senate President Pro Tempore, Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), and other legislative leaders have said the state should consider authorizing more casinos, but several members have expressed opposition for expanding gambling in the state. It is unclear at this point if the casino proposal will gain enough support to become law.

Lazy Daze Opening

Saturday morning, I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz, council members Bush, Smith, and Eades at the open ceremony of the 47^th Lazy Daze.

The Park Director was the emcee and first introduced the founder, Jerry Miller.

This was followed by a reading of a proclamation from the town crier John Webster. The Cary High School band then played the Star-Spangled Banner, and I followed them with remarks. I noted that there were 250 artists, crafts, and performers from 15 states here. I had a great time talking with people and having my picture made with our special guests.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Our cocreated culture has produced some amazing results, few more special than when we get to elevate a superstar and help the organization at the same time. It’s through that lens that I share the great news that Heather Whelehan has moved from her role as Principal Planner to the Director of Housing and Community Partnerships. Heather will oversee housing programs, policy, and partnerships to further goals of the Imagine Cary Community Plan and the Cary Housing Plan.
Prior to her work in Cary, she served as the Homeownership Director at the Massachusetts Housing Partnership Fund, a quasi-public housing finance agency in Boston where she led housing efforts with communities throughout the state. Heather holds a B.A. in Public Administration and Spanish from Miami University and a Masters in Public Administration from Northeastern University. She lives in Cary with her husband Tim and their five children: Colin, Norah, Meredith, Sloane, and Finola.
Promotions like Heather’s work because it’s never just about one department or program’s gain; it’s also about recognizing and addressing the real impact this has on those who will experience true loss in the change. Chief Human Resources Officer Renee Poole and her staff will be working closely with Chief Development Officer Scot Berry to take full advantage of the opportunity Heather’s move is creating to find new talent to add to our pool of incredible employees.
Another highlight from this week is that we surpassed one million cases created through Cary 311, primarily through phone calls but also via our website, email, social media, in-person interactions at Town Hall, and text messaging.  Cary’s interest in creating 311 is how Assistant Town Manager Dan Ault and I were introduced to Cary, and I’m so proud of this shared accomplishment that reflects the extensive effort to create a dynamic and responsive platform involving staff from all parts of the organization and our citizens alike.
Have a great weekend.

Sean

Tools4Schools Event

On Tuesday, Governor Cooper was joined by Mayor Weinbrecht, Council Members Bush, Johnson, and Eades, Assistant Town Manager Shelley Curran, and other elected officials at the WakeEd Partnership’s Tools4Schools store in Cary. Tools4Schools provides teachers in North Carolina’s largest school district with free school supplies to help ensure that all students in the Wake County Public School system have access to necessary supplies.

ONE Wake New York Housing Tour

Cary Housing & Community Partnerships staff Heather Whelehan and Mary McKay visited the Nehemiah Spring Creek development in East Brooklyn, New York City this week. Representatives from Cary and Wake County joined ONE Wake member organizations to tour the mixed-use development that includes apartments, townhouses, senior housing, a school, several public parks, small neighborhood businesses, and a large-scale shopping center. Silver Creek has grown in phases since the 1990s into a thriving, walkable, urban community with tree-lined streets and solar power. It is known for its mix of affordable residential choices including the Nehemiah homeownership model which has provided opportunity to over 600 first-time homebuyers. 

Lazy Daze Arts and Crafts Festival 2023

Staff, artists, vendors, volunteers, and the Cary community are gearing up for an unforgettable weekend at the 47th annual Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival on Cary Town Hall Campus. Exciting new additions are in store for this year’s festival, including an Interactive Pixel Wall and the Lazy Lounge Hammock Grove.

Of course, the returning favorites will also be present, including over 250 artists, professional craftsman demonstrations, 25 food vendors, kids’ areas, and interactive art experiences like our giant paint by number. With an anticipated attendance of 60,000 over the course of two days, Lazy Daze promises an exciting atmosphere of creativity, relaxation, and entertainment.

Reopening of South Harrison Avenue, Dry Avenue, and West Park Street

South Harrison Ave has made significant progress over the last three months: new water mains, new sewer mains, corrected storm drainage, a new sidewalk, ADA ramps and curb, enhanced landscaping, and now a freshly resurfaced roadway. By this evening, the contractor for the annual water main replacement project, Carolina Civilworks, will remove all traffic control measures associated with the closure of South Harrison Ave between Chatham St and Faculty Dr, allowing it to reopen for through traffic. Traffic control measures on W. Park St and Dry Ave will also be removed.
The road closure will now shift to the south of Faculty Ave as we continue our infrastructure improvements in the area between Heater Dr and Faculty Ave over the next several months. We have coordinated with Cary Elementary School to ensure a safe carpool queue during the road closure south of Faculty Ave, and Police will be on hand for the start of the school year. Further updates will be provided as we proceed with additional phases of the planned water main replacement project.

ADA Curb Ramp Repairs

Several ADA curb ramp repairs have been successfully completed along Lochmere Drive in response to residents’ concerns. Staff from Public Works, Facilities, and Transportation have collaborated to enhance ten curb ramps at three intersections along Lochmere Drive. These repairs have made the sidewalk facilities in the area accessible to all users.

Bond Lake Dam Improvements and Public Meeting

The Wake County government and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service of North Carolina (NRCS) are planning to make improvements to the Bond Lake dam and spillway. Bond Lake dam has been well maintained and may be eligible for upgrades such as changing the outlet structure on the primary spillway, increasing the height of the dam, and modifying the spillway to help with potential erosion.
Because Cary owns the lake, staff will attend an inter-agency scoping meeting to discuss the design, timeline, and site plan approval along with other technical questions. This meeting will be held on August 30 from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Cary Senior Center. Wake County and NRCS are also hosting a public informational meeting on August 30 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at the Cary Senior Center.
More information is available at www.wake.gov/ccwp and digital comments can be submitted to gsa.requestcenter@wake.gov.

“Fly Away Home” Gets a Trim

Members of the Public Art Advisory Board gathered for a work meeting at Carpenter Park for their August session to trim and tuck in willow branches on the Patrick Dougherty willow sculpture, “Fly Away Home.” This living sculpture is greatly cherished by residents in the western neighborhoods of Cary. The Board, along with a few additional volunteers, dedicated their time to its maintenance, ensuring doorways and windows remain accessible.

Restoring the Carpenter Park Hillside

The hillside at Carpenter Park is now another shining example of organic landscaping practices and ecosystem restoration efforts that Cary is exploring. In July, the project began with the identification of the native plants and trees installed in late 2020 (including elderberry, crabapples, mulberry, sumac, and more) and the clearing of overgrowth between and around these plants with machinery, manual labor, and organic herbicide. From there, over 220 cubic yards of a mixture of organic compost, topsoil, and additional amendments were worked into the earth to kickstart soil regeneration and prepare a bed for seedlings to sprout. Having just been watered in and protected with a layer of straw, we now eagerly await the germination of native grasses (like Creeping Red Fescue, Indiangrass, Little Bluestem, and Switchgrass) and 22 native flowers including Yarrow, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Coneflower, Lupine, and Golden Rod. When established, these edible perennials, flowers, and grasses will provide additional habitat and support for pollinators and wildlife while reducing maintenance needs and ornamenting this beloved park.

Pollinator Ecosystem Yield Sweet Rewards

Successful beekeeping at South Cary Water Reclamation Facility (SCWRF) in 2022 lead to a nine-month trial period beginning March 2023 for staff and volunteers to expand pollinator protection efforts across town and to nurture honeybees at other locations like five of Cary’s fire stations and the Cary Senior Center Garden. While honey in the first year is generally saved for the bees to self-feed during winter, Cary’s hives are doing well with the assistance of dozens of recently installed native pollinator gardens across town. As staff and volunteers enter the next phase of learning about beekeeping, a couple of frames from each hive were able to be harvested this summer for people to share. At the end of July, staff across departments and Senior Center volunteers gathered at Fire Station 2 to be educated on the honey harvesting process by firefighter “Bee Lead” Davis Hodges. The success midway through the pilot has exceeded expectations and staff are moving towards long-term sustainable approaches for these precious golden drops. As honey cannot be harvested again until summer 2024, this time will be used to evaluate existing and develop new policy and procedures associated with pollinator ecosystems, bees, and honey.

2023 Annual Wastewater Report

Cary’s 2022/2023 Annual Wastewater Report is now available online, offering insights into Cary’s wastewater treatment facilities and sewer system. The report provides quick facts about our utility, descriptions of our treatment facilities, system metrics, and tips to keep the system working smoothly and the environment free from sewer spills. A new addition to this year’s report is a graphic about how Cary inspects and manages its more than 1,000 miles of sewer pipelines. We are happy to once again show that our award-winning water reclamation facilities had another exceptional year of performance.

Wake County 2023 U.S. Army Be All You Can Be Clash

On Saturday, Cary hosted American football for the first time ever at WakeMed Soccer Park. Cary, Wake County Public School System Athletics, and the US Army came together to create the first annual Be All You Can Be Clash, which served as the kickoff event for high school football in Wake County. This event, along with TST and NCAA Lacrosse, are showcasing our sports venues as versatile and nimble as staff continues to expand creative uses.

Summer Shape Up

Maintaining an active lifestyle is a key component of preventive care, which can help manage long-term health care and health care costs. To support our employees in their wellness journey, Cary hosted a six-week “Summer Shape Up” fitness challenge led by WakeMed, our wellness partner. The 55 employees who completed the challenge learned healthier habits while increasing their strength, flexibility, and endurance through a host of offerings including instructor-led cubicle workouts, boot camp, and TheraBand classes. With a focus on fitness, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and mindfulness, Cary’s staff sizzled in successfully shaping up this season.

Upcoming Meetings

Parks & Open Space Plan Public Workshop
Ritter Park Rotary Shelter
Monday, August 28
6:30 p.m.

Parks & Open Space Plan Public Workshop
Cary Senior Center
Tuesday, August 29
1:00 p.m.

Parks & Open Space Plan Public Workshop
Mills Park Elem. School
Tuesday, August 29
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint that a part-time town employee is not allowed to work more.
• A request for Cary’s plan for more pickleball courts.
• A complaint about power outages in Cary.
• A complaint about the Trinity Road rezoning proposal.
• A request for lighting up the Cary Arts Center for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
• A request for a legacy bench at Regency Lake.

Next Week

Next week I will be in San Diego most of the week for work. When I return my activities include staff meetings, a meeting with Amtrack’s Government Affairs Manager, a meeting of the North Carolina Metro Mayors, the 2023 Cary Environmental Symposium, and the North Carolina Youth Classical Arts for Charity.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, September 3^rd, 2023. 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.

Cary Chamber 2023 Education Event

Monday I participated in the Cary Chamber’s Education Golf event held at MacGregor Downs Country Club. Proceeds from the tournament benefit Educational Programs including Honor A Teacher and First Year Teacher awards. My group was council member Jack Smith and two members from the business community. We had a great time, and it was for a great cause.

Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships Board Meeting

Monday night I met with the Atlantic Tire Tennis Championship board to discuss the professional tournament that just completed and the one coming up on September 10^th. The tournament that just completed had 2,756 attendees, 138 volunteers, 120 ball persons, with $2817 in concession sales. That is not bad considering this was an ATP tournament we agreed to hold in addition to the normal tournament we hold every September. Our tournament starting on September 10^th will include the Cary Chamber After Hours with the USTA Immediate Past President Mike McNulty. Can’t Wait!

