Harold's Blog

Bonds & Taxes Questions

There has been a lot of confusion (and misinformation) about three separate issues that were linked together by time and taxes. Those were 2024 property reevaluations by Wake County, the fiscal year 2025 tax rate which started on July 1^st, and the 2024 Cary parks bond. In addition, there is now misinformation about the 2019 remaining bond projects. I will attempt to address these below with my thoughts and understanding. These include my opinions which may not necessarily represent the town’s position.

Property Reevaluation

Property revaluation occurs every four years and is set by Wake County. Revaluations used to occur every eight years, but Wake County changed because property values were increasing very rapidly. I have heard that the county is now considering revaluation every two years, but I don’t know that for a fact. I believe that if the next revaluation isn’t for four years we will have another significant increase in property values.

It is important to understand why property values are increasing rapidly. The Raleigh Metro Area, which includes Cary, is one of the most desirable places to live, work, and play in the nation which drives up demand. When something is in high demand people are willing to pay more and that in turn drives up costs. I believe Cary is the most desirable out of all the municipalities in the Raleigh Metro Area. That means the demand is even higher in Cary. And if the demand is high and housing is in short supply, which is true for Cary, then the costs go up even more. That is why I believe there was a significant increase in property values in Cary. My property value went up by 63% in the last four years. BTW, high property value increases were true with all municipalities across Wake County.

Tax Rate for FY 2025 that started on July 1st

As of July 1^st, the Cary Tax Rate moved to 32.5 cents per $100 of value from 34.5 cents. However, the revenue neutral rate would have been 24.5 cents. A revenue neutral rate is the rate where the municipality takes in the same amount of revenue as the previous year.

So why 8 cents above revenue neutral? 3 cents due to inflation, 2 cents to program expansion (parks and environment), 2 cents to debt service, and 1 cent due to General Fund replenishment. Also, in past years we have been able to subsidize taxes with growth. We are now a mature community, and that kind of growth is basically over.

What are some examples of inflation? Project bids are coming in about 50% above estimates, some with one bid, or sometimes we get no bids. Materials have skyrocketed. For example, sidewalk costs have doubled in the last four years and asphalt has increased by 40% in the same amount of time.

What are some examples of Parks and environment? Downtown Cary Park was one of the biggest additions to operating costs. Also, the McCrimmon Park and the Carpenter Fire Station Park. Miles of greenways were also added. Some environmental initiatives included electric vehicles such as one of the first electric fire trucks in the nation, one of the first electric garbage trucks in the nation. These initiatives have capital and operational costs. The good news is that these are investments.

Downtown Cary Park has been the catalyst for downtown development generating millions of dollars in economic benefit. That is, new businesses and residents generate more tax base which keeps your taxes lower. The electric vehicles save money on fuel costs and after two or three years the additional costs have been recovered. I believe these are good investments in addition to fulfilling a need.

Why did debt service increase? The biggest reason is the sale of a portion of the 2019 GO (General Obligation) bonds. GO bonds, which are voter approved, are debt at the lowest interest rate possible. This is possible because we have the highest rating of all bond rating agencies. A good portion of the 2019 bonds have not been sold yet so that debt has not occurred. The future sales of the remaining portion of the bonds will also increase debt service.

Why was money from the general fund spent? It was a strategic move to use extra reserves rather than debt. It should be noted that our General Fund balance is well above requirements, and we want to keep it that way because it helps keep our highest rating with the bond rating agencies. So, we need to replenish the General Fund.

What is the issue with sales tax revenue? Since Covid, sales tax revenue has been increasing by 8% to 9% annually. Last year, however, the increase was less than 1%. This is significant since sales tax is the second largest revenue source at 21.1%. Our biggest source of revenue is property tax at 59%.

2024 Parks Bond

The 2024 parks bond was about funding parks for the next ten to fifteen years. Since the bond was close to property revaluation and the new tax rate, a lot of people viewed this as a funding question for now. I believe that is one of the main reasons the bond failed.

It is important to understand that the council and the staff heard everyone loud and clear about the bonds. We have stopped all bond projects due to lack of funding. While I can’t predict what future council will do, I believe some of them, like the center at South Hills, will never happen. What does this mean? The following is my best guestimate:

The Center

The community center, senior center, and competitive space will not be built. The $75 million promised by Wake County will be rescinded. The $30 million annual increase in economic benefit, which would help keep our taxes low, will not happen.

Mills Park Community Center

This community center and senior center project has also been stopped. We have been planning on having a community center and senior center at this location for about a decade. IMHO, it would be almost another decade IF it was ever built. Why?  Historically bonds are at least five years apart. With large projects taking two years of planning/design and two years of construction that is another four years added to the five years IF everything is on schedule.

It is important to understand that we will now need to spend significant resources to maintain our existing community and senior centers, which are all over twenty years old. IMHO, expanding programs will be difficult due to lack of space. A future bond to build a center would be a question for a future council.

Tennis and Pickleball Expansion

I don’t believe the pickleball courts will be built at the tennis center. That expansion would have allowed more recreational opportunities for sports in high demand and more professional tennis and pickleball tournaments. This is a loss of millions of dollars in economic benefit, which again keeps our taxes low. The NC Tennis Hall of Fame will probably not be located here.

Walnut Street Greenway

The Walnut Creek Greenway from downtown to Fenton, to WakeMed Soccer Park, Triangle Aquatic Center, and the new South Hills redevelopment has been stopped. If future councils decide to do this, it might have to be funded with another bond. Again, I think that is years away. Not connecting all these destinations is a huge, missed opportunity not only for recreation but for quality of life.

Nature Park Master Plan

Cary has 217 acres of farmland that it is maintaining. Unfortunately, there are no trails, restrooms, or parking. It will be up to a council in the future to decide what to do with this property. For now, nothing will happen.

Asian Garden Master Plan

This idea of a one-to-two-acre Asian garden is stopped. I doubt it will ever be considered again.

Why was this bond vote significant? Even if you don’t use a facility, it creates value for you. Like the 911 center, fire, and police, you may not ever use it. Hopefully, you won’t. But having the best of the best in services enhances the quality of life for everyone in our community. Great municipal services make your property in Cary more valuable.

2019 Bond Projects

Cary has moved into “maintenance mode” in this current period of the fiscal year 2025 budget (which began on July 1, 2024) for the following reasons:

• Unprecedented Construction Cost Climate 
• Downward Pressure on Sales Tax Receipts
• A desire by the Town Council to minimize any potential fiscal year 2026 Budget Property Tax Increase

This is causing a pause on the 2019 bond projects. The pause on these projects is not because of the 2024 bond vote. Here is a list of remaining projects:

• Carpenter Fire Station Road Widening
• Louis Stephens Drive
• Veterans Freedom Park
• Tryon Road Park
• Walnut Creek Greenway
• Dutchman’s Branch Greenway
• Green Level Church Road Widening
• NC 55 Pedestrian Grade Separation
• O’Kelly Chapel Road Widening
• Action Sports Park

The length of time for the “maintenance period” is currently unknown. Staff are currently re-estimating projects for council reprioritization at our annual meeting in February.

Current Capital Projects

The following is a memo from the town manager about current capital projects:

“To clarify the discussion from last week’s Council Quarterly meeting, all capital projects that are not yet under construction are paused while staff updates cost estimates to reflect escalating construction costs. This pause allows time for the Council to prioritize projects based on current and projected construction costs over the next year.

As mentioned during the meeting, construction cost inflation has outpaced budgets, with costs reaching record highs, including in some cases an escalation of over 200% in the last few years. Staff will re-estimate all active capital projects based on recent construction prices and will apply best estimates of additional potential escalation over the next few years. This information will be prepared for Council evaluation, including a prioritization exercise at the February annual meeting. A similar exercise was done with the Council in 2009 when budgetary pressures and cost escalations were also high.

There are currently 377 active general capital projects within the Downtown, Fire, General Government, PRCR, and Transportation categories. A total of $768 million has been budgeted for these projects. Their current available balance is $265 million.

On the utility side, there are 222 active water and sewer projects with a total budget of $462 million and a combined available balance of $128 million.

Between February and June as part of the annual budget process, our focus will be on refining the capital improvements program to align with the current economic climate while remaining flexible to accommodate future financial and priority changes. Below are examples of projects that have been paused in preparation for the February discussion. These were shared during last week’s Quarterly meeting.