Candidate Taping for Cary TV

Tuesday I gave my presentation for Cary TV as a candidate for mayor. I decided to do this even though I am unopposed because I wanted voters to know the importance of keeping Cary apolitical. Here are the remarks I spoke from:

“My name is Harold Weinbrecht, and it has been an honor for me to serve as your mayor for the past 16 years. This election cycle I am running unopposed so I would like to take this opportunity to talk about Cary, my colleagues, and highlight the potential danger that threatens Cary’s success.

During my terms as mayor, we have seen Cary become one of the most desirable places to in the country live, work, play, and run a business in the country, all while having the lowest tax rate in Wake County. Cary today is diverse, well educated, environmentally friendly and economically strong and it is my goal to make it even better.

But can’t do it alone. It takes a great nonpartisan council.

Like council member Ryan Eades, who is running in District D. He is fighting hard to make sure district D and western Cary gets the roads, parks, and other resources it needs all while protecting the environment.

And Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz, who was flagbearer for downtown redevelopment. With his leadership we are seeing the citizens’ vision being implemented today.

And council member Lori Bush who is on a mission to create affordable housing in Cary.

As great as Cary is it can change in one election. If partisan politics makes its way into Cary government, we will see divisiveness and gridlock that plagues our state and national government today. And there are partisan candidates in this election! For Cary to continue to be a strong community well into the future we will need a strong, nonpartisan council.

I urge you to research the candidates before you vote on October 10^th and keep partisan politics out of Cary. Thank you for voting and thanks for calling Cary home.”

My delivery of this message was not as clean as my usual talks, but it was quickly written and not rehearsed. Again, the main purpose was to get the message out about the potential danger of partisan politics in Cary.

I have a standing practice that I endorse incumbents but support all candidates.

Campaign Misinformation

Wednesday I was sent misinformation being spread by a candidate which is misleading and can have harmful long-term consequences. The candidate said:

“And when people say that schools aren’t a concern for Town Hall – I will say that the decisions the Council makes on zoning and growth directly impacts our schools. …”

There are several misleading implications with this statement. Let try and address some of these:

Schools and Relationship

While the building and operating of schools is the responsibility of the county, Cary partners with the school system in many ways to help. We build roads and sidewalks for them and provide school resource officers at Cary taxpayer expense. We build and share ballfields with them (Mills Park) or build and share community centers with them (Middle Creek). In fact, we bought and saved land for parks, infrastructure, and schools (Mills Park).

Schools are and should be planned based on land use. That information is provided to the county and the school board years in advance of anything being rezoned and built to allow the schools to plan accordingly. Cary’s land use plan is part of the Cary Community Plan which was created by Cary citizens and approved by the council in 2017. It is currently being reviewed for updates.

School overcrowding is simply a lack of funding, not lack of planning. Land values in the county have skyrocketed and so have construction costs. In addition, the school board’s plans must be funded by the county commissioners. It is a mother-may-I situation. County Commissioners are playing catch up and have significantly raised your taxes this year as a result.

Are we in communication with the schools? Absolutely, and have been for decades. To imply that we are creating problems for schools and not communicating with them is very misleading.

Building and Zoning

For anything to be built in Cary it must fit with the Cary Community Plan and have a zoning that matches the plan. If a proposal is reviewed by staff, the advisory board, and the council and is said to match the plan and the rezoning proposal is denied then there is danger of litigation. A denied zoning proposal can be reapplied in one year unless an exception is granted by the council. It should be noted that the population in this region will likely double in the next few decades, so thinking that denying a zoning for a future lower density is unlikely. In summary, the old cliché “be careful what you ask for” comes to mind. The council can deny a rezoning, but it could be something much denser in the future. Does that mean every rezoning should be approved? Of course not. But you should approach every proposal as to what is the best it can be, does it meet the Cary Community Plan, and is it the best use of the land.

It is concerning that this candidate does not possess the knowledge to understand what is going on with schools and how to address the problem. Please know that I will continue to address additional campaign misinformation as I receive it.

As a reminder, I am endorsing incumbents but will help all candidates.

CAMPO

Wednesday afternoon I participated in the meeting of CAMPO’s (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s) Executive Board.

The agenda had 5 consent items which included: the 2025 – 2030 Wake Transit Bus Plan, FY 2023 Period of Performance Extension Requests, CAMPO Personnel Policy, Resolutions of Support for US 1A Designation Removal and US 70 Rerouting, and Locally Administered Projects Program Additional Funding Request. All items were approved unanimously without discussion.

There were four public hearings on the agenda which included: Update to the CAMPO Public Participation, Title VI, and Limited English Proficiency Plans, Locally Administered Projects Program (LAPP) FFY2025 Proposed Changes and Target Modal Mix, 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan Amendment Air Quality Conformity Determination Triangle Regional Model Update, and FY 2024-2033 Transportation Improvement Program. All public hearings were held with no speakers and items were approved unanimously.

The regular agenda included four items for information. The items discussed were FY 24 UPWP – Amendment #1, Amendment #13 to FY2020-2029 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), Prioritization 7.0 Modal Candidate Project Lists, and the 2020 Urbanized Area and MPO Boundary Update.

One thing to note from the meeting is that demand for funding in our region far exceeds state’s ability to fund transportation projects for the next decade and beyond. It appears to me that the legislature will need to make decisions to help solve this lack of funding. One quote from the meeting sums it up: “I don’t believe division 5 even has enough money to fill potholes.”

The meeting concluded after a little over an hour.

District 16 Update from Senator Adcock

Thursday morning I received a district update from Senator Gale Adcock. The following is an excerpt from her update:

NC prepares to implement Voter ID   

Beginning with 2023 fall municipal elections, North Carolinians will be required to present photo identification to vote. 

Acceptable Photo IDs for Voting

Any of the following that is unexpired, or expired for one year or less:

• North Carolina driver’s license
• State ID from the NCDMV (also called “non-operator ID”)
• Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia or U.S. territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election)
• U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
• North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections
• College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections
• State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections

Note: A voter 65 or older may use an expired form of acceptable ID if the ID was unexpired on their 65th birthday.

Any of the following, regardless of whether the ID contains an expiration or issuance date:

• Military or veterans ID card issued by the U.S. government.
• Tribal enrollment card issued by a tribe recognized by the State or federal government.
• ID card issued by an agency of the U.S. government or the State of North Carolina for a public assistance program.

How to get a free ID

Registered voters without one of these forms of ID can get a free ID used for voting from their county board of elections. Free IDs are available during county boards’ regular business hours. Voters provide their name, date of birth, the last four digits of their Social Security number and have their photo taken. Most counties will provide the ID on the spot; a few will need to mail it to the individual’s address. The IDs are valid for 10 years.

The State Board has created rules for the implementation of voter ID and has requested funds from the legislature to train poll workers and inform voters of the change. 

Help with student loan debt    

If you or someone you know has a legal concern about student loan debt, the Economic Justice Clinic at the University of North Carolina School of Law is currently accepting new clients for the 2023-24 academic year.  

The clinic represents student borrowers by filing applications for loan discharge through the Department of Education’s programs, including Total and Permanent Disability Discharge, Closed School Discharge, and Borrower Defense to Repayment; negotiating with a loan servicer to accurately calculate a borrower’s debt; counseling clients on repayment options, discharge options, and refinance options; and suing a college or institution for misrepresentation or fraud. There is no cost to the client. 

Clinic clients are represented by third-year law students under the guidance of a full-time faculty member who is also a member of the North Carolina Bar. To be eligible for this free representation, a potential client must live in North Carolina, agree to be represented by law students, and be in a financial situation where they would not otherwise be able to afford private legal representation. Ideally the client would be within driving distance of the law school in Chapel Hill.

Use this link to apply. The information will be forwarded to the Director of the Clinic and someone from UNC Law will be in touch with you. While the clinic cannot guarantee legal help, it hopes to make a difference for North Carolinians struggling with student debt. 

Morrisville earns its reputation for world-class cricket 

Morrisville made cricket history once again as one of only two US host destinations for the inaugural season of the Major League Cricket professional franchise. The new league is comprised of many of the world’s top players who compete on six teams. All seven games held at Church Street Park during July 20-25 were sold out. Learn more about Morrisville’s growing and unique place in cricket. 

Apex Community Police Academy 

This innovative 10-week program by the Apex Police Department is accepting applications through August 18. Learn more here.    

Downtown Cary Park Opens November 19 

Read updates on the latest park developments in the Downtown Cary Park Newsletter.  

We are so blessed to have former Cary Mayor Pro-Tem Adcock serving Cary and surrounding communities.

North Carolina Metro Mayors

Friday the North Carolina Metro Mayors met to hear a summary of legislative actions. Here is a summary from KTS Strategies:

Legislative Schedule

After nearly six weeks, legislators returned to Raleigh this week to conduct business. The House held committee meetings Tuesday and Wednesday. Both chambers took floor votes on Wednesday including veto override votes. A budget has still not been finalized. Legislators will continue to negotiate behind closed doors over the next couple of weeks to discuss outstanding items. Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said earlier this week a budget vote may not take place until mid-September. We anticipate little legislative activity over the next couple of weeks and may not see any more floor votes or substantive committee work until after Labor Day.

Elections Bill

A proposed committee substitute (PCS) for S747, Elections Law Changes, moved through the House this week. The PCS would require absentee ballots to be received by 7:30 PM on Election Day, prohibit private money from elections administration, and give more freedom to poll observers for watching the voting process. Unlike the original Senate bill, the House version removed a two-factor authentication requirement for absentee ballots and allows a retrievable ballot to be cast for same-day registration voters instead of a provisional ballot. The PCS also changed the implementation of a signature verification requirement for mail-in absentee ballots to a ten-county pilot program. The bill passed the House Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform Committee and the House Rules Committee on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Eighteen amendments were offered on the House floor with only two adopted. The bill passed third reading in the House along party lines (69-47). The Senate voted to concur with the House changes with a vote of 27-18. The bill has been sent to Governor Cooper. We anticipate he will veto the measure.

Veto Overrides

The House and Senate voted to override six of Governor Cooper’s vetoes. No Senate Democrats voted in favor of an override for any of the six bills. However, five out of the six bills received marginal support from House Democrats except for S49. Below are the bills that were overridden. All are now Session Law.

• H219, Charter School Omnibus – This bill makes various changes to charter school laws including removing growth restrictions and allowing county property taxes to fund charter school capital needs.
• H488, Code Council Reorganization and Various Code Amendments – This bill would reorganize the North Carolina Building Code Council to create a new Residential Code Council and would make various changes to the North Carolina State Building Code provisions, land development regulations, and General Contractor licensing laws.
• H574, Fairness in Women’s Sports Act – This bill would prohibit biological males from competing on women’s sports teams.
• H618, Charter School Review Board – This bill would convert the Charter Schools Advisory Board into the Charter Schools Review Board and shift the authority to approve charters from the State Board of Education to the Review Board.
• H808, Gender Transition/Minors – This bill would prohibit medical professionals from performing surgical gender transition procedures on minors and from prescribing, providing, or dispensing puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to minors.
• S49, – This bill would require public schools to provide parents with information regarding their student’s education, as well as provide them with notifications about the student’s physical and mental health. The bill would also require health care practitioners to obtain written consent from the parent of a minor child before providing treatment and would prohibit instruction on gender identity or sexuality in the curriculum of students from kindergarten to fourth grade.

India Independence Day

Saturday I joined several elected officials and hundreds of people at the HSNC temple in Morrisville to celebrate India Independence Day.

Some of the elected officials included the Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, State Senators Jay Chaudhuri and Gale Adcock, Morrisville Mayor TJ Cawley, Cary Council members Robinson, Bush, Eades, Johnson, several Morrisville council members, several Apex council members, NC representatives, and others. The event started with a parade on the HSNC site followed by a flag unveiling ceremony. Afterwards everyone headed to the fellowship hall for entertainment, speeches, and food. The Indian American community is a significant part of Cary, Morrisville, and the region and we embrace their culture and friendship.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

As the summer student internship cycle draws to a close, I spent time today reflecting on the value added by those individuals who contributed to our organization during their short time. We are lucky for the interns’ fresh perspectives to our daily work, and I am grateful they chose Cary and wish them well in the new semester.
I look forward to seeing each of you at our only regular meeting in August on Thursday.
Enjoy your weekend, 
Sean

Atlantic Tire Championships August 6 – 13

The Cary Tennis Park hosted the Atlantic Tire Championships August 6-13. This Men’s Professional Challenger 75 tennis tournament awarded $80,000 in prize money. The event had over 3,000 in attendance throughout the week. In singles, Adam Walton (AUS) defeated Nicolas Moreno De Alboran (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. In doubles, Evan King (USA) and Reese Stalder (USA) defeated Mikelis Libietis (LAT) and Adam Walton (AUS) 6-3; 7-6 (4). This was the first Atlantic Tire Championships of the Summer Series. The second Atlantic Tire Championships will be hosted September 10-17.

General Assembly: Bill Updates

On Wednesday, the Governor’s vetoes of several bills were overridden by the legislature, including his veto of H488 “Building Code Council Reorganization, Creation of the Residential Code Council, and Clarify Statutory References to the North Carolina State Building Code.” This bill amends laws and regulations regarding the State Building Code; pavement design standards; and stormwater control devices. This attachment briefly describes some of the aspects of the legislation. Please contact Shelley Curran or Lisa Glover if you have questions. 

Introducing Lead for NC Fellow Adrienne Stacy

Cary is proud to host an NC AmeriCorps Lead Fellow, a program focused on developing local government leaders in the state. Adrienne Stacy, a recent graduate of NC Central in Political Science, will be part of Cary’s team for the next year. During her time with Cary, she will work on multiple projects across the organization.

Welcome Home K9 Officer Dakota

The Police Department produced a video on K9 Officer Dakota’s recovery. Thank you to the community for the support and standing with us on this journey. 

Monthly Finance Session

Staff from across the organization took part in the first Finance Summer Session. Sessions will be held monthly through November and are designed to provide staff with a better understanding of the factors that drive financial decision making. Dr. Bill Rivenbark from the UNC School of Government led the first session which focused on key metrics and policies to assess a locality’s financial health. Future sessions will focus on capital financing, debt planning and the impact of the economy on local government finances.  

Popsicles, Playtime, and Pups

This end-of-summer event was filled with games, crafts, bubbles, and dog fun! It was a hot day with temperatures in the 90s, but that didn’t stop close to 250 humans and 60+ canines from having fun in the sun. The Pup Parade started the event in honor of NC Year of the Trail. Pups donned their costumes and paraded around the sprayground sidewalk. Then kids and adults enjoyed the activities, cooled off in the sprayground, and enjoyed ice-cold POPSICLES!

Six Firefighters from “Hybrid” Academy Begin Shift Work

Fire is conducting a “hybrid” recruit academy for the second year in a row. Excellent candidates are hired without certification requirements, and if enough have their needed fire, EMT, and rescue certifications, they undergo an accelerated orientation and training process while the rest go through the full academy. This method takes a lot of coordination, but it helps to satisfy immediate staffing needs while ensuring a diverse and well-trained future workforce. Academy 27, which began in May, held a celebratory lunch Friday for firefighters Kendrick Campbell, Dylan Groeger, Justin Green, Travon McNair, Robert Morrison, and Tevin West, who reported to their shift assignments beginning Sunday. A graduation ceremony for the whole recruit class is expected to occur toward the end of the year.

Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference

This week several staff members attended the Sustainable Fleet Technology Conference in Raleigh. The conference provided many educational sessions focused on alternative fueling solutions, EV charging infrastructure, and success stories from some industry leaders. During the event, Cary’s fleet was recognized as one of the top 50 green fleets in the country for the third consecutive year. Cary also had two vehicles showcased in the event, a fire apparatus complete with idle reduction technology and our Tesla police vehicle. Both vehicles were requested to display Cary’s innovative thinking and commitment to sustainability technology.

Community Garden Gatherings

Garden Open House events at the Carpenter Park Community Garden continue to attract guests of all ages. These monthly gatherings provide hands-on environmental education opportunities and a chance to chat with Environmental Outreach staff about Cary sustainability initiatives such as Count Me In Cary, Solarize The Triangle, and our upcoming Dig In and Grow Green campaign.

Summer Produce Program Stats from Good Hope Farm

Good Hope Farm’s annual produce pickup program wrapped up after eight weeks of distribution. Through this Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA), twenty-five families enjoyed a total of 200 installments. At the same time, our nonprofit partner, Dorcas Ministries Food Pantry, distributed 112 pounds of fresh vegetables to community members facing food insecurity. Those who missed the CSA signup can still purchase produce from Good Hope Farm via individual pop-up farmers markets onsite or by visiting a Harvest Fest event this fall.

September Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting

The Neighborhood Meeting will be held virtually on WebEx from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. The following cases will be discussed on September 6:

• 23-REZ-09 Sri Venkateswara Temple Parking Rezoning
• 23-REZ-11 Piney Plains Rezoning
• 23-REZ-12 Waverly Place PDP Rezoning

For more information and to register visit the Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting.

Cary-Apex Water Treatment Facility 30^th Anniversary

This week marks a very special milestone in Cary’s history with the 30th anniversary of the Cary-Apex Water Treatment Facility. The facility opened in 1993, providing 12 million gallons of water daily to our service area. Since then, the facility has seen multiple expansions to accommodate the area’s growth, with the most recent bringing the capacity up to 56 million gallons a day. Over the years, the facility staff has constantly worked to optimize and improve the treatment processes to exceed regulatory requirements and provide high-quality drinking water to our citizens. These efforts have been recognized with multiple state and national level awards. Several staff members at the CAWTF have been working there since day one, and their wealth of knowledge and history has been instrumental in making it such a success.

Upcoming Meetings

Athletic Committee
Monday, Aug. 21 at
6:00 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, Aug. 24 at 
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Thanks for the Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships.
• A complaint about grass around library due to construction.
• Several emails about preventing crime in a Regency neighborhood.
• A request to participate in the Diwali lamp lighting ceremony.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a CAMPO Regional Rail Subcommittee meeting, a Wake County Mayors Association meeting, a tour of the downtown park, the Cary Chamber Eye Opener for Council Candidates, a Lazy Daze reception with Sister cities, the only regularly scheduled council meeting of August, a NC Metro Mayors meeting, and the opening of Lazy Daze.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Saturday, August 26^th, 2023. 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.

Interview with Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors

Monday I talked with about a half a dozen realtors representing the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors. Topics included housing, affordable housing, infrastructure, and how I see the future. Our conversation lasted about thirty minutes.

Boy Scout Interview

Later Monday I was interviewed by a Boy Scout working on his government merit badge. After the interview I showed him and his mother the council chambers and we took a few pictures. It is nice to see someone of that age interested in their local government.

ATP 75 Tennis Tournament

Monday night I attended the first round of the ATP 75 professional tennis tournament being held at the Cary Tennis Park. This is the first of two professional tournaments that will be held at the Cary Tennis Park along with collegiate and other championships.

Tuesday I once again attended the ATP 75 professional tennis tournament. Twenty players out of the thirty-two-player draw were from outside the United States. It was great to see such international talent on display.

Saturday I watched both semi-finals singles matches and the finals in doubles. One player, Adam Walton, played in the heat indices over 100 for three hours before winning his singles match and then played in the doubles championship. I presented the doubles trophies to the winners.

Sunday afternoon, in heat indices of about 105, Adam Walton once again battled for over three hours before winning the championship. I was honored to present him with the Championship Trophy.

Sunday before the tournament began, I took the tournament supervisor to Prestonwood to hit tennis balls for an hour. The supervisor, Jorge Mandl, is from Croatia after living most of his life in Argentenia. It was so nice to meet, talk, and enjoy time with someone from a different county and a different background. Once we were on the tennis court it was like we had known each other a lifetime. It is great to build these relationships and hopefully one day they will help in bringing more tournaments to Cary.

This Atlantic Tire Tennis Championship was a great tournament and had incredible talent from all over the world. If you missed it don’t fret, the second Atlantic Tire Tennis Championship of 2023 will be September 10^th through September 17^th.

Diwali Dance Practice

Because of recent minor surgery I was not able to practice the Diwali dances on Wednesday as I had hoped, but I was able to watch them learn a new dance. Our group will have several dances with the mayors of Apex, Cary and Morrisville doing their own dance.

General Assembly Update

The following is a summary of legislative actions from KTS Strategies:

Budget Update and Legislative Schedule

It was another quiet week at the General Assembly as legislative leadership continued to negotiate the final version of the state budget behind closed doors. No committee meetings or votes were held by either chamber. While we had anticipated the budget to be completed by the end of August, at this point we do not plan to see a budget vote until September. House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) was quoted on Monday after a non-voting session saying there is “zero chance” a budget will pass before September 1^st. Speaker Moore and Senator Berger have confirmed an agreement has been reached on tax cuts and raises for state employees, but there are still outstanding items including spending of savings, capital improvement projects, and if they will legalize more casinos in North Carolina. No specific details on agreed upon items have been released. We do expect some legislative activity to occur at the General Assembly next week. The House has calendared several veto override votes for next Wednesday, August 16.

Speaker of the House Race

Speaker of the House Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) confirmed last month he would not seek re-election for Speaker in 2025. Moore is the longest-serving speaker, holding the role for five two-year terms. Three Republican House members have since announced they would run to replace him. Representative Destin Hall (R-Caldwell), Chair of the House Rules Committee, House Majority Leader John Bell (R-Wayne) and Representative Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort) have officially confirmed their plans to run for the position. Senior Appropriations Chair, Jason Saine (R-Lincoln), has mentioned he is considering a run, but he has yet to officially enter the race.

Fenton’s National Recognition

This week Fenton was recognized by Chain Store Age as #3 in the nation for retail experiences. The following is from the article:

When Fenton was about to open a year ago, its then leasing director Dotan Zuckerman told Chain Store Age that locals in Cary would be glad that North Carolina nixed its original plan to turn the empty, 92-acre site between Raleigh and Durham into a storage location for state vehicles.

“Everyone around there compared it to other modern open-air developments,” Zuckerman said then, “but they didn’t know what they didn’t know, and they soon will.”

Now they do.

Today, thousands of residents in this well-to-do suburban enclave in the Research Triangle escape to Fenton to dine at chef-driven restaurants such as M Sushi and Colletta, from which they can exit with their cocktails and stroll through art-lined paseos.

They can pause at two green spaces set with hammocks, fireplaces, cornhole sets, and chess tables. And they and their families can take advantage of the center’s 200-plus annual activations such as Raleigh Fashion Fest, Little Fentonians, and Light the Square—Fenton’s Christmas tree lighting event which drew more than 17,000 visitors in its first year.