Sidewalks:

Chatham Street Small Segments

Old Apex Rd west of W Chatham Roundabout (Bid Rejected 11/14/2024)

Old Apex Road north of Young Landing Ct

Louis Stephens Drive

Green Level Church Rd Streetside Trail

Jenks Carpenter Rd Streetside Trail

Roberts Road

Norwell Blvd

Johnson St east of Harrison Ave

Johnson St (E) north of Chapel Hill

Sorrell Street

Nottingham Drive

Cary Pkwy (NW) at Sheldon Dr

Highfield Avenue

Maynard Rd north of Chapel Hill

Laura Duncan Road

Cary Parkway (NW) at Norwell

Chatham Street

Lake Pine Drive (Phase 1)

Ryan Road

Lake Pine Drive (Phase 2)

2019 Bond Projects:

Carpenter Fire Station Road Widening

Louis Stephens Drive

Veterans Freedom Park

Tryon Road Park

Walnut Creek Greenway

Dutchman’s Branch Greenway

Green Level Church Rd Widening

NC55 Pedestrian Grade Separation

O’Kelly Chapel Road Widening

Action Sports Park

Examples of Other Budgeted Capital Projects:

Street Improvements FY25

Optimist Farm Greenway

Lake Grove Dam Maintenance

Cary Tennis Park Improvements

Western Cary Community Facility

Parking Deck Technology

Highcroft Drive Extension

South Hills Community Center

Sidewalks FY25

Downtown Ped Improvements

Mobility Study

Cary Tennis Park Clubhouse Design

We remain focused on preparing for the February Annual Meeting and the FY 2026 budget and will provide you with timely updates as we move forward with our work.”

Hometown Spirit Award

Monday night I joined the entire council in the Hometown Spirit Award presentation. The Hometown Spirit Award is presented annually to a Cary citizen who enhances the quality of life in Cary by preserving, promoting, and carrying out positive and quantifiable, small-town community values and traits.

This year we had three amazing nominees:

Brent Bandow

Brent is a Cary native, dedicated and passionate about serving our community. Over the past six years, Brent has made significant contributions as a member and Chair of the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board, leading impactful initiatives like the Play It Forward Scholarship Program.

He has been a long-standing volunteer at Cary’s festivals, helping them to run smoothly and engaging attendees. His community commitment extends to coaching youth basketball for over 20 years through various local programs, shaping both the skills and character of countless young athletes.

As President of the Cary High School Imp Club and announcer for the Miracle League of the Triangle, Brandow’s leadership supports athletic programs and brings joy to athletes with special needs.

His role as an ambassador team leader for the Cary Chamber underscores his drive to improve his community, while his professional work in disaster mitigation reflects his dedication to helping others. Known for his warmth and humor, Brandow makes everyone feel valued and welcomed, embodying selflessness and community spirit.

Dan Pike

Dan Pike has been a steadfast volunteer and a leader in the community for over two decades. Dan has been an influential volunteer, notably serving as President of the Cary Downtown Farmers Market, where he oversees operations, supports vendors, and fosters a welcoming environment. Under his leadership, the Cary Downtown Farmers Market has implemented impactful programs like the SNAP-approved market and the Produce 2 Pantry partnership with Dorcas Food Pantry.

Dan has been a dedicated announcer for the last 20 years for the Cary High School baseball team and serves as a host parent for USA Baseball players during major events. His involvement volunteering for town events, including festivals and celebrations, such as the Lazy Daze and Spring Daze Arts and Crafts Festivals, shows his commitment to fostering community and ensuring success.

Dan’s kindness extends to his neighborhood, where he helps others in times of need, embodying the true spirit of a selfless, caring neighbor. His tireless service, humility, and warmth make him an invaluable asset to Cary.

Sallie Jones

Miss Sallie Jones embodies dedication to preserving the town’s African American history. Descended from some of Cary’s earliest African American families, Sallie discovered after she returned home to Cary after her retirement that the graves of her ancestors had been lost to development. Driven by this realization, she made it her mission to protect the cemetery at Cary First Christian Church, which dated back to 1868 but faced neglect and development threats.

Sallie led efforts to survey the cemetery, hired archaeologists who identified over 160 unmarked graves, and tirelessly researched records to name those buried there. Sallie registered the site with the State of North Carolina making it the first cemetery to be designated as a historic landmark in Cary and in all of Wake County.

Several years ago, Cary First Christian Church, which Sallie is part of, partnered with the Town of Cary and the Friends of the Page-Walker to produce a walking tour brochure that recounts the lives and impact of members of the African American Community in Cary.

Sallie’s commitment over 25 years secured the cemetery’s recognition as Cary’s first historic landmark, ensuring its legacy and highlighting her invaluable contribution to the community’s heritage.

With three outstanding nominees I am sure the committee must have had a difficult time choosing a winner. I was proud to present this year’s Hometown Spirit Award to Miss Sallie Jones. Thanks to all our nominees for making Cary a better place.

CAMPO

I attended the Executive Board meeting of CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) on Wednesday afternoon. CAMPO is responsible for future transportation priorities in our region. CAMPO is also responsible for carrying out an annual work program approved by the Executive Board, a portion of which includes updating the Transportation Improvement Program (a seven-year project programming schedule) and the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (a minimum twenty-year forecast of projects and programs).

This month’s agenda included three consent items, two public hearings, and five discussion items. Items approved included:

• Amendment #6 to TIP (Transportation Improvement Program) removing U-5811 as requested by Morrisville.
• Local Input Point assignments and directing staff to maximize coordination with division engineers with chair approval.
• Draft goals, objectives, performance measures, and guide totals for use in MTP (Metropolitan Transportation Plan) development for 2055. They pointed out that municipal land use plans do not account for the future 1 million plus future residents. That makes it difficult to plan future transportation.

One interesting note from the STIP (State Transportation Improvement Program) presentation is that twelve of the fourteen divisions in the state have prioritized needs of that are greater than funds available. That deficit is at $1.35 billion.

Cary PD Promotion Ceremony

Thursday night I had the honor of attending the Cary Police Department’s Promotional Ceremony. The guest speaker was Dr. Jamie Wicker who is the Provost and Chief Campus Officer for Wake Tech. The following were promoted:

Sergeants

Gilbert Candelaria

Adam Dismukes

John Maia

Justin Millard

Randy Wark

Jacob West

Victoria Yannayon

Lieutenant

Travis Gresham

ECO Shift Supervisor

Josh Gropper

We are blessed to have so many heroes in the best department in the state!

Legislative Update

A legislative update was provided to the NC Metro Mayors by Checkmate Government Relations. Here is their summary:

Republicans Vote on 2025 Leadership

North Carolina House Republicans, including incoming freshmen members, met on Tuesday to vote on new leadership for the Republican Caucus.  Representative Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) was elected as the next Speaker of the House with current Speaker Tim Moore leaving for Congress. Representative Brenden Jones (R-Columbus) was elected as Majority Leader, succeeding Representative John Bell (R-Wayne). Representative Bell was appointed as the next Chair of the House Rules Committee.  Additional elected leadership positions are as follows:

• Representative Steve Tyson (R-Craven) – Deputy Majority Leader
• Representative Mitchell Setzer (R-Catawba) – Speaker Pro Tem
• Representative Karl Gillespie (R-Cherokee) – Whip
• Representatives Matthew Winslow (R-Franklin) and Jeff Zenger (R-Forsyth)

Conference Committee Chairs

• Representative Harry Warren (R-Rowan) – Caucus Joint Liaison 
• Representative Heather Rhyne (R-Gaston) – Freshman Leader
• Representative Blair Eddins (R-Wilkes) – Freshman Whip 

Senator Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) was re-elected as Senate President Pro Tempore. Senator Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) will continue to serve as Deputy President Pro Tempore and Senator Paul Newton (R-Cabarrus) will again serve as Majority Leader. Senator Carl Ford (R-Rowan) will remain a Joint Caucus Liaison.

Veto Overrides

This week, the House and the Senate voted to override House Bill 10 and Senate Bill 445. Three democrats voted with House republicans to override Governor Cooper’s vetoes. H10 requires cooperation between ICE and sheriffs when encountering an illegal immigrant who has been detained for a crime. Additionally, H10 would fully fund the Opportunity Scholarship program. S445 alters various requirements for court-filed documents. 

Western Relief and Executive Branch Changes

The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 382. S382 includes an additional $227 million in hurricane relief funding and would make changes to executive branch powers. The changes include banning the attorney general from taking any stance in lawsuits that legislative leaders disagree with and shifting control of the State Board of Elections from the Governor to the State Auditor. Following the passage of S382, the General Assembly has appropriated $1.1B to Hurricane Helene relief efforts in Western North Carolina. 

S382 was sent to the Governor and awaits his signature. 

Waverly Tree Lighting

Friday night I joined Jack Smith at the Waverly tree lighting ceremony. As in previous years, the ceremony started entertainment from Craig Woolard and the Embers. Then the crowd was serenaded by the Athens Drive High School marching band. Jack Smith and I then made a few remarks about what events are happening in this holiday season in Cary is. I then introduced Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause who lit the tree by throwing magic dust on it. Afterwards I was fortunate to have my picture made with Santa. What a lot of fun!