“It’s a vibe. It’s an environment,” said Kurt Hartman, a senior managing director at the global real estate power Hines, which developed Fenton in partnership with Columbia Development.

“Most of the other retail centers in the area have been around a long, long time. There is an old mall that has been morphing into an outdoor center. This is the only one created from the ground up.”

Wegmans was the very first tenant to show an interest in the location, and their lease signing shone as a beacon to other top national and local brands.

Fenton’s 345,000-sq.-ft. of retail GLA houses Arhaus, Lululemon, Paragon Theaters, PBR Cowboy Bar, Williams Sonoma, CRU Food & Wine Bar, Club Pilates, and Sephora. Office space and multitenant residential is elevated above the street-level retail deck.

Phase Two of the project is now underway and Phase One’s exceptional debut has caught the eye of many more valuable tenants, according to Hartman.

“Leasing is up like crazy,” he said.

We are so blessed to have the Fenton in Cary.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

I enjoyed meeting several new staff members at our directors’ meeting on Monday. I continue to be amazed by the incredible talent that is currently present within our organization, as well as the talent that we are actively recruiting.
I’m looking forward to seeing each of you next week at our only Council meeting of the month.
Have a great weekend.
Sean

Wake County Sports Facility Funding

Assistant Town Manager Shelley Curran, Community Projects Director Doug McRainey, and Financial Analysis Manager Mike Franks attended the final stakeholders meeting today concerning the distribution of the Hospitality Tax. Staff are currently reviewing the allocation that will be presented to the Wake County Board on August 14 and the Raleigh City Council on August 15. Both jurisdictions will take final action later in the month. 
At this point in the process, $75M is being recommended for a “Cary Indoor Sports Facility,” an increase from the previously committed $35M for the project. This meaningful increase reflects the County’s continued commitment to the project.  Doug McRainey and the Finance Team will work with this number to create architectural and financial models for the project. This will allow the Council to resume its consideration of the project and other sports facility projects toward the end of the year. Finally, Shelley and Doug, along with others, have done incredible work in this arena, and I am so very grateful to them. It is also noteworthy that our decision not to incessantly lobby both the appointed and elected officials at Wake County, as opposed to all the other jurisdictions, was highlighted as an important factor in our success.
Once the final allocation has been approved, we will share with the Town Council.

Contested Case/NPDES Permit

Today, Cary filed a Petition for a Contested Case Hearing with the NC Office of Administrative Hearings regarding the renewal of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility (WWRWRF). We have been working diligently with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on the terms of this permit renewal; however, we have not been able to come to agreement on a few items. To preserve our rights and provide us with additional time to discuss our concerns with DEQ, we filed the petition. The WWRWRF has been in operation for nine years as of this week and has not had any material NPDES permit violations, which is a testament to its state-of-the-art design and to the skill and dedication of the employees who operate it.   

Municipal Manager’s Update Meeting

This week, Shelley Curran attended the Municipal Managers’ meeting. The topics included Wake EMS and behavioral health. The group discussed EMS services in Wake and Chatham Counties. Additionally, Shelley learned that youth suicides have been on the rise since the pandemic, and as a result, increased funding is needed for behavioral health. Wake County has been working on a crisis report, which will be released soon.

Candidate Forum

On July 25, Cary Community Candidate Forum invitations were emailed to Council candidates. The five-minute, live-to-tape segments are currently being recorded and the final videos will be shared on Cary TV, YouTube, and the Town of Cary website starting August 21.

Construction of New Maintenance Facility with Solar Rooftop

The new maintenance facility at the Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility (CAWTF) is wrapping up final construction. The new facility includes a rooftop solar array of 87 panels, with an anticipated annual production of approximately 57,000 kWh. The expected payback period analysis is approximately six to eight years, which includes the benefit of Cary having received $24,975 in solar rebates from Duke Energy – the solar-only component of the project cost was approximately $90,000. While the project provides a great need for maintenance activities at the site, incorporating the solar arrays into new and existing infrastructure projects continues to support Cary’s emission reduction goals and initiatives. The site is expected to be in full operation by the end of the month.

Chris Simpson Receives Ball-Bluestein Award

Chris Simpson, who retired as Cary’s Town Attorney in December 2020, received the Ball-Bluestein Award for Excellence in Municipal Law. This award, presented by the North Carolina Association of Municipal Attorneys, is named in honor of Ernie Ball, former Cary Town Attorney and General Counsel of the NC League of Municipalities, and Frayda Bluestein, a beloved professor at the UNC School of Government. The award recognizes those who have made valuable contributions to the field of municipal law. Current Town Attorney Lisa Glover was honored to both nominate Chris for this award and present it to her at the ceremony, where Chris was lauded for her intellect, professionalism, mentorship of attorneys across the state, and dedication to family.

Duke International Visit

Last Friday, twelve international officials visited Town Hall to learn about Cary’s financial management. The students’ visit was a part of the curriculum in Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy’s program for Fiscal Decentralization and Local Government Financial Management. High-ranking officials from Africa and Asia attend Duke’s three-week summer program to focus on transferring control from the central government to local officials. The officials enjoyed touring the Council Chambers and hearing from Chief Strategy Officer Susan Moran about Cary’s government and culture. They also engaged in conversations with finance leaders Kimberly Branch, Mike Franks, and Marcelo Olarte, intern Elizabeth McKay, and retired Chief Financial Officer Karen Mills. Cary gifted the officials a copy of Leadership on the Line to reinforce the cultural messages and change management lessons that strengthen Cary’s financial management and citizen satisfaction. 

Winding Pine Pump Station Pipeline Construction

Park Construction was awarded a contract for construction of the offsite pipeline for the new Winding Pine Pump Station on August 25, 2022. Park Construction has mobilized to the project site and is expected to be complete with their work by July 25, 2024. Clearing and grubbing along the project corridor from the new pump station site to the existing Kit Creek Pump Station site, is expected to last approximately one month. Pipeline installation is anticipated to begin in October 2023.

New GoCary Digital Displays

As part of GoCary’s expanding outreach efforts, new digital displays were installed at the Cary Senior Center at Bond Park and at Herb Young Community Center. The touchscreen feature allows people to navigate the GoCary website to learn more about the public transit services we offer, including the trip planning tool on our homepage. Our real-time app for fixed route service will also be available on the displays later this fall.

Upcoming Meetings

Public Art Advisory ​​​​​​​​​​​Board
Wednesday Aug. 16
6:15 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday Aug. 17
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Dozens of emails asking to stop RDU Parking Expansion (Cary is not a decision maker in any RDU issues)
• Request to change ordinances regarding Airbnb.
• Several requests to lift COVID restrictions (We have no COVID restrictions. Another example of misinformation being spread about Cary.)
• A complaint about crime in Regency.
• A request for an outdoor swimming pool.
• A question about downtown development.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Cary Chamber Education Golf tournament, the Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships board meeting, a Candidate Taping, minor surgery and recovery, India Independence Day.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, August 20^th, 2023. 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.

Affordable Housing

Monday I met with two teachers from Cary High School who are working on their graduate degrees. They set up the meeting to talk about poverty near schools. However, most of the meeting was spent talking about the affordable housing crisis facing the community, region, and the nation.

Police Department Assessment

Later Monday I met with an assessor who was interviewing me as part of the accreditation process for CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies). We talked about my knowledge and thoughts of the police department focusing mostly on the last four years. One of the questions was to describe the department in three words which for me was easy: excellence, professionalism, and reliability. I told the assessor that I believed our department was the best of the best and would put them up against any department in the nation. I acknowledged that I was biased. At the end of the interview, he stated that our department was indeed one of the best in the nation. Needless to say, I left the interview proud to be associated with the fine men and women who make up the Cary Police Department. We are so blessed to have them.

Financial Assessment

After the police assessment I met with a financial auditor as part of the finance department annual audit. Of course, I had nothing but praise for our finance and budget teams. As a result, the interview lasted just a few minutes. Cary’s finances have been strong all the years I have been mayor. Like our police department, and many other departments in Cary, they are the best of the best.

Town Manager One-On-One

My last meeting on Monday was with the town manager. Topics included a police assessment meeting, the next quarterly meeting in November, the Duke Hospital proposal, and the upcoming council elections.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force

Tuesday night I joined a meeting of the Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force. A Cary staff expert on ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance made a presentation and fielded questions. A discussion followed on how the task force could help and how the public could be more informed about what Cary is already doing. The task force is hoping to get a preview of the downtown park in September to look at accessibility issues.

#5 Best Place to Live in the Nation

Wednesday I was notified from a citizen that Cary was ranked #5 in the nation for best places to live by Livability. Here is what they said:

“Nestled between the stunning Western Carolina mountains and the famous East Coast beaches of the Outer Banks, Cary, NC, is using its enviable location to its advantage. Located in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, Cary is in the center of the Research Triangle Area, which places the city less than 30 minutes from downtown Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. This central location and its proximity to the Research Triangle Park — the largest research park in the U.S. — are a big part of what makes Cary one of the best places to live in the U.S. With a robust job market, the city of 180,341 is known as a hotspot not only for employees of the Research Triangle Park but also for entrepreneurs looking to launch new businesses. 

Although Cary has the amenities of a large city, including a great restaurant and bar scene, it retains an affordable cost of living and a small-town feel, reflected in the high safety rating given by background check company GoodHire. In 2022 they named Cary, NC, the safest city in the United States. Locals noted that they feel safe running or walking the quaint neighborhoods and greenways. But the safe, close-knit environment isn’t the only reason Cary is desirable for young families. The schools here are fantastic. According to Public School Review, which analyzes and evaluates the quality of public schools, Cary has one of the highest concentrations of top-ranked public schools in North Carolina.  

Finally, Cary is a flourishing city that offers a fantastic arts scene (gorgeous public art, galleries and more), a variety of eateries, must-visit breweries and great sporting events. Baseball fans can rejoice as Cary is home to the USA Baseball National Training Complex. …”

To read more about what Livability said about Cary go here.

Cary Chamber Leadership Dinner

Thursday night I attended the Cary Chamber Leadership dinner. I was joined by Mayor Pro-Tem Frantz, council member Robinson, council member Eades, council member Smith, county officials, legislators, state officials, business leaders, and Congressman Nickel. The dinner began with remarks from myself, Congressman Nickel, and the presenting sponsor. After dinner we were treated to a surprise visit from NC State Basketball Coach Kevin Keatts. It was a great time to network and to thank all the partners we have in Cary.

Legislative Summary

Friday I received a legislative summary from KTS Strategies. The following is that summary:

Legislative Schedule and Budget Update

The NC General Assembly did not hold any floor votes or committee meetings again this week as national conferences kept many members out of town. Last Friday, Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and Speaker of the House Tim Moore (R-Cleveland), made statements on social media to provide their update on budget progress.  Senator Berger wrote, “Legislative leaders have made significant progress on the budget this week. House Speaker Moore and I have agreed to a tax package and resolved other key differences. We will begin the process of negotiating other aspects of the budget in the coming days.” Speaker Moore wrote, “Significant progress has been made on the budget this week.” We anticipate legislative leadership will return to Raleigh next week for closed door negotiations to finalize budget details and discuss outstanding policy issues. No floor votes or committee meetings will be held next week. The legislature is aiming to pass a budget at the end of the month. 

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Today marks the first day of my 8th year as Cary’s Town Manager. It’s been an amazing experience, more than I could have ever imagined or hoped for. Michele, Emma, and I could not be more happy or honored – even our dog Indie loves Cary!
I never take for granted that my success is our success built on authentic, caring relationships that begin with the Council and involve every person who works for – and with – this great organization.
I am grateful to each of you for trusting me in this role and for your support as we work together to navigate a complex future.
Truly living inspired,
Sean

Surprise Appearance

Last night’s annual Cary Chamber Leadership Dinner at Ray’s offered the traditional menu of great food and fellowship. Members of Council and staff joined Chamber members and North Carolina elected officials to celebrate all we accomplish together. What was a little different this year was when owner Ray Arias brought in NC State Head Basketball coach Kevin Keatts to say a few words. Coach Keatts was having dinner in another part of the restaurant and wanted to offer his thanks, congratulations, and well-wishes to everyone in attendance who worked to make Cary what it is today.

Lead for North Carolina Reception

Last night Deputy Town Manager Russ Overton joined Governor Roy Cooper at the North Carolina Executive Mansion to celebrate Lead for North Carolina’s fifth cohort. Governor Cooper spoke briefly about his goals to create an educated workforce, increase prosperity for all, and how important the next generation of public service leaders are to those goals. Cary looks forward to welcoming its first Lead for North Carolina Fellow, Adrienne Stacy, on Monday. 

Senior Executive Institute Graduates

Transit Director Kelly Blazey, Special Projects Director Kerry Harville, and Finance Director Kimberly Branch participated in the Senior Executive Institute (SEI) July 16-28. The intensive, two-week executive leadership development program was delivered by Virginia Institute of Government on behalf of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia and focused on leadership styles and team building strategies for personal, professional, organizational, and community leadership. A key component of the program is how to turn organizations into continuous learning communities, which each of the Cary graduates strive for each day. Kelly, Kerry, and Kimberly now join other SEI alumni in Cary, including Russ Overton, Scot Berry, Ashley Lategan and myself.

Final Month to Count You In

The last month of Cary’s community engagement campaign  to develop a climate action strategy is upon us! In mid-July, the Second Stakeholder Advisory Group Meeting gathered more than 75 staff and citizens to reflect upon leadership levels that were established during the first meeting, review and discuss ideas for strategies and actions, and identify implementation barriers and other considerations for pursuing them. Since then, staff and climate ambassadors have worked to include as many diverse groups in Cary as possible, especially those underrepresented in survey demographics. Over 10 events at the end of July reached hundreds of people across multiple departments, Boards, Committees, and at places like the Cary Bus Depot, Dorcas Ministries, and West Regional Library. As of August, at least 220 people have taken each of the six surveys (totaling over 2,050 responses) and many more outreach events are planned. Count me in, Cary! surveys are open until September 1.

Fall Program Registration

Cary resident registration for September programs opened on Wednesday. Several changes to the registration process were implemented, focusing on improving the citizen’s experience from previous registrations. 311 citizen advocates and PRCR staff joined forces to assist with registration, field questions, and support each other throughout the day! Almost 1,800 registrations were processed on day one and more than 900 additional sign-ups for free programs were processed separately from program registration.  Over 90% of these registrations were successfully processed online through myCary. Non-resident registration will open August 16 with October programs opening for registration on September 6 for Cary residents.

Emergency Sewer Repair at East Park Street and South Walker Street

This Wednesday, a contractor working on behalf of Cary will be performing an emergency sewer repair at the intersection of Walker St and E. Park St. The intersection will be closed starting at 9:00 am on Wednesday until the repair is complete and backfilled. Walker St will be opened to a one-lane, two-way flagging operation on Thursday until the temporary paving is complete. E. Park Street will remain closed for the entire duration of Wednesday and Thursday until the work is complete. Other traffic-shifting operations in the area have been coordinated to minimize the impact of the closure.

Traffic Calming Construction Update

With this week’s completion of pavement markings, construction has finished on nine speed humps spread through the Picardy Pointe, Brookstone/Parkcrest, and Belmont neighborhoods. Transportation and Field Services staff worked with the contractor, Raleigh Paving, to bring these highly anticipated traffic calming devices to Cary in an effort to enhance the neighborhoods along Kettlebridge Drive, Glenbuckley Road, Park York Lane and Henderson Road. Staff have already received positive feedback from community members and will continue to engage with residents to gather input on the completed project. This input will be combined with traffic data, collected in the coming year, to fully assess the impact of this work and help to inform future traffic calming projects.

This project continues Cary’s evolution toward a more multi-modal transportation network, particularly along Kettlebridge Drive where the speed humps stop short of the gutter line, providing accommodation for bicycle riders.

Bond Rating Affirmed

On Tuesday, July 25, Fitch Ratings affirmed Cary’s ‘AAA’ rating on the town’s outstanding combined utility system revenue bonds with a stable outlook. The ‘AAA’ rating is the best possible rating for a local government. Fitch, one of the three leading national credit rating agencies, cited Cary’s “Exceptionally strong financial profile” and “very favorable service area” as primary credit strengths supporting the ‘AAA’ rating. This affirmation underscores Cary’s exceptional position as one of the strongest municipalities in the country.

Crabtree Greenway Update

Cary’s Crabtree Greenway Project from Bond Park to High House has reached a major milestone. NCDOT approved Cary’s design plans and authorized construction for the greenway that increases access to Bond Park and connects the Preston soccer fields to park facilities. This project will complete an important gap in the Crabtree Creek Greenway corridor and provides another bike and pedestrian connection into Bond Park, the hub of the greenway system.

Cary will bid the project this fall with construction beginning in early 2024. Construction is expected to take between one and two years. 

Invasive Species Removed at Dunham Park

Several invasive species, particularly Japanese and Chinese privet, had begun to take root in the eastern edge of the wetland in Dunham Park. This vibrant wetland is the headwater of one tributary that drains to Coronado Lake which ultimately feeds Walnut Creek. To prevent these exotic invasives from spreading, Cary contracted with a local company, Native Plants Matter, and removed these pesky plants by cutting the shrubs and painting the trunks with an herbicide specially formulated for application in wetlands/aquatic habitats. As the work was conducted in the wooded portion of the property and along the edge of the woods and stormwater wetland, the park remained open for all to enjoy.  

NRPA Park & Recreation Month Where Community Grows Croc Walk

On Saturday, more than 250 people donned their Crocs for the Where Community Grows Croc Walk on the Swift Creek Greenway. After the walk, participants enjoyed the music of My Cousin Skinny, the cool flavors of Kona Ice, and delicious food from the Death By Taco and Pickin’ N’ Que’n food trucks. 

Upcoming Meetings

Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday, August 7
 5:15 p.m.

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, August 7
6:00 p.m.

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, August 8
6:00 p.m.

Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, August 9
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Hundreds of emails from people mostly outside of Cary complaining about RDU Airport Authority’s plan to build a parking lot. (We have no authority in this matter.)
• Complaints about Cary’s plan for downtown town hall campus based on media stories. (At this time there are no plans for the downtown town hall campus. All that has been done is an RFQ for developers. The Council is not involved at this point. The public will be in the first part of the planning process when that begins in a few months.)
• Complaints about burglaries in Cary.
• A complaint about the Cary Tennis Park check-in procedure.
• A question about intersection improvements for pedestrians at Penny Road and Ederlee Drive. (Staff reported that we are under contract and that upgrades should occur before school starts.)
• A complaint about a future change to the Bond Lake dam. (I know nothing about this.)
• A complaint that painted arrows on a speedbump were crooked in the Wellsley subdivision asking that the person who painted them be fired.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a meeting with Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors, a meeting with Miss Teen North Carolina, a meeting with a boy scout working on his Eagle Scout requirements, Diwali Dance practice, and the ATP 75 tennis tournament.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, August 13^th, 2023. 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.

Council Meeting Prep

Monday I attempted to contact each council member to see if they had any questions or concerns about the upcoming agenda. There was a concern that a consent item about condemnation of a road widening should be pulled and explained. Other than that, there were no questions.

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday evening I met with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Topics included an upcoming forum with the manager and me, an event during the Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships, the town hall campus RFQ, the Duke Hospital project, the Epic Games site, the South Hills project, and the future downtown trolleys.

Early Voting

There was a request by one of the council candidates to move early voting to the senior center in Bond Park. Staff reported Monday that this was problematic because of reservations for two weddings, a church event, a family gathering, and 26 programs with approximately 1400 participants pre-registered. So early voting will be at Herb Young this year. The senior center was picked as one of the early voting sites for the 2024 elections.  

Neighborhood Meeting About Crime in Regency

Tuesday night I participated in a Regency neighborhood zoom meeting with Cary police officers and about a dozen people from the neighborhood. Regency has been experiencing several burglaries from what appears to be a sophisticated, organized, group. Patrols will be immediately increased and individual assessments on how to make homes safer will start to be scheduled.

Media Stories on Town Hall Campus

This week the media once again did stories on the future town hall campus redevelopment since we have finished the RFQ process. This story created a lot of negative criticism on social media. Most of which is inaccurate and/or misleading:

• “The new development is expected to mirror developments like Fenton and North Hills” – Nothing has been planned yet. The public will be involved when we get started. All that has been done is to ask developers what they think.
• “Just another waste of our money !!!!!!!!” – We have a town hall campus with several buildings having maintenance issues. Town hall currently does not serve the citizens well and cannot accommodate all of staff. To ignore these facts IS a waste of money. We must make sure we are not “penny wise and pound foolish”.
• “They are going to do whatever they are going to do. Doesn’t make any difference what anyone thinks about it!” – Really??? You obviously haven’t watched your council make decisions. Keep in mind that our plans, The Cary Community Plan, was created by the citizens of Cary and not the council.
• “Insane. It is a perfectly good town hall!” – As I stated before we have several buildings in need of repair and with more expensive repairs in the future.
• “we common folks are screwed” – It is your town hall. You will provide input on what it should be. There is nothing planned now. How is that screwed?

To be an elected official in Cary and not look into the future is foolish. The population in the Raleigh-Cary region will double in the next three or so decades. Land in our downtown is already going for $1 million an acre. There is an opportunity for us to create a campus that will serve the public and our staff well into the future. And as a result, serve the citizens better. Please allow the process to start and the public to be involved before condemning changes to town hall campus that haven’t even been planned.

Cary #2 For Fewer Serious Crashes

On Wednesday the News & Observer ran a story “This NC City has Some of the Best Drivers in US, Report Finds.” The ConsumerAffairs website ranked Cary Number 2 on a list of places with fewer serious crashes due to speeding, aggressive driving and other dangers behind the wheel in their publication on July 12. Cary was the only city in North Carolina to rank among the nation’s top 10 places for safe driving.

Council Meeting

The council held its last regular meeting of July on Thursday with Ms. Robinson attending via phone since she had COVID-19. The agenda included fourteen consent items, and three public hearings.

Several residents spoke against a townhome proposal for Middleton Avenue mainly because the stubbed road would be completed with the development. The proposed plan would have 12 units an acre when the current zoning allows for 50 units an acre today without a council decision. The road connection would be required with any development.

The other public hearings had no speakers. The meeting concluded after about an hour and a half.