Fenton Tree Lighting

Saturday night I joined council members Smith, Craig, and Bansal at the tree lighting event for Fenton in Cary. The crowd was entertained by dancers and singers from Elevate out of Raleigh. Then I was invited on stage with Renee Chou from WRAL. We bantered a bit before Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus were introduced. Santa told a story, talked a bit, and then lit the tree. It was a great event for all that were in attendance and a great way to start the holiday season.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

The holiday season begins this evening when the decorations throughout Downtown are turned on for the season. With the displays active, Downtown will see increased foot traffic as people gather to view the decorations.

A quick reminder, Town Hall and most staffed facilities will be closed next Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. As is our practice on holiday Fridays, there will be no weekly report.

Enjoy your weekend.

Sean

Franklin Development Plan Update

In July 2024, we received a development plan for 214 S. Walker St., known as “The Franklin.” Around the same time, the Triangle Business Journal published an article about the project with the headline, “New condo building would be tallest in downtown Cary.” This article has generated significant interest and concern, particularly from the neighbors living in the Park Station Condos.

The property is currently zoned HMXD (High Intensity Mixed Use), a designation it has held since 2003, when zoning was established in the Town Center. The plan currently under review proposes a mixed-use building, primarily multi-family (40 units) with a small amount of retail (1,800 square feet). These uses are permitted in the HMXD zone, so a rezoning is not required.

Parking is being provided according to the HMXD standard of one space per unit. In the Town Center, the parking standard for multi-family units is based on the number of units, while outside the Town Center, parking is tied to the number of bedrooms. For the 40-unit apartment complex, 40 parking spaces are required, and the current plan shows 44 spaces. There are no additional parking requirements for non-residential uses in HMXD.

There are currently 59 comments on this submittal, with three significant issues. The first relates to access from Flat Rail Trail. The current plan shows Flat Rail connecting to the second level of the building, which is entirely parking. The second issue concerns the height of the structure. The zoning allows a maximum building height of 65 feet, but the plan shows a building that exceeds 70 feet. The LDO permits a 15% increase in height if three conditions are met:

1. The building is in the Town Center District or a Destination Center;
2. The building is part of a mixed-use development; and
3. The project is subject to a development agreement approved by the Town Council.

This project meets the first two criteria but does not meet the third. No development agreement is planned, and we have not received any request from the developer to enter into one. Finally, there is an issue with driveway spacing on North Walker Street, so a modification may be needed for this access point as well.

As staff closes out this next review, these issues will need to be addressed by the developer, and further reviews will be paused until they are resolved.

Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources System Plan Draft Available

Cary’s nationally accredited Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources (PRCR) Department is recognized for its extensive greenway system, parks, cultural opportunities, and recreational programs. The PRCR System Plan aims to evaluate Cary’s parks and recreational resources while also planning for the current and future needs of the community. This plan will guide the development of the PRCR system and serves as an update to the 2012 Master Plan. Additionally, it will be incorporated into the ENGAGE chapter of the Imagine Cary Community Plan.
The draft Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources System Plan is available here. The approval and adoption process for the PRCR System Plan will take place in two steps to meet the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) accreditation deadline and to gather public input before finalizing a comprehensive amendment to the ENGAGE chapter of the Imagine Cary Community Plan.

The first step is for the Council to approve the PRCR System Plan by January 15, 2025, to satisfy the CAPRA accreditation requirement. The second step will include holding public input sessions to review the plan with the community in early 2025. After these input sessions, the staff will prepare the System Plan to be incorporated into the ENGAGE chapter of the Imagine Cary Community Plan through a comprehensive plan amendment, to be adopted by the Council.

Downtown Cary Park Celebrates One Year!

On November 16, Downtown Cary Park celebrated its first birthday with remarks from Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, who was joined by Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, and Councilmembers Michelle Craig, Jack Smith, Lori Bush, and Sarika Bansal for a cake cutting. Over 10,000 visitors joined in the day-long celebration to sign the giant birthday card, enjoy live music, and watch Cary’s first drone light show . In the week leading up to the park’s official birthday, staff planned several events to commemorate the wonderful programming that’s happened over the last year. Staff looks forward to continuing to fulfill the mission of the park in year two.

9^th Annual NC Chinese Lantern Festival

The 9th Annual North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival has returned to Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre for 2024-2025. The festival opened last Saturday and will remain open until January 12, featuring all-new lantern displays, cultural performances, and menu items.
At the media preview on November 15, Mayor Weinbrecht officially kicked off the festival with the ceremonial “flipping of the switch.” Joining him were Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, Councilmembers Lori Bush, Jack Smith, and Carissa Kohn-Johnson, as well as NC Representative Ya Liu and Wake County Commissioner Shinica Thomas. Representatives from Cary’s various citizen Boards and Commissions were also in attendance to celebrate the event.

Cary Hometown Spirit Award

On Monday, November 18, Sallie Jones, a 100-year-old advocate who dedicated over 25  years to preserving Cary’s African American history, was honored as Cary’s 2024 Hometown Spirit Award winner.
The Hometown Spirit Award celebrates community-minded citizens who enhance Cary’s quality of life by preserving, promoting, and embodying small-town values. The award ceremony, led by Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, took place at Academy Pavilion in Downtown Cary Park, with all Councilmembers in attendance. In addition to Sallie Jones, this year’s nominees included Brent Brandow and Dan Pike.

Climate Strategy Stakeholder Meeting

Cary’s Climate Action Advisory Group, in collaboration with the Environmental Advisory Board, representatives from 22 regional partners and staff, reconvened on Thursday for a final meeting. Attendees reviewed the draft Sustainability and Climate Action Strategy, where staff and consultants showcased visions, goals, and actions. Stakeholders had the opportunity to indicate their future roles for implementation. Council members Lori Bush, Carissa Kohn-Johnson, and Michelle Craig joined the discussion.

Downtown Cary Park Neighbors Meeting

On Thursday evening, neighbors of the Downtown Cary Park gathered in Academy Pavilion to stay abreast of timely updates related to the Park. Joy Ennis, General Manager, covered topics related to upcoming holiday programming, new merchandise available, and some fun facts after the first year of operation. Neighbors were complementary of Park operations, particularly Saturday’s drone show. Feedback was shared related to parking and concerns of speeding. These meetings have been a helpful way to cultivate relationships, share information, and hear neighbor feedback. Approximately 40 people attended, including Councilmembers Michelle Craig, Lori Bush, and Carissa Kohn-Johnson. 

Cary Rotary Club Meeting

On Wednesday, Councilmember Jack Smith was the special guest speaker at the Cary MacGregor Rotary Club meeting, reflecting on Cary’s remarkable growth and highlighting its evolution from a small town to a thriving community, emphasizing the importance of legacy, leadership, and a shared vision for shaping its future.

Town Hall Tour for Elementary Students

On Thursday and Friday, third graders from Kingswood Elementary School visited Town Hall to learn about local government and its impact on their daily lives. Councilmember Michelle Craig spoke to the students about her role as an elected official and the responsibilities of local leadership.

During their visit, the students explored the Traffic Management Center, toured the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, and met with the Information Technology team to learn about the advanced technologies used in Downtown Cary Park.

Blue Moon Bakery to Open at Former Ashworth’s Drug Store

This week, staff received an upfit permit for Blue Moon Bakery, indicating their plans to move into the former Ashworth’s Drug Store at 105 W. Chatham Street. The contractor estimated the renovation cost at $610,000. The project covers approximately 2,800 square feet and will include a full-service bakery.

IT Cybersecurity Incident Workshop

Cybersecurity breaches are on the rise and impacting municipal operations across the nation. On Nov. 19, our partners at Wake County Emergency Management hosted and co-facilitated a workshop for directors and staff from Information Technology (IT) on potential IT threats, risk, and legal and regulatory requirements about cybersecurity. The group used learned knowledge to discuss potential future updates to Cary’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) and IT Incident Response Plan to ensure we are ready if a breach impacts Cary’s operations. Thank you to Wake County for hosting us on this important work!

Winding Pine Pump Station Commissioning

This week, Cary successfully commissioned its newest wastewater pump station, the Winding Pine Pump Station, marking a significant milestone in infrastructure improvement. On Tuesday, the wastewater flow was transferred from the existing Kit Creek Pump Station to the new facility.

Located on the Chatham County line, the Winding Pine Pump Station serves an expanded area, including the Wake County portion of RTP. With an increased pumping capacity of 10.6 million gallons per day, the station directs wastewater to the Western Wake Regional Water Reclamation Facility.

ACC Soccer Championships

Over the past two weeks, WakeMed Soccer Park hosted the Women’s and Men’s Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Semifinals and Championships. These events attracted over 5,000 attendees, with many traveling from across the East Coast. As Florida State (Women’s) and Wake Forest (Men’s) were crowned champions, these tournaments provided valuable experience as we continue to prepare to host the NCAA Women’s and Men’s College Cups in December.

Upcoming Meetings

None because of a holiday week

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about leaf pickup.
• A complaint that the 2019 bond projects that are stopped because they were told it was because the 2024 bond vote failed (misinformation).
• A complaint about not being able to dispose of paint at the convenience center (we don’t have environmental permits to allow that).
• Thank you for fixing a water leak at Ed Yerha Park.
• Thank you for the Hometown Spirit Award process.
• A request for a taping of the Veterans Day speech by the Colonel from Ft. Liberty (we don’t have one).
• A complaint that we don’t have American Flag banners in downtown.
• A complaint about protests through the Downtown Cary Park.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, and Thanksgiving.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, December 1^st, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Veterans Day Event

Monday I joined five other council members as part of the Veterans Day event held at the Veterans Freedom Park. Approximately one hundred people attended. Dignitaries attending included Congresswoman Ross, NC Representative Cervania, Morrisville council member Rao, and six of seven Cary council members. Jack Smith, the council’s only veteran, emceed the event. The national anthem and patriotic music were played by the Old North State Brass Band.

Colonel Bret Batdorff was the featured speaker and gave a very inspirational speech. In one part of his speech he said that the constitution starts with “to form a more perfect union” and noted that democracy and politics were messy then and it is messy now. But we have a common bond of being US citizens. I thought that was a great message especially after such a divisive election.

Thank you to all the veterans who served and are serving for your sacrifices. We all know freedom isn’t free and we are blessed to have men and women who serve to protect our freedom.

Taping for Downtown Cary Park Birthday

Tuesday afternoon I did a brief taping as part of the opening for the Downtown Cary Park birthday celebration. It was a one liner and took about five minutes.

Town Manager One-On-One

Tuesday I had a brief weekly meeting with the town manager. We mostly talked about impacts of the bond vote.

Staff Annual Reviews

The council spent Tuesday night reviewing all three direct reports, the town manager, town attorney, and town clerk. We heard from each of them, evaluated their performance, and set the annual salary. The process took us over six hours.

Cary Tennis Classic Board

Wednesday night I participated in the Cary Tennis Classic Board meeting. Our topics included sponsors, activities prior to next year’s event, and the failure of the bonds and what that means for future events.

Council Work Session

Thursday evening the council held a work session that was mostly about the rezoning proposal at Alston Yards 23-REZ-01 and our potential partnership with them. This property is located across Parkside Commons on Highway 55. Here are some of the takeaways from the session:

• The site is impacted by stream buffers, topography, tract geography, and access to Highway 55.
• The Cary Community Plan calls for this site to be part of the destination center.
• There is a potential land swap with Cary to allow a greenway from town owned property to O’Kelly Chapel Road.
• Some of the key elements of the proposal include variation in rooftop height, stepback on upper levels, projecting balconies, and covered rooftop terrace.
• The parking deck will be screened with evergreen plantings, vegetated green walls, architectural screening, and art banners.
• There will be a main street with a commitment to vertical integration.
• There will be 40,000 square feet of public park space. The park will be linear with a greenway connection to the park.
• Proposed office of 200,000 to 400,000 square feet with a minimum of 140,000 square feet.
• Proposed multi-family of 815 to 1120 units with a minimum of 525 units.
• Proposed commercial of 55,000 to 100,000 square feet with a minimum of 45,000 square feet.
• There is an affordable housing commitment of 5% at 80% of the AMI (Area Median Income).
• There is space reserved for a pedestrian/bike bridge over highway 55.
• This is a $590 million development with a projected first decade of operation 2027-2036 which is expected to generate over $45 million during that time.

The remainder of the meeting included manager comments and a calendar review.

The council’s next meeting is December 12^th. Our next quarterly meeting will be May 1^st. We will have our annual staff-council meeting from Friday February 21^st through Saturday, February 22^nd.

Council Meeting

The council held its only regularly scheduled meeting of November on Thursday night. The agenda included six consent items and three public hearings.

The consent agenda was unanimously approved and included allowing E-bikes on greenways permanently (it was in trial), an agreement to maintain a portion of the American Tobacco Trail, updating the interlocal agreement with Apex and Morrisville for emergency dispatch services, leveraging ARPA funding for sidewalk projects, and annexing Alston Yards.

The first public hearing was on the proposal to rename a portion of Green Level West Road to High House Road. There were speakers for and against this proposal. Impacted property owners would be reimbursed for costs associated with the renaming. The Council will vote on this in the next month or two.

The second public hearing was for a proposal to rezone property on Medcon Court (off Kildaire Farm Road) to allow government offices, business or professional offices, and trade school (with a maximum of two classrooms and 20 students). It is a building that used to be occupied by the Cary EMS which is now part of the Wake County EMS. This proposal will go to the Planning and Zoning Board for their review and come back for a vote in a few months.

The last public hearing was a proposal to rezone approximately 19.36 acres located at Batchelor Road and 1009 Knotty Oaks Drive which is mostly in Chatham County. This would allow 30 detached dwellings. This proposal will go to the Planning and Zoning Board for their review and come back for a vote in a few months.

Chinese Lantern Festival Media Night

Friday night I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson, council members Smith, Kohn-Johnson, Bush, NC Representative Liu, and Wake County Commissioner Shinika Thomas at media night for the 9^th Chinese Lantern festival at Koka Booth amphitheater. I made a few remarks and then we flipped the ceremonial switch to turn on the lights, which of course was spectacular.

This year’s festival has a theme of oceans, dinosaurs, and Chinese culture. The main feature is a castle that weighs about 5,500 pounds. There are many more interactive exhibits this year than in previous years.

The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival in Cary is a must see. It is running now until January 12^th.

Downtown Cary Park Anniversary Event

Saturday night I joined all but one council member, who was sick, at the first birthday celebration for the Downtown Cary Park. I welcomed the capacity crowd, introduced council members, and introduced Dupresha Townsend who sang Happy Birthday. I cut the enormous cake of several layers while council members held small cakes with sparklers on them. Afterwards we were treated by an incredible drone laser light show by Sky Elements. They have done drone laser shows for the Grammys and several movie premiers. The night continued with music from the Bittersweet Band, food, and fun.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Since last Thursday’s Quarterly Meeting, several items have required follow-up. Going forward, any follow-up items from meetings will be listed below my message.
I hope to see you tomorrow at the Downtown Park’s one-year birthday celebration.
Have a great weekend.
Sean

Quarterly Meeting Presentations (November 7^th)

E-Bike Pilot and Ordinance Update
Development – Quarter 1 FY 2025

Work Session (November 15^th)

Staff are gathering conceptual photos to illustrate potential streetscape designs and building mass for the N.C. 55 area.

Regular Meeting (November 15^th)

Staff will be researching traffic study requirements in the Town’s Land Development Ordinance (LDO) and will report back.

Staff Correspondence:

Citizen email re. pedestrian access easement from Deputy Town Manager Russ Overton

2024 Veterans Day Observance

On Monday, citizens gathered at Veterans Freedom Park to observe Veterans Day and honor those who have served our country. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Councilmember Jack Smith participated in the program alongside Congresswoman Deborah Ross. Also in attendance were Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, Councilmembers Carissa Kohn-Johnson, Sarika Bansal, and Michelle Craig, as well as State and County elected officials.
The featured speaker, Colonel Batdorff, a Cary native, delivered the primary address. Drawing from his 30-year military career, he focused on the connectedness of the veteran community and our nation’s ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union. Patriotic music was performed by the Old North State Brass Band, adding a moving touch to the event.

Veterans Luncheon

On Friday, November 8, Cary honored our veterans with a special luncheon and live entertainment at Prestonwood Country Club. Councilmember Jack Smith served as the master of ceremonies, and Russ Hughes, a veteran and Cary employee, delivered a moving and powerful speech. The event brought together over 350 veterans from all branches of service, spanning multiple decades, to celebrate and recognize their invaluable contributions. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, and Councilmember Sarika Bansal were also in attendance, showing their support and gratitude for veterans.

Trimble Avenue Tree Planting with Habitat for Humanity

On Tuesday, Councilmembers Lori Bush and Michelle Craig teamed up with Cary staff, Habitat for Humanity, and AmeriCorps to plant 14 trees around the stormwater management pond on Trimble Avenue.
Councilmember Bush emphasized Cary’s dedication to enhancing neighborhood quality through sustainability and affordability, while Councilmember Craig expressed gratitude to the volunteers whose efforts made the initiative possible. Leslie Moorman, Cary’s Urban Forester, provided guidance on best planting practices and oversaw the planting process, ensuring the project’s success.

Cary’s Election Cycle

On August 22, the Town Council adopted an ordinance, changing Cary’s method of election to the plurality method. No citizen petitions were received requesting a referendum on this change; therefore, the change is now effective for the 2025 election cycle. The Wake County Board of Elections has updated their website with the date of Cary’s next municipal election – November 4, 2025.