RDU Galleria Opening

Friday I joined the owners, investors, and their friends for the ribbon cutting at the new RDU Galleria on Aviation Parkway near the exit from I40. This is a new concept with a convenience store on the bottom floor with several eateries. Part of the first floor also has office space as does the 2^nd and 3^rd floor. This 24-7 operation should be a welcoming place for those traveling in and out of the RDU airport.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

I enjoyed being back in the office this week following my family vacation. I want to thank Russ Overton for serving as Acting Town Manager and share my appreciation for all of those who supported Russ while I was away.
We may be headed into the hottest weekend of the year, so be safe and keep cool.
Sean

2024 Election Updates

On Tuesday, the Wake County Board of Elections selected Herb Young Community Center and Cary Senior Center to serve as Early Voting sites in the 2024 Primary Election. Early Voting for the 2024 Primary Election will occur from February 15 – March 2, and the Primary Election Day will be March 5. To stay up to date on elections in Cary, visit carync.gov/elections.

Fall Registration Begins August 2^nd

The first cycle of fall registration for parks programming begins on August 2 for Cary residents. As we prepare to implement a new registration system, we have made numerous changes to the existing system to make the online experience as seamless as possible for citizens. Some of these changes include splitting the Fall Guide into three different registration cycles to occur over three months, increasing the time programs/classes can stay in the myCary cart, and establishing a new process for free programs. Additional PRCR staff and 311 Citizen Advocates will be available to assist on registration day by answering calls, assisting in person at our facilities, or handling 311 cases as we all work to get everyone registered for their desired programs.

Ryan Nyquist at Action Sports Summer Camps

On April 13, BMX Olympic coach and action sports consultant, Ryan Nyquist, announced he would join the Cary Action Sports Camps for the weeks of June 16, June 30, and July 28. Since his post went live on Instagram, Cary Action Sports has seen maxed-out camp registrations and an influx of sales of the single-day camp passes, as well as open session passes for these days. Nyquist made a post filmed on the course at X-Games to get everyone excited and drive registrations.  

Innovating on Waste

Cary’s Waste Strategy and Impact Consultant, Srijana Guilford, joined municipal colleagues from across North and South Carolina for a day of tours and presentation hosted by the Carolina Recycling Association at the Innovation Barn in Charlotte. Created as a joint project between the City of Charlotte and Envision Charlotte, this partnership was established to manage, design, and implement programs that support the city’s transition to a circular economy. It was inspiring to learn how an urban living lab can bring together businesses, non-profits, and citizens to create sustainable waste solutions and new products for plastic, food, fabric, and more.

2023 Powell Bill Program

Cary has completed another successful Powell Bill submission. As an annual state-fiscal aid funding source, the Program funds local municipalities that submit funding requests based on 75% of their population and 25% of their maintained street mileage. The State funds primarily support the repair, maintenance, and construction of municipal streets that are not part of the State’s highway system, in addition to planning, construction, and maintenance of bikeways, greenways, or sidewalks. Following strict guidelines, staff from Construction and Field Services, Finance, and Transportation collaborated diligently to track, measure, and verify field data. Their efforts produced a Certified Statement and GIS map attesting to 514 miles of streets within corporate limits.

Repair for Reuse

This year’s second Repair Café included a sewing machine maintenance workshop with over a dozen participants bringing in their machines for the clinic. The event helped keep many items ticking and out of the landfill. Within four hours, nearly 80 citizens brought in items for repair, including chairs, turntables, toys, and an electric scooter. Local “fix-it coaches” volunteered their time and skills to provide repair services and tips to help owners keep things in working condition. The event had a 68% repair rate, and given the community’s continued interest, Cary will be hosting a third Repair Café in September.

Lieutenant Ashlee Dean Graduates from AOMP

On July 20, Cary Police Lieutenant Ashlee Dean graduated from the 96th Session of the Administrative Officer’s Management Program (AOMP). Hosted by North Carolina State University’s School of Public and International Affairs, AOMP is a unique educational course of study for public safety professionals seeking career advancement. Offered three times a year, AOMP convenes a class of 25 students from agencies across the nation who embark on an intensive 12-week academic program, during which they earn 15 undergraduate and graduate-level college credits and receive a certificate of completion.

Graduates of the 88^th Senior Management Institute for Police

On July 27, Lieutenant Chris Redig and Lieutenant Sheri Abraham graduated from the 88th Session of the Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) through Boston University’s School of Law. SMIP is a demanding three-week, seated program offered through the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) that provides senior police executives with intensive training in the latest management concepts and practices used in business and government. The program engages in discussion of the most challenging issues facing law enforcement executives today. Chris and Sheri were honored to have their graduation photo taken with SMIP faculty instructors, which included PERF’s Executive Director, Chuck Wexler, and Retired Police Chief Charles Ramsey (former Police Commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department and former Police Chief for the D.C. Metro Police Department).

Upcoming Meetings

Human Rel., Inclusion & Diversity Task Force
Tuesday August 1
at 6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• An e-introduction to new member of Habitat Administration.
• A complaint about irrigation water rates.
• A thank you to Cary Police for helping with Major League Cricket in Morrisville.
• Thanks, from several people for the ADA proclamation.
• A request to help with providing EV charging for a condo building.
• A complaint about a flooding issue.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, an assessment interview for the Cary Police Department, a Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force meeting, and the Cary Chamber Leaderships dinner.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, August 6^th, 2023. 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.

Most Educated

On Monday I received information that the Raleigh-Cary area was ranked as one of the “most educated” in the US by CNBC. The criteria included educational attainment and Quality of Education & Attainment Gap. In Cary 70% of adults have college degrees with 25% having advanced degrees.

Deputy Town Manager One-On-One

Monday evening I talked briefly with the Deputy Town Manager for my weekly one-on-one. Our topics included the downtown park and various small issues around town. The ribbon cutting for the downtown park is set for November 19^th. The fences may come down a few days before that.

Wake County Mayors Association

Monday night I attended the monthly meeting of the Wake County Mayors Association in Cary. In attendance were the mayors of Apex, Cary, Garner, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, and Zebulon.

Cary Chamber Planning Conference

Wednesday I joined five of six council members and dozens of business leaders for the annual Cary Chamber Planning Conference. The program started with a panel discussion and remarks from Beaufort officials and the owner of the Beaufort Hotel. This was followed by remarks from the mayor of Beaufort. I was the next speaker and talked about what we can expect in the next few years. Then Dr. Ralls of Wake Tech spoke about how they are training the next generation to meet local work force demand. NC Senator Gale Adcock talked about legislative actions in this long session including several harmful bills that impact Cary. Suzie Bishop of the Center of Leadership Studies presented slides about effective leadership qualities. The last speaker of the day was Dr. Mellissa Furman of Career Potential. She was an amazing speaker that broke down the typical characteristics of each generation starting from pre baby boomers through the current generation of adults.

Thursday started with the annual economic trends from Ted Abernathy. From his presentation it appears Cary and North Carolina will continue to grow and prosper. However, it appears that North Carolina rural counties will continue to lose population and skilled labor. A trained workforce will continue to be a problem and get worse in the foreseeable future. Mr. Abernathy’s data is always fascinating and is a great preview of what we can expect in the next few years.

The conference was a great success and had amazing speakers that supplied invaluable information for all in attendance. Thanks to the Cary Chamber for putting on this conference.

RTA Transportation Breakfast

Friday morning I was part of a panel discussing the importance of BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) in Cary. The panel included mayors from Raleigh, Cary, and Wake Forest; council members and commissioners from Chatham County, Wake County, Orange County, Johnston County, and Chapel Hill; transportation leaders from Durham County, GoTriangle, and NCDOT Division 5; and business leaders from WakeMed, First Citizens Bank, RTA Foundation, UNC Chapel Hill, and the RDU Airport Authority. Even though the panel discussion was over two hours I was only able to answer one question. The following is an excerpt from my remarks:

“…We are excited about Bus Rapid Transit and the opportunities it will bring to Cary! 

We are joining the City of Raleigh later this summer to kick-off a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) study that will look at the areas around the Western BRT stations for any land use and zoning changes that may be necessary to support development that advances the goals outlined in the Cary Community Plan.

We are also planning for a new Multi-Modal Center that will provide improved mobility options to connect regionally within the Triangle, including access to the Western BRT and the future BRT extension to RTP. …”

Based on what I know, I believe we will see BRT operating within the next five years.

State of Cary Follow-up Questions

A couple of weeks ago I presented the State of Cary address to Carolina Preserve. Here are some of the answers to questions they asked:

What corporate headquarters are planning to move to this area in the near future?

Corporate headquarter relocations are complicated transactions, which require a lot of time and a number of public and private entities working together, often under the direction of non-disclosure agreements. In Cary, we typically have between 2-4 formal relocation inquiries in the pipeline at any given time. These are mostly portions of a company relocating a division, not the entire HQ. These formal inquiries are also looking in other states in addition to Cary. The Town of Cary partners with the Cary Chamber to formally manage and recruit companies to Cary through their Vice President of Economic Development.

What developments are happening in the area, particularly related to retail and Parkside Commons?

The Parkside Town Commons shopping center originally received development plan approval in 2008. This approval allowed construction to begin on the site. Now that the shopping center is built, the owner and management of the center are responsible for selecting and signing leases with individual retail tenants. Permitting for new retail tenants is required through the Town of Cary. Regarding new developments in the area, there is currently a rezoning application in process across from Parkside Town Commons at the corner of O’Kelly Chapel Road and NC 55 Hwy (case number 23-REZ-01). This request is to rezone 46.29 acres to the Mixed-Use District (MXD) zoning to allow a mixed-use development which will include office, commercial, multi-family, and hotel. More information can be found on Cary’s website: https://www.carync.gov/connect-engage/transparency/public-hearings/public-hearing-cases/rezoning-cases/2023-rezoning-cases.

Information about street lighting.

Streetlights can be added to any street and are routinely done so through a variety of methods. Typically, streetlights are added during the development process when a private development widens streets to meet our Cary Community Plan’s street widths requirements. Additionally, Cary has a street lighting program pertaining to the installation of streetlights along existing streets for the purposes of traffic safety.

Wherever streetlights are requested, Cary staff work with Duke Energy to develop a design plan and construction schedule for installation of the poles and lights. Duke Energy hires a private contractor to install the poles once all of the plans are completed.

To request installation of street lighting, you can email Kimberly Baker, Senior Right of Way Technician, or call (919) 481-5098.

Here is the website to view the streetlight program: https://www.carync.gov/projects-initiatives/project-updates/street-light-program.

What are the future plans for the extension of McCrimmon Parkway from Rt. 55 to McCrimmon Parkway in Morrisville? What is the timeline, and is it funded yet?

The extension of McCrimmon Pkwy is part of the Town’s long-range plan. Unfortunately, we do not have funds for design and construction at this time. McCrimmon Pkwy is a state road, I hope state funding will become available in the future to complete this gap in the road. We do request this street extension when NCDOT is evaluating future projects. This corridor will also require a bridge over the CSX railroad as CSX no longer allows new at-grade railroad crossings directly across their tracks, unless 2 to 3 existing at-grade crossings at different locations are closed. We hope to work with NCDOT to find funding for the road in the future. For more information about the feasibility study, click here: https://www.carync.gov/projects-initiatives/project-updates/street-projects/mccrimmon-parkway-extension-feasibility-study.   

Can we have information about street lighting on O’Kelly Chapel Road/55 and when it can be installed?