Waldo Street Accessible Parking

Earlier this week, parking stalls along Waldo Street were restriped in collaboration with representatives from the First United Methodist Church of Cary. The project created new handicap-accessible parking spaces near the church entrance and re-aligned several spaces near South Walker Street. This redesign accommodated the wider accessible stalls without reducing the overall parking inventory.

Rose Park Manor Development Utility Work

Beginning November 19, contractors working on behalf of the Rose Park Manor Development will implement temporary traffic modifications on SW Maynard Road through November 27 to support water and sewer tie-in work for Doug Ledson’s private development.

Weather permitting, traffic will be reduced to a single lane in both westbound and eastbound directions between Kildaire Farm Road and Griffis Street from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists should anticipate delays and are encouraged to seek alternative routes.

Boyd Street Infrastructure Renewal

Boyd Street, located just north of Town Hall campus, has undergone several maintenance projects this year, which were recently completed. Cary replaced aging infrastructure, including a water main, sanitary sewer main, and associated connections. In coordination with Kingswood Elementary, located at the end of Boyd Street, the roadway was also resurfaced upon the project’s completion.

Triangle Bicycle and Pedestrian Workshop

Last Friday, staff attended the Triangle Bicycle and Pedestrian Workshop in Durham, hosted by the Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO). Staff shared updates on ongoing projects, discussed regional planning opportunities and challenges, and learned about initiatives from Triangle-area bike and pedestrian advocacy groups. The workshop also featured an overview of the Safety Action Plan currently underway in the region.

This annual event offers a valuable opportunity to network, collaborate with neighboring municipalities, and advance shared goals for active transportation.

Recycling Presentation to Lochmere HOA

This week, Cary’s Solid Waste team presented to neighborhood residents as part of Lochmere’s Environmental Education Series. The presentation highlighted Cary’s recycling program and its continuous efforts to achieve our long-term goals, creating a more sustainable future. The residents enjoyed the opportunity to ask questions and left the meeting feeling empowered to recycle right. 

2024 NC One Water Awards

The 2024 NC One Water Association annual conference held in Raleigh marked another year of accolades for Cary’s water and wastewater utilities. Not only did Cary receive 3rd place in the Best Tasting Water Contest, 2024 marked the sixth consecutive year receiving the Wastewater Collection System of the Year award. Staff is proud to receive these recognitions and continues to be inspired to do their best in managing and maintaining our water and wastewater services.

Sustainability and Climate Action Strategy Open House

Cary’s Climate Action Advisory Group, in collaboration with the Environmental Advisory Board, will have an opportunity to review the draft Sustainability and Climate Action Strategy at the Page-Walker on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 4 – 6 p.m. The consultant will showcase the visions, goals, and actions within the draft Strategy allowing stakeholders the opportunity to indicate what role they might play in future implementation. Public review of the plan is planned for this winter and Council consideration is anticipated in spring 2025.

Upcoming Meetings

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, November 18
6:30 p.m.

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, November 20
6:00 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday, November 20
6:15 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday, November 21
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about the proposed Franklin Condos and parking downtown.
• A request for an Eagle Scout proclamation.
• A question about 2019 bond projects (they are currently on hold).
• A complaint that Cary is out of hand and to stop spending money (in all caps).
• A request to help with Folds of Honor.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Hometown Spirit Award Program and Reception, a CAMPO executive board meeting, the Cary Police Department Promotion Ceremony, the Waverly tree lighting, and the Fenton tree lighting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, November 24^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday, I talked briefly with the town manager during our weekly one-on-one. Topics the upcoming Quarterly, the Waverly rezoning, the Adaptive Stormwater Group, and the Downtown Cary Park.

Election Results

The Cary bonds failed by a significant margin in Tuesday’s election. I have been interviewed by two media outlets, including WRAL. I have also been asked several questions by others about the bond. Here are some of the questions and my answers:

Will this change the timing or feasibility of the construction of the Sports & Rec facility? 

Yes. The bond is a funding question. The majority of citizens said they do not want to pay for this facility. Therefore, it will not move forward.

Does the $75 million go back to the county?

We haven’t received any money from them, but they agreed to pay $75 million for the sports complex. So that is not happening.

Did we really lose $30 million in economic development from the sports complex?

Those were the estimates given to me if the center were in operation today.

So can the sports complex come back at a later date?

In my opinion it is dead. Cary will not fund the sports complex at South Hills.

Will this prevent Cary from addressing the initiatives it wanted to accomplish with the parks bond — or will it just change the timing and scale of the plans going forward? 

Yes, this will stop all these projects from moving forward unless a future bond includes them. As of now there is no plan for a future bond. To be specific, we will not be moving forward with the Sports Complex including the senior and community center, Mills Park senior and community center, tennis expansion and pickleball courts, Walnut Creek greenway, Asian garden master plan, and the nature park master plan.

Now that the bonds have failed, when will there be another senior center or community center?

That is for future councils to decide. As of today, we have no plans to move forward. In addition, the process of planning, designing, and implementation is probably a four-year or more process. So we are not likely to see anything for many, many years.

Will Cary try to find funding for affordable housing in some other way? 

Funding for affordable housing has been and will be an annual budget question. The bond question would have allowed us to do more. The citizens did not want to pay for additional affordable housing beyond the annual budget considerations.

My election summary:

I recently heard a talk given by Colonel Bret Batdorff of Fort Liberty. He reminded the audience that the constitution starts with “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” and that democracy was messy for the founding fathers, and it is messy today. We are bound by the fact that we are US citizens and should always be striving to form that more perfect union.

Extrapolating a bit… Cary is an amazing place inhabited by amazing people. While we may not be perfect, may have bond failures, may disagree on tax rates, etc., working together we will strive to form a more perfect Cary.

Ted Abernathy’s Economic Outlook

Wednesday morning Ted Abernathy of Economic Leadership LLC made a presentation on the Economic Outlook. Here are some of the points made in that presentation:

• “Mississippi may be America’s poorest state, but its hard-working residents earn, on average, more than Brits, Canadians or Germans.”
• The US has the fastest post-pandemic recovery selected developing economies (Sweden, Canada, Italy, UK, France, Japan, and Germany) with the highest GDP and per capita income.
• Third Quarter GDP grew by 2.8% on an annualized basis driven primarily by consumer spending.
• In the last 5 years US GDP grew by 8.7% while NC grew by 6.6%.
• Two thirds of the US economy is consumer consumption.
• Since 2018 the average household spending increased 14.7%.
• “ADP said employers added 233,000 jobs in October, up from a revised 159,000 in September. That is the strongest job creation reported in 15 months, and it occurred despite major hurricanes in the Southeast that analysts expected would drag down payroll numbers.”
• The job opening rate continues to decrease since its peak in 2022 and is now 4.8%.
• Most job openings are from small or very small establishments.
• Since the start of covid the US has added 4.5% more jobs. NC has added 8.4%.
• Only 11 counties out of 100 counties in NC have seen job growth in the last year. These are counties around Raleigh, Wilmington, and Morehead city.
• More than 50 counties in NC are losing jobs.
• The three biggest areas of non-farm job growth in NC are financial, construction, and professional/technical.
• The three biggest areas of non-farm job growth in the US are construction, education/health, and professional/technical.
• The biggest areas of non-farm growth since the beginning of the pandemic in the Raleigh metro area are construction, financial, education/health, and professional/technical which all outpaced state and national averages. The Raleigh metro area had the highest non-farm growth rate in the state.
• NC saw a loss of 2.3% manufacturing jobs in the last four years.
• Cary employment in the last ten years has gone from 79,888 to 100,232.
• Cary has the lowest unemployment rate in the triangle.
• Cary’s permit value continues to decline from its peak in 2016 of $409 million to $283 million.
• Cary’s permit value us $270 million commercial and $183 million residential.
• The US inflation rate is 2.2% excluding food and energy. It is 2.7% with those included.
• A decrease in inflation in the last four years include 22.4% in fuel oil, 15.4% in motor fuel, 5.1% in used cars/trucks, and 1.3% in new vehicles.
• An increase in inflation in the last four years includes 16.3% in motor vehicle insurance, 5.2% in homeowner equivalent, 4.8% rent in primary residence, and 3.9% in meat/fish/eggs.
• Average hourly earnings have kept pace with inflation.
• 28.6% of the nation’s top earners are from the top third. NC has 31.4%.
• 51.4% of Americans think the stock market will rise this year.
• Corporate profits continue to increase dramatically since the pandemic.
• Top factors for companies in site selection: labor, infrastructure, read sites.
• Top factors impacting industrial projects: electricity capacity, access to develop ready sites, and access to talent.
• NC is ranked 12^th in the business climate index.
• NC is ranked 18^th in the cost of doing business.
• 1960 the US Fertility Rate was 3.7 children. In 2022 it was 1.66 children, NCs was 1.71.
• NC has seen a 3.7% increase in population since 2020.
• NC population growth from ages 25 to 64 (labor force ages) has been over 7%.
• Wake County and surrounding counties are projected to grow labor force age over 10%.
• The Raleigh-Cary area has seen population growth of over 20%, the highest in the state, in the last ten years while Goldsboro, Greenville, New Bern, and Rocky Mount have lost population.
• More millennials are deciding not to have children.
• The labor force participation rate from ages 24 to 54 is 83.5%, ages 16 to 24 is 55.5%, and ages 55 and over is 38.6%.
• The NC labor force participation rate in 2023 was 60% to 61.7%.
• Only 46% of Americans say they will work past 62.
• In NC 20.6% of those over 65 are working.
• 18.1% of US workforce are born in another country.
• Top five states people are moving to NC from: FL, SC, NY, VA, and GA.
• Top five states people are moving from NC to: SC, FL, VA, GA, and TX.
• A huge spike in energy demand is expected in coming years.
• Home prices in NC have increased 62% in the last four years, which is in the top five in US.
• The average home value in NC was $329,454 while in Wake County it was over $400,000.
• The percentage of new residential permits in Wake County for Cary in 2010 was 27% while in 2024 3.5%.
• Cary residential properties sold continue to decline with 3533 sales in 2021 to 1915 in the latest report.
• The average price of property in Cary was $312,772. Now it is $668,373.
• North Carolina ranks 19^th in IT and innovation.
• Advanced industrial jobs have increased 16.1% in NC in the last five years compared to the national average of 11.9%.
• The Raleigh Metro area saw a gain of 53,163 jobs in 2022.
• Average homeowner insurance in NC was $1500 to $2500 a year.
• North Carolina was in the middle third for overall safety.
• North Carolina was ranked as one of the best health states.
• North Carolina was in the top third for fiscal stability.
• The Raleigh Metro area is expected to grow by more than 143,000 people by 2030.
• The Raleigh-Cary area grew by 73,246 from 2020 to 2023, a 6.5% growth rate.
• The Raleigh Metro area per capita income grew by over 26% from 2020 to 2023.

Quarterly Meeting

Thursday the council held its last quarterly meeting of the year. In the first part of the meeting staff wanted to hear the council’s reflection on the election including bonds, and races on the local, state, and federal level.

Here are some of my thoughts about the bond and moving forward which were also expressed by others:

• We heard the citizens loud and clear. All projects on the bond are stopped.
• That doesn’t mean we can’t still be “top of the arc” (best of the best). However, eventually we will need to invest in the future.
• We are too far in front of the community with thoughts and vision. We will need to be more risk averse in the short term. That is, if we are only thinking for the short term we will not move forward. But if we are only thinking for the long term we are not listening enough to the citizens.

Here are some of the takeaways from the quarterly:

• The Biennial Survey showed 84.6% would recommend Cary for relocation. It also showed 97.3% felt safe.
• We provide high quality municipal services for the lowest possible cost. We can no longer provide the “highest”.
• Cary is now in maintenance mode. We may need to delay stormwater sewer projects, charge for events, and postpone any new sidewalks.
• Influx of subsidy era is over.
• Cary is in solid financial standing with reserves and rating agencies.
• Prioritization is essential in moving forward due to cost escalation.
• Financial fluency, our own and our citizens’, is a primary focus.
• Sales tax revenue has slowed to basically no change from the previous year.
• Residential permits are trending downward and are close to their lowest point in decades.
• The consumer price index has increased dramatically showing a significant inflationary impact on goods and services.
• Actions taken to ensure financial health:
  • Issued debt for vehicle purchases
  • Transferred from capital funds to the general fund.
  • Delayed spending on non-critical initiatives
• The upcoming budget will:
  • Focus investment to maintenance
  • Hold vacant positions
  • Cut travel and training
  • Eliminate consulting contracts
• All departments reviewing their current year, FY 2025, operating budgets:
  • Evaluating non-personnel expenditures
  • Continue, Hold, Stop
  • The goal is to underspend to address projected inflation and personnel impacts
• For Capital Projects construction cost inflation has outpaced our budgets. Costs continue to be at all time highs. All existing capital projects will be re-estimated by staff and are being reviewed in preparation for a council reprioritization exercise at the February annual meeting.
• Prioritization isn’t a one-time event; it’s an on-going effort that provides transparency in where we’re spending our time and money
• 2019 Bond projects will be put on hold and the stage they are in. These include:
  • Carpenter Fire Station Road Widening $4,000,000 Design
  • Louis Stephens Drive $3,200,000 Design
  • Veterans Freedom Park $2,000,000 Planning
  • Tryon Road Park $10,000,000 Planning
  • Walnut Creek Greenway $1,400,000 Planning
  • Dutchman’s Branch Greenway $1,500,000 Planning
  • Green Level Church Rd Widening $15,500,000 Research
  • NC55 Pedestrian Grade Separation $1,000,000 Planning
  • O’Kelly Chapel Road Widening $9,200,000 Research
  • Action Sports Park $2,000,000 Design
  • Total: $49,800,000
• Capital Projects that will be considered for reprioritization or pausing:
  • Street Improvements FY25 $8,319,048 Powell
  • Optimist Farm Greenway $4,881,628 Grant, Rec in Lieu etc.
  • Lake Grove Dam Maintenance $4,000,000 Cash
  • Cary Tennis Park Improvements $3,000,000 Rec in Lieu
  • Western Cary Community Facility $2,550,000 Rec in Lieu
  • Parking Deck Technology $2,035,300 Cash
    • Vehicle License Fee, $10M
  • Highcroft Drive Extension $1,500,000 needed
  • South Hills Community Center $1,283,980 Rec in Lieu
  • Sidewalks FY25 $1,000,000 Vehicle License Fee
  • Downtown Ped Improvements $750,000 Vehicle License Fee
  • Mobility Study $500,000 Operating Budget
  • Cary Tennis Clubhouse Design $486,495 Cash
  • Total: $30,306,451
• Planning for the FY 2026 Operating Budget
  • Full impacts of personnel costs will be budgeted
  • Will assume that our departments are 100% staffed all year
  • Continue to monitor inflationary impacts (up or down) and adjust requests accordingly during budget development
• Planning for the FY 2026 Capital Budget
  • Resource Preservation
  • Maintenance focus
  • New project requests will be prioritized just like existing projects
  • Existing project costs will be reviewed in light of inflation and the bidding environment
  • Additional funds will be requested where needed

Veterans Luncheon

Friday I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson, Council member Smith, and Council member Bansal in greeting veterans attending the Cary Veterans lunch at Prestonwood. We presented each of them with a pin as they entered. We were so blessed to have so many veterans, and their spouses attend our luncheon. And we are honored to have these heroes in our community. Thanks to all veterans for their service!

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Dozens of incoherent complaints from someone who is struggling with drugs or mental illness. Some of the comments asked me to shoot people.
• A request for help with the power company.
• A request to find full-time work for a part-time Cary worker.
• A request to “STOP SPENDING OUR MONEY!” in all caps.
• Questions about getting a sidewalk to the Windemere subdivision.
• A question about security on police scanners.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Veterans Day event, a taping for social media, performance reviews for the town clerk, town attorney, and town manager, a meeting of the Cary Tennis Classic board, a council work session, a council meeting, the Chinese Lantern festival media night, and the Downtown Cary Park anniversary event.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, November 17^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Vote YES for Cary Bonds!

[DISCLAIMER – the following are my thoughts and opinions on the bond and do not represent the council or the town. The town, by law, cannot advocate or use its resources for or against any bond.]

Cary has been viewed as one of the best communities in the nation for many years. Past decisions were made with a goal to be the best of the best which was a values choice and the choice to continue to be the best of the best (what we call “top of the arc”) is a Cary citizen values choice that will be decided by the bond vote in November.

The November bond is a $590 million bond with most of the cost attributed to new community/senior center projects. Using bond money for these centers makes financial sense, as large capital projects like these are best financed through bonds. That way future residents will also pay their fair share of the cost. Currently Cary has three community centers and one senior center. These centers are decades old, require a LOT of maintenance, and don’t come close to meeting citizens’ demands. And that demand is increasing with Cary being the oldest populated municipality out of the top fourteen populated municipalities in North Carolina.

What is a bond?

The bond on the November ballot is a General Obligation (GO) bond. Citizens vote on these types of bonds and if approved have the lowest interest rate. Because Cary has the highest rating from all the major bond rating agencies, we will get the lowest interest rate on all bonds that will be used to fund these projects. GO bonds are a reliable, cost-effective, and fair way to finance important public projects, while ensuring that the costs are spread out, like a mortgage, and that citizens have a voice in the process.

Are bond votes a vote on projects?

Technically no. Bond votes are votes on project funding. However, if this bond fails then it is highly unlikely that many of these projects will be considered again for several years, and some may be scrapped forever.