Street lighting is present along most of NC 55 and O’Kelly Chapel Road in the vicinity of this intersection. The western leg of O’Kelly Chapel Road is missing lighting along the Hawthorne development frontage as well as the undeveloped property north of the street. Many of the required improvements that Hawthorne would have provided along O’Kelly Chapel Road were relieved based on a single payment in lieu. With these funds already secured by Cary, the additional improvements along their frontage, which would include street lighting, would be provided once the remainder of O’Kelly Chapel Road is constructed through the development of adjacent parcels. Street lighting along the undeveloped property will be provided with their development plan. This parcel is currently in for review for development.  

How can one travel from Carolina Preserve to the Downtown area without driving?

GoCary, Cary’s Transit program, offers Door to Door service for any Cary resident aged 60 and older. GoCary Door to Door is a shared ride, reservation-based service. More information about how to ride is available on our website: https://gocary.org/about-gocary-door-door-service.

Can we obtain information about future growth in Cary and how the Town addresses infrastructure needs, especially streets?

In 2017, the Town Council and community members created the Cary Community Plan that sets the vision for our community’s future. Within this plan, Council and the community members addressed the growing population and how it will put pressure on transportation infrastructure. From the plan:

As development and redevelopment occur throughout Cary, it is important to continually reevaluate the transportation network and services to ensure the system functions and provides adequate access to the locations that people desire to go to.

New growth will have positive impacts on many aspects of the community but also places pressure on the transportation infrastructure to continue to function effectively and efficiently with the additional users.

Each development that is built in Cary, residential and commercial, has to go through a strenuous review by our planners and traffic engineers. These reviews include traffic flow, light schedule, and capacity of streets with projected growth. These reviews often result in improvements by developers. If there is a particular street you are concerned about, our staff is happy to talk with you about what developments may be happening or not happening in the area related to street improvements.

The MOVE Chapter within the Cary Community Plan replaced Cary’s previous Comprehensive Transportation Plan.

To view the full Cary Community Plan, visit: https://www.carync.gov/projects-initiatives/cary-community-plan.

Information about the BRT (Commuter Rail) in the area.

The Wake Bus Rapid Transit (BRT): Western Corridor is approximately 12 miles long, extending from downtown Raleigh to the future Multi-Modal Center in downtown Cary. The preliminary design phase (0 to 30 percent) for the Western Corridor is underway. The final location and number of BRT stations along the corridor, which will include both mixed traffic and dedicated transit lanes, will be determined during this preliminary design phase. As of Summer 2022, the Western Corridor project has reached the 10% design milestone.

To learn more about BRT in our area, visit: https://www.carync.gov/projects-initiatives/project-updates/facilities-projects/western-brt#:~:text=Project%20Overview,Modal%20Center%20in%20downtown%20Cary.

Information on how the Town manages the power grid and handles the area’s growth.

Duke Energy oversees the power grid in the Cary area, and they have a devoted website on this topic: https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/future/strong-grid?jur=NC02. This website shares the ways that they are working to build a stronger and protected network. If you have any further questions that we can relay to our Duke Energy District Manager, please submit them to 311@carync.gov.

Information about the EPA study featured on WRAL regarding PFAS in drinking water.

Cary is committed to providing high-quality, safe drinking water and closely follows the scientific study of contaminants of emerging concern. Each year Cary tests your drinking water over 100,000 times for many substances, including the contaminants of emerging concern: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane. Cary’s drinking water already meets the proposed Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) today because we operate an advanced water treatment facility with multiple-barrier processes, such as ozonation and powdered activated carbon (PAC) treatment.

To learn more about water treatment and emerging contaminants, visit: https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/water-sewer-stormwater/water/water-treatment/emerging-contaminants.

Written copy of the Mayor’s State of Cary

The Mayor’s State of Cary address, originally given in January 2023, is available here: https://www.carync.gov/mayor-council/town-council/state-of-cary.

Early Voting Questions

This week a candidate for Cary Council criticized the council for not having early voting at the Cary Community Center in Bond Park. This prompted questions from the council and answers:

Question – I know in the past that the Town of Cary has paid for early voting. I’m wondering how much we are paying for early voting for this upcoming election. Are we also paying Chatham County to have that location open as well? And do we pay anything to Wake County for the actual election day?

The cost for Wake County early elections at Herb Young is $359,299. The general election costs in Wake County will cost $578,752.23. If there is a runoff in November it will cost $114,772.15 for early voting and $277,963.81 for the general election. These costs cover precinct official wages for training and election day, seasonal temporary staff, polling place rental fees, telephone service charges, equipment delivery fees, polling place supplies, support staff mileage, absentee mailings and postage, ballots, poll books, authorization to vote forms, training manuals, miscellaneous polling place forms, and legal ads. The cost for Chatham County will be $44,093.29.

Question – Who decides where and how many early voting election sites we can have?

Here is the timeline of our interactions re. early voting site decisions with Wake County: 

• In November 2022, the Wake County Board of Election reached out to see if we would have an election, filing fees for offices, and if we would like to have early voting.  We responded to their request with the information and ‘yes’ to interest in early voting in our municipal elections.
• In January 2023, the Wake County Board of Election asked if we would want one or two early voting sites. We responded ‘one’ based on our practice of past municipal-only elections.
• In May 2023, the Wake County Board of Elections suggested Herb Young Community Center as our early voting location. At that time, we had no reason to contradict their suggestion.

As there may be questions regarding changing the location or adding a location, we had a conversation with the Board of Elections Director today. Their next meeting is Tuesday, July 25 and the Director would be willing to bring forward a change in location for the BOE board’s consideration. The BOE board would have to approve the change at this Tuesday’s meeting.

The last normally scheduled Cary election (non-partisan) was in 2019. At that time there were about 15,500 votes cast. Of those about 3,500 were not on election day. Even though there is a complaint about not enough early voting sites, some might complain about the cost of early voting which, based on previous results is over $135 per vote.

Cary Elections

The ballot for Cary’s October 10^th elections has been set. The following is a list of candidates in each race:

Mayor

Harold Weinbrecht (incumbent)

(No opponent)

At-Large

Lori Bush (incumbent)

Mary Insprucker

Matthew Gronke

District B

Don Frantz (incumbent)

Michelle Craig

District D

Ryan Eades (incumbent)

Sarika Bansal

Rachel Jordan

If a candidate does not get 50% of the vote plus one, then there will be a runoff in November.

It is my practice to endorse incumbents but help all candidates.

Town Manager’s Report

Russ’ Message

I really enjoyed spending time with you, Council, in Beaufort over the past couple of days at the Chamber Planning Conference. It was nice to have the opportunity to connect with so many of our community partners and hear informative presentations and updates from the speakers.
I am looking forward to having Sean back in the office on Monday; I’m sure you are too.
Have a great weekend.
Russ

Update on RFQ for Development of Town-Owned Land in Downtown Cary

We’re very pleased with having received 18 responses to our Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the potential redevelopment of Town-owned properties in Cary’s downtown.

We didn’t know what to expect.
Submittals were comprised of teams that included companies from seven different states including North Carolina but also as far away as New Mexico, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Today’s Cary was built by planners, visionaries, and caring people who, at some point, all came from somewhere else to work together and with the people who came before them, to help make Cary the best community it could be, and we see that same spirit embodied in this effort.
While it’ll be some time before we’ve conducted a thorough review of the responses, at first glance we can say that we’re impressed with both the quantity and quality of the firms that are interested in partnering with our community to think about what the future of Town-owned property downtown could be.
We expect to take several months to fully digest the array of thoughts, skills, and abilities shown in these responses before charting next steps.
Issuing the RFQ was the first step in an as yet uncharted course to determine how and when Town properties might evolve as we continue to implement the Imagine Cary Community Plan – our citizens’ collective vision for Cary’s future.
As for next steps, timelines, and processes moving forward, we’ll be working on answers to those questions over the coming months. The first step is to fully review and digest what’s been submitted, and this is too important to rush. Any timetable we develop will be one that includes lots of citizen involvement and takes into account everything we’re already working on along with the unanticipated issues and opportunities that come our way. What we can say is that we appreciate all of the interest in Cary’s future, and we’ll be staying in touch.
We expect media coverage on this project milestone in the coming weeks.

Three Sold Out Nights with Billy Strings

Fan favorite Billy Strings returned to Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre for three consecutive sold-out performances this past weekend. Over 20,000 fans enjoyed three completely different shows from the Grammy Award-winning artist who has built his reputation on delivering high-energy, dynamic live performances. For the second year in a row, Billy Strings has broken attendance records for Koka Booth Amphitheatre.

Chelsea FC and Wrexham Training at WakeMed Soccer Park

On Tuesday, WakeMed Soccer Park hosted Chelsea FC and Wrexham AFC for open training, giving fans a chance to get an up-close look at how they prepare for a match. Four thousand people had the unique opportunity to take pictures, get autographs, and share stories with some of the world’s best soccer players. Cary worked closely with the North Carolina Football Club to create a first-class experience for these world-renowned clubs.

Cary Participates in Watershed Protection with Triangle Land Conservancy

Cary’s Community Plan values protecting and preserving our natural resources. Watershed protection within the Jordan Lake watershed is one important way Cary contributes to this mission. In cooperation with Triangle Land Conservancy, Cary has committed to providing $250K toward purchasing 248 acres of property for watershed protection in Chatham County. Triangle Land Conservancy purchased the overall acquisition for $3.25M. Located close to Jordan Lake on the New Hope Arm of the lake, this property is upstream of Cary’s water intake facilities. We are very excited about this watershed protection opportunity to collaborate and support our partners with Triangle Land Conservancy to acquire this property for conservation and watershed protection.

We’re Registered! ®

Cary is now the proud holder of registered trademarks for the two versions of the new logo! These trademarks have been and will continue to serve as a symbol that identify Cary as the source of the services it provides.
Cary became the owner of these trademarks as soon as it started using them but having registered them with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Cary’s trademarks now have additional legal protections and Cary has nationwide rights to them. Cary began the registration process when it filed its applications with the USPTO back in March of 2022. Those applications moved through the USPTO’s lengthy approval process before formally achieving registration on June 27, 2023. To help ensure consistent use of these trademarks, staff has created a branding microsite where Council, staff, and contractors can learn about the messaging behind the marks, when and how they should be used, and obtain high quality versions of the marks for use in the appropriate ways. Cary’s Marketing and Legal teams are available should Council or staff have questions related to their use.

Training Drone Pilots and Piloting a Training Program

Last week, FAA-licensed drone pilots and firefighters Jose Mendez, Matt Trapp, and Allen Monds led staff from the Police and Transportation Departments as well as fellow Cary firefighters in a three-day drone training session at Central Carolina Community College Emergency Services Training Center in Sanford. Using National Institute of Standards and Technology small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 2400 federal standards to guide a hands-on experience, the three instructors taught participants how to operate drones for scenario-based missions such as missing person searches, suspicious package monitoring, Haz-Mat Rail car identification, tower searches, and beyond-visual-line-of-sight trainings. This initiative is also being developed as a model program to enable Cary to train other agencies throughout the state to use drone technology.

Upcoming Meetings

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, July 24
6:30 p.m.

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, July 26
6:00 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, July 27
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about the grounds around the downtown post office.
• A request to meet with boy scouts.
• A request to meet with a college student for a paper.
• Invitations to several events.
• A complaint about early voting at Herb Young.
• A complaint about grease from a garbage truck on Old Apex Road.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, Diwali Dance practice, the last regularly scheduled council meeting of July, the opening of RDU Galleria, and the NC Metro Mayors.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 30^th, 2023. 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.

This was another slow week as we continued the dog days of summer.