What projects are in the bond and what are their costs?

• Sports and Recreation Community Center: $300 million
• Mills Park Community Center: $150 million
• Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion: $60 million
• Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million
• Asia Garden Master Plan: $10 million
• Nature Park Master Plan: $10 million
• New Housing Projects and Programs: $30 million

The state requires us to use highly conservative estimates in my opinion. They make us post 5.34% interest for the park’s bonds and 5.59% interest for the affordable housing bond. I believe Cary will do much better than those interest rates given that our history has been that we have beaten those rates each time. If not, we can wait until the interest rates go down.

The timing of the proposed tax rate change is also pessimistic: 2026, 2028, and 2030. The timeline used in our bond materials is the earliest date that these bonds will be sold and would then impact the tax rate. Keep in mind that Cary doesn’t have the manpower and resources to take on all these projects at one time. Delays are common when planning large projects, and I believe that accomplishing all these projects in the timeframe listed is a stretch.

Sports and Recreation Community Center ($300 million)

The Sports and Recreation Community Center will have three components: Community Center, Senior Center, and Competitive Space. The competitive portion of this project is estimated to generate an annual economic impact to our area of $37 million which will more than double the annual economic impact of all current Cary sports venues (WakeMed Soccer, USA Baseball, and the Cary Tennis Park). In addition, the county has committed $75 million to the cost of this project. If the “competitive space” were in existence today it is estimated that it would be booked out most of the year with other times used for transitioning between sports.

The community center and senior center will be large enough to accommodate people that live nearby as well as all Cary residents. The senior component will have areas dedicated to senior activities. This is desperately needed, especially in this part of Cary.

The area outside the Community Center will be a park-like setting. People will be able to enjoy and experience the entire grounds without ever going inside the center. In addition, the proposed Walnut Creek greenway will connect from it to Fenton and Downtown, providing a way to get to this space without driving. In the future, the developers of South Hills vision is to connect to a redeveloped Crossroads via a pedestrian bridge.

Mills Park Community Center ($150 million)

The Mills Park Community Center will include community center and a senior center. Many of our Cary residents live in western Cary and are currently underserved by public spaces. This will allow programming to help meet the needs of an aging population and the rest of the citizenry. Is this the crown jewels of community centers? No. As plans were originally developed with citizen input, I saw a LOT of features that I would love to see in the center but are just cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, this will be one of the nicest in the region if not the state.

Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion ($60 million)

The Cary Tennis Park benefits our citizens by providing recreational opportunities, but it’s also a venue for top college and professional tournaments. As I write this there is a national tennis tournament with colleges from all over the country in our town. These tennis tournaments generate millions of dollars of economic impact each year. Expanding our facilities will meet requirements that will allow us to draw bigger tennis tournaments and have an even bigger economic impact.

In addition, the expansion will create 30 pickleball courts on land that Cary owns as part of the Tennis facility. This will not only allow for recreational play in a rapidly growing sport but also allow us to hold future pickleball tournaments.

The expansion will also allow Cary to be home to the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you play tennis or pickleball it makes good sense to support this expansion just for the economic benefits, which will help keep our taxes low.

Walnut Creek Greenway ($30 million)

The Walnut Creek Greenway project will allow citizens to go from downtown to Fenton, WakeMed Soccer Park (via Fenton) and eventually to the redeveloped South Hills on a greenway. Connecting destination centers makes sense especially given our citizens’ interest in our downtown area. Cary is known for having an excellent and well-used greenway system of over 90 miles, and this investment will continue the connectivity and IMHO be our crown jewel.

Asia Garden Master Plan ($10 million)

The Asian Garden master plan is about adding a botanical garden and beautiful quiet space in Cary on land owned and shared with Wake County.   This project brings several valuable benefits of green space and beauty, where people can relax, walk and enjoy a calming environment while also celebrating our rich cultural diversity. The idea is to master plan the area and provide a space for a 1 to 2 acre set of gardens. There are few, if any, gardens like this in the Triangle area, and over time, it will provide educational opportunities and space for events to create a sense of community and likely become a destination that creates an economic impact.

Nature Park Master Plan ($10 million)

Cary purchased 200 acres to preserve its natural beauty for future generations. The current plan is to save historic structures on the site, create parking and restrooms, and create a path around the entire property. I think this nature preserve will be a fantastic amenity that keeps us the best of the best and a huge benefit to our community, families, grandkids and future generations.

New Housing Projects and Programs – Affordable Housing Bond ($30 million)

By law, Housing Bonds are separate questions on the ballot.  The Affordable Housing bond is a way to work to implement our already approved Cary Housing Plan. (https://housing.carync.gov/cary-housing-plan/)   If approved, the Housing bond will support housing initiatives in ALL four primary strategic areas contained in our plan, such as building housing and supporting residents with low and moderate incomes across Cary. Affordable Housing is a nationwide challenge, and Cary is not immune to this trend.  Our staff is the best of the best, and although we have made investments, our community has asked us to do more.  Our recently launched Stable Homes Cary Program partnership with Dorcas Ministries- is working to support people staying in their homes and helping with relocation support when moving may be necessary. The funds provided in this bond would provide funds to create or preserve more affordable housing options, including purchasing property, providing housing development gap financing, homeownership programing and working to preserve affordable housing and helping residents age in place.   Our goal is to ensure that people of all income levels can live in our community, and I believe that this bond referendum is a critical investment in Cary’s futureand a significant part of our community’s efforts to address affordability and the growing need for affordable housing. 

Laurel Street Groundbreaking

Monday morning, I joined five council members, three county commissioners, one state representative, Congresswoman Ross, and a host of others for the groundbreaking of Laurel Street which will have an affordable housing component. In addition to my comments the crowd heard from Congresswoman Ross, council member Bush, and developer Cochran. Here are some of the points I made in my remarks:

• The groundbreaking represents more than just new construction. It symbolizes hope, progress, and inclusion.
• Our community’s future economic vitality depends in large part on having sufficient housing that is affordable, diverse, and available to all.
• The 126 units of housing of this development not only aligns with the strategic goals of expanding housing options but makes the high quality of life we have in Cary available to our work force.
• It shows what is possible when public and private partners come together to innovate with a goal of building a stronger community for all.
• Mixed-income housing provided by this development strengthens neighborhoods, creates economic opportunities for residents, and promotes stability.
• As an additional bonus it will create jobs now and lay the foundation for a stronger, more resilient community for years to come.

After remarks were concluded twelve of elected officials turned the dirt for the official groundbreaking.

Friends of the Page-Walker

Tuesday evening, I met with a representative of Friends of the Page-Walker. Among the topics we discussed was the suggestion that the Ivey-Ellington be open to the public at scheduled times for tours, and that the exterior of the Nancy Jones House get some attention repair. I spoke with staff about these requests, and they are already being addressed or being discussed.

Dorcas Thanksgiving Breakfast

Wednesday morning I joined my wife and attended the Dorcas Ministries Thanksgiving breakfast. The event was emceed by Debra Morgan from WRAL. We heard two heartwarming stories of success through the help of Dorcas Ministries. I was honored to accept the inaugural Howard Manning Community Partner award on behalf of the town.

Economic Development Meeting

Wednesday evening I participated in a meeting of the Economic Development Committee.

The meeting started with an update from the town manager on downtown and downtown organizations.

Next the Assistant Town Manager in charge of development gave an update on town development, including development trends. Some of his comments included:

• Development has been consistent with the Imagine Cary Plan
• Projects are small or are clustered in large projects
• National interest rates are impacting local development
• Undeveloped land in 2015 was 18% and in 2024 it was 14% in 2024. There is 12.5% in pipeline.
• 11% of inquiries and applications for rezonings end up being approved

Next he provided an informational session to the committee on the upcoming community bonds.

The President of the Cary Chamber provided the latest information on business activity:

• Unemployment:

• Cary- 2.6% – (as of 10/30/24) which is considered full employment.
• Wake County – 2.9% – (as of 10/30/24)
• North Carolina – 3.8% – (as of 9/30/24)
• US- 4.1% – (as of 9/30/24)
• Business Recruitment Pipeline:
  • 7 projects with a potential of 1800 jobs and $650 M potential investment
  • Industry breakdown- (Advance Manufacturing, Clean Tech, and Life Science)
• Return to Office:

The return-to-office landscape remains in flux, with most companies still maintaining hybrid schedules. Many firms, especially in sectors like tech and finance, mostly require employees to spend at least three to four days weekly in the office. Meanwhile, there are still several companies that allow fully remote work without mandated in-office days. He believes some companies will return to full time in the office which will help local supporting businesses like restaurants.

• Class A Office:

The vacancy rate for just Class A buildings in Cary is hovering around 21%, while the overall vacancy for the office sector in Cary is around 10%. The forecast shows a slight drop in vacancy in early 2025 and then a steadily increasing trajectory for the remainder of the year. Anecdotally, we are seeing a “flight to quality” overall in the office sector throughout the Triangle. Newer buildings with more amenities are attracting tenants, as employers are looking for exciting, well amenitized workplaces to support their return-to-the-office efforts. The lack of demand combined with the new deliveries has resulted in a vacancy rate of 10.1%. That level is above Cary’s historical average vacancy rate of 7.0% but remains below the overall Raleigh vacancy rate of 11.5% which has also risen over the past year.

• Interest Rates and Demand Shifts:

The Federal Reserve’s September rate cut of 0.50% appears to have stimulated capital activity, especially in real estate and leveraged finance. This interest rate reduction has prompted increased investor interest, with high demand in both multifamily and single-family rental markets due to affordability challenges in homeownership. Additionally, some of the investment capital sidelined in recent years is beginning to return to the market, particularly for build-for-rent developments.

• FAST Program Expansion:

As of October 2024, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has provided awards of $9 million through the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. This initiative helps underserved entrepreneurs in sectors like women-owned, rural, and socially or economically disadvantaged small businesses access Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) funding. With a 60% increase in maximum funding, FAST now extends to 48 states and Puerto Rico to broaden resources for small business innovation and commercialization.

• Green Lender Initiatives:

Announced earlier this year, this program aligns with the Biden administration’s goals to reduce emissions by supporting clean energy projects. It leverages SBA loan guarantees to attract private capital, encouraging small businesses to adopt clean energy solutions. This effort also increases funding and expands geographic eligibility under the Community Advantage loan program for businesses engaged in sustainable projects.

Special Surprise

On Wednesday night, October 23^rd, I was part of a taped interview with 101.5 DJs and Mariah Carey to be part of a special surprise announcement for November 1^st. On Friday, November 1^st, the announcement was made public and unveiled to coincide with WRAL 101.5 beginning of the holiday season. I read a proclamation renaming Cary to C-A-R-E-Y for one day, November 1^st. I was brought into the last part of the interview which lasted about ten to fifteen minutes. When it was finally my turn to speak, I was told I only had two minutes I powered through the entire proclamation. Carey’s response was “amazing”, “my father would have been proud”, and “Maybe I should move there”. On the last comment I said we could make that happen, but my audio was already cut off in the recording. You can read the entire proclamation here. You can hear my part of the interview here:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Lj3OQp3YnZf6h6ocYgWfq?si=eKolqdU_RlKdLNop565DKg

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cary-becomes-carey-for-mariah-carey-day/id1676461080?i=1000675351709

WRAL 101.5 has an abbreviated version here:

101.5: https://www.instagram.com/p/DB1VKtbvfNn/

I would be remiss if I didn’t tell everyone that Cary was originally incorporated as CAREY by mistake. It was corrected by the legislature.

NC Metro Mayors

I joined a meeting of the NC Metro Mayors on Friday. The meeting mostly consisted of a presentation by Paul Cox, General Counsel for NC State Board of Elections. You can read the “10 FACTS for ELECTION SECURITY IN NC” – and more information at https://www.ncsbe.gov/

Here is a summary of his comments on what to expect on Election Day:

• Voting polls are open on Election Day from 6:30am to 7:30pm.

• The North Carolina State Board of Elections (SBOE) will be on duty on Election Day beginning at 5:30am to ensure safety and security throughout Election Day.
• The SBOE works with the National Guard, NC Emergency Management, and the Department of Information Technology Resources and the NC Emergency Operations Center is activated for Election Day – serving primarily as central communications system and resource to share information and respond as needed. A number of County-level EOC’s will also be activated (including Forsyth, Wake and Durham).
• These departments help the SBOE monitor website traffic and cyber security of elections.
• With a large number of early voting sites and 2600 precincts Election Day sites, coordinated by 100 County Boards of Elections, NC is a very decentralized system. This can actually be an asset since it avoids the risk of one centralized location suffering system-wide and large-scale problems.
• With many sites, it is common for some minor issues to crop up, such as human error, local precinct traffic or building problems and minor technology issues.  But, since it is a well-orchestrated but decentralized system, large scale problems are very unlikely.
• Some minor issues are naturally expected and are not an indication of election fraud.
• If an election site is disrupted for longer than 15 minutes, the SBOE can extend the site’s closing time past 7:30pm.
• Senate Bill 747 changed the way that early voting ballots are counted. Now counties must wait until the polls are closed on Election Day to begin the process of counting early voting ballots. In the past, the usual practice was to tally these early votes before county precincts closed, which meant that these early votes were often reported fairly soon after polls close – THAT WILL NOT BE THE CASE this year. So do not expect a significant amount of vote tallies soon after polls close, since SB 747 does not allow early votes to be counted until polls close on Election Day.
• Excellent resource to understand the expected timelines for reporting results on Election Day and through the canvas/certification process is on the SBOE website – https://www.ncsbe.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/30/9-facts-about-vote-counting-and-reporting-process-nc

General timelines for Election Day reporting:

• 7:30 p.m.: Polls close.
• 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Counties report to the Dashboard results of most absentee ballots received before Election Day will be first to appear, followed by some early voting ballots soon after that.
• 8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Precinct poll workers begin hand-deliver Election Day results to county board of elections offices and these votes start appearing on county level.
• 8:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.: Counties report Election Day precinct results to the Dashboard. Reporting continues until all Election Day unofficial results are posted.
• The precinct level results take more time to count, especially in counties with many precincts like Wake County (200 precincts) – rolling in as late as midnight, or even later.
• At the end of election night around 11pm, smaller counties will have most of their results reported.
• The SBOE is not allowed to declare winners on election night because votes do NOT get certified at the county level until ten days later and state canvas is not official until 11 days after that.
• Absentee ballots that arrive on Election Day get counted during the 10-day canvas/certification period.
• Provisional ballots will be counted during the canvas/certification period too.
• There is expected to be a large increase in provisional ballots this year, because of the relatively new voter ID laws which allows those without approved IDs in hand on election day to vote as onsite provisional ballots.

The remainder of the meeting was a legislative update by Checkmate GR (Nelson Freeman & Hampton Billups). Here is their summary:

• The Legislature met last week and passed another bill for hurricane relief funding, with more funding to follow in subsequent votes, this year and next.
• The Legislature is set to meet November 19th
• Members will meet in January to be sworn in and perform important organizational activities (leadership, rules and schedules for 2025-26).
• Checkmate GR will send an update of what to expect in the next session.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

As we approach an important week globally, I want to offer a bit of happiness and joy to help carry us through, whatever the outcome on November 5. Here’s a look at what Marketing has been doing in support of the request from MIX 101.5 to add an “e” to Cary for one day.
I look forward to seeing you all next Thursday at the Courtyard by Marriott for our Quarterly meeting, where we’ll discuss the outcomes of the election and next steps for our community. As is our usual practice, please do not expect a weekly report on Friday, Nov. 8 following the Quarterly meeting.
A reminder that Town Hall will be closed on November 11 in observance of Veterans Day. Here’s more information on our plans to honor our veterans.
Enjoy Taste of China tomorrow at the Downtown Cary Park.
Sean

“Stable Homes Cary” Activated to Motel Residents

In response to Monday’s Motel 6 fire and under the umbrella of the Town’s new “Stable Homes Cary” program, Cary staff worked with Dorcas to provide emergency assistance to more than 60 motel residents, including shelter, clothing, food, and other immediate needs. GoCary Transit moved those impacted to a nearby motel. Counselors are working with those displaced to assess each household’s needs and register them in the Wake County Coordinated Entry System in an effort to secure permanent housing.

921 SE Maynard Ceremonial Groundbreaking

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, and Councilmembers Jack Smith, Lori Bush, Michelle Craig, and Sarika Bansal joined Congresswoman Deborah Ross and representatives from development partner Laurel Street on Monday to break ground on 126 new mixed-income housing units at 921 SE Maynard. This project, expected to welcome residents in 2026, will be the first of its kind built on town-owned land and represents a key step in Cary’s broader strategy to increase affordable housing options.

Designed to offer a mix of affordable and market-rate units, the development underscores Cary’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable living and community partnerships. This milestone supports the goals of the Imagine Cary Community Plan and Cary Housing Plan, advancing Cary’s vision for quality, accessible housing for all residents.

Neighborhood Parks Celebration

Last Sunday, Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, Councilmembers Sarika Bansal and Lori Bush, along with staff and community members, gathered to celebrate the opening of Carpenter Fire Station and McCrimmon Parkway Neighborhood Parks. Mayor Weinbrecht, Councilmember Bansal, and PRCR Director John Collins shared remarks, with special recognition given to Mayor Pro Tem Robinson for her support in bringing these parks to life. Together, these parks offer amenities for all ages, including sports courts, playgrounds, action sports areas, and open space.

2024 Dorcas Thanksgiving Breakfast

On Wednesday, Cary