Deputy Town Manager One-On-One

Monday afternoon I met with the Deputy Town Manager for my weekly one-on-one. Topics we discussed included the downtown park, the town hall campus, the old mall site, the future multi-modal center, and the South Hills redevelopment.

Atlantic Tire Championships Board Meeting

Monday night I participated in a meeting of the Atlantic Tire Tennis Championships board. Topics included the August 6^th ATP tournament, the Atlantic Tire Tournament in September, and sponsors.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force

Tuesday night I attended the Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force meeting. The group expressed positive comments about PRIDE month and the Cary Celebrations. Most of the meeting was spent on selecting a priority to start a deep dive. Some of the thoughts were communications, accessibility at venues like Koka Booth Amphitheater for events, and additional DEI training for public engaging staff. The meeting concluded after about an hour and forty-five minutes.

Candidate for District Office

Thursday afternoon I met with a candidate for a district council seat. We talked mostly about affordable housing and school overcrowding. It is my practice to endorse incumbents and support all candidates.

NC Metro Mayors

The North Carolina Metro Mayors met Friday to hear a summary of legislative actions. Here is a summary from KTS Strategies:

Legislative Schedule

This week, the House returned to Raleigh for one voting session on Wednesday. The Senate did not take any floor votes or hold any committee meetings this week. Budget negotiations remain at an impasse as House and Senate leadership have not reached an agreement on a tax package and the spending of budget reserves. At this point, we may not see a final budget compromise until mid-August. Due to the budget gridlock and upcoming national legislative conferences, we anticipate the legislative workload will be light for the remainder of July.

House Session Highlights

On Wednesday, the House held a brief voting session. The House considered several local bills and held multiple concurrence votes. Most notably, the House voted not to concur with the 2023 Regulatory Reform Act (H600) and an omnibus health care bill (H125). These bills have been sent to the conference committee where a final compromise will be negotiated. The House voted to concur with legislation that would make changes to the state retirement system (H201), changes to the laws related to the expunction of criminal offenses as recommended by the Administrative Office of the Courts (H193), and an omnibus charter school bill (H219). Those bills have been sent to the Governor for consideration. The next voting session for the House will be held Wednesday, July 19^th.

Vetoed Bills

Last week, Governor Cooper vetoed the following five pieces of legislation.

• H618, Charter School Review Board- This bill would convert the Charter Schools Advisory Board into the Charter Schools Review Board and shift the authority to approve charters from the State Board of Education to the Review Board.
• H488, Code Council Reorganization and Various Code Amendments- This bill would reorganize the North Carolina Building Code Council to create a new Residential Code Council and would make various changes to the North Carolina State Building Code provisions, land development regulations, and General Contractor licensing laws.
• H808, Gender Transition/Minors- This bill would prohibit medical professionals from performing surgical gender transition procedures on minors and from prescribing, providing, or dispensing puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to minors.
• H574, Fairness in Women’s Sports Act- This bill would prohibit biological males from competing on women’s sports teams.
• S49, Parents’ Bill of Rights- This bill would require public schools to provide parents with information regarding their student’s education, as well as provide them with notifications about the student’s physical and mental health. The bill would also require health care practitioners to obtain written consent from the parent of a minor child before providing treatment and would prohibit instruction on gender identity or sexuality in the curriculum of students from kindergarten to fourth grade.

Veto override votes for H618, H488, H808, and H574 have been calendared for next Wednesday’s House session.

Town Manager’s Report

Russ’ Message

It has been relatively quiet this week, so I have no substantive updates to share outside of the robust weekly updates provided below from staff. 
I look forward to attending and seeing several of you at the Chamber’s Annual Planning Conference next week. 
Take care, 
Russ

Trolleys Have Arrived

Visitors to our downtown will soon have a new way to get around! Two classic streetcar model trolleys arrived in Cary this week. You may see one of them out and about for a test drive on Monday as we work to finalize scheduling and other program details. The free downtown circulator service is planned to begin this fall. For more information please visit www.carync.gov/trolley.

Greenway Video Inspires Us!

Cary has a lot to celebrate during 2023, the Year of the Trail! We seek to inspire the community this year to get outside and enjoy Cary’s greenways. There are so many ways and reasons to use the greenways – and so many miles to explore!

This video will be shared on Cary TV and on screens at various venues across Cary. Stay tuned to future Year of the Trail celebrations by visiting carync.gov/greenways.

Cary Joins Threads, a New Social Media Platform

Threads, described by media outlets as “Meta’s answer to Twitter,” launched on July 5 and had accumulated over 70 million users within one day. Cary and several other local governments, including Wake County, Raleigh, and Wilmington, joined the Threads community late last week. You can follow our account at @caryncgov.

The Parking Deck on Cedar Street and Associated Retail

Development plans have been submitted for the second round of review for the Cedar Street Parking Deck and Retail project located at 139 East Chatham Street, between The Center Shopping Center and the Rogers Building. The plan proposes to include 295 parking spaces with 4,000 square feet of ground floor retail along Chatham Street. A staff report with additional information will come before you in the near future. 

Urban Design Studio and Planning Team Visits Hub RTP

A few members of both the urban design and planning teams visited Hub RTP to learn more about their successful activation of typical office park and future development phases currently underway. Hub RTP provides a downtown-like urban mixed-use center to the largest research park in the US. The team met with RFP’s planner Travis Crayton who explained the future ambitions of RTP, which includes re-urbanizing strategic areas of the park. The new phase of the Hub will include a new multimodal street network, a full-service hotel, offices over retail, and multifamily residential – almost all entirely using structured parking.

Cary West End Apartments

The first round of development plan review was completed for the Cary West End Apartments. Also known as rezoning case 22-REZ-05 Number Five, the project is located at 602 West Chatham Street and 523 Old Apex Road. The project will include 10,000 square feet of first floor retail, 184 apartments, and a parking deck with 330 spaces.

Spanish Speaking Firefighters Teach About Grilling Safety

Fire was invited to partner with Spanish-language TV network Univision in producing a grilling safety video that targets a Spanish-speaking audience. Four firefighters who are fluent in Spanish participated in the event Wednesday at Fire Station 9, which Univision also broadcast on Facebook Live. Fire is fortunate to have employees who are dedicated and passionate about reaching all our citizens with important safety messages.

Cary’s Independence Day Celebration

Cary welcomed more than 15,000 people to its Independence Day Celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheatre, which included performances by the Cary Town Band and North Carolina Symphony. Mayor Weinbrecht provided a warm welcome from the stage, joined by Congresswoman Deborah Ross. Councilmembers Jennifer Robinson, Jack Smith, Carissa Kohn-Johnson, and Ryan Eades also attended with family and friends.

USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Series

USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (CNT) played a series against both Chinese Taipei and Japan at the National Training Complex at Thomas Brooks Park between June 30 and July 9. On June 30, USA Baseball CNT began the 20th International Friendships Series with Chinese Taipei. USA winning the game 7-3. Then the 44th USA vs. Japan Collegiate All-Star Championship Series ran from July 7-9. USA won 2 out of 3 games in the series, and all the games attracted an international crowd.  

Maynard Tank Class of 2024

In preparation for the upcoming school year, on July 5, contractors climbed 138 feet to the catwalk to repaint the year for 2024, continuing a much-loved tradition of welcoming the new senior class. 

Upcoming Road Closure

Beginning Monday, July 17, the Annual Water Main Replacement project contractor, Carolina Civilworks, will place barricades on Dry Ave and South Harrison Ave to begin Phase 4 of construction. Faculty Ave will remain open. The contractor has committed to temporarily reopen South Harrison Ave through the Dry Ave intersection by the end of business August 25 in advance of Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival on August 26. Work is expected to continue on South Harrison Ave between W. Chatham St and Dry Ave on August 28, but the Dry Ave intersection is expected to remain open beginning August 25. Updates will continue to be provided as we move forward with additional phases of the planned water main replacement project.

Upcoming Meetings

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, July 19
6:15 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday, July 20
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about not doing enough to help animals.
• A request to help with awareness of Ovarian Cancer Month.
• A request to appear in two short programs as George Washington.
• A notification that someone has a bumper sticker calling Cary a Sex Cult because of PRIDE month.
• A thanks for fixing/cleaning the fountain at Middle Creek.
• A complaint that Cary doesn’t do anything to protect trees (that is a misperception).
• A request to name Cary’s new downtown trolleys to “Cary’s Ferry” (Trolleys haven’t been named yet)

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, an Atlantic Tire Championships Board meeting, a Human Relations, Inclusion & Diversity Task Force meeting, a Diwali dance practice, an RTA Transportation Breakfast Panel rehearsal, and a meeting with a council candidate.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 23^rd, 2023. 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.

This week was a holiday week with few meetings as we celebrated Independence Day so this will be a short post.

White House Invitation

Monday I received an invitation to attend an event at the White House on lowering health care costs. While this was a once in a lifetime invitation, I just could not make the logistics work to be able to attend. Who knows, maybe I will get lucky and get invited again.

Council Member Meeting

Monday evening I met with council member Bush for a one-on-one meeting. We talked for a couple of hours on a variety of things including the upcoming election.

It is my practice to talk with and support any candidate for office. However, I will only endorse incumbents.

Independence Day Celebration

Tuesday several friends, my wife, and I attended the Independence celebration at Koka Booth Amphitheater. I had the honor of welcoming the attendees and introducing Congresswoman Ross who was in attendance.

Afterwards, I talked with several people in the crowd and took pictures.

The fireworks display started around 9:20 and lasted about 20 minutes. It was an incredible display. If you missed this year’s celebration, make sure to attend next year’s celebration, which is sure to be just as spectacular.

State of Cary at Carolina Preserve

Thursday evening, I gave an updated version of the State of Cary address to a capacity crowd at Carolina Preserve. Since there was no time limit, I talked at length on many topics which made the presentation last about an hour. Afterwards I answered about a dozen questions from the crowd. There were a lot of questions about future infrastructure that will be provided by the town and the state. We took notes to make sure we could get answers to questions I was not able to answer in detail.

I want to thank Carolina Preserve for inviting me and for making sure we get answers back to the appropriate people.

I also want to thank council members Ryan Eades and Lori Bush for attending.

Filing for Re-election

Friday afternoon I filed for re-election as Mayor of Cary. If elected, it will be my fifth four-year term as mayor and my sixth term on council. If you would like to find out more about my campaign, go to http://haroldweinbrechtformayor.com. I would appreciate your support.

Incumbents Don Frantz and Ryan Eades were also present filing for re-election. I was honored to have my picture made with them.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about allowing fireworks in Cary (only non-aerial fireworks such as sparklers are allowed)
• A complaint about a contractor’s work in the paving of Barnes Spring Court in Wellsley.
• A complaint about the lack of response from the town on a fountain at Middle Creek.
• A complaint about me??? “I can see you are an idol. I will leave God’s message with the Idol and the other Idol technology.”
• A complaint that Cary doesn’t prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in all buildings. (Our authority comes from the legislature, and they haven’t given us that authority)
• A complaint about a comment made at the July 4^th celebrations that was racist to the Asian community. (Staff is looking into this)
• A thank you for my State of Cary presentation at Carolina Preserve.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, an Atlantic Tire Championships Board meeting, a Human Relations, Inclusion & Diversity Task Force meeting, a Diwali dance practice, an RTA Transportation Breakfast Panel rehearsal, and a meeting with a council candidate.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, July 16^th, 2023. 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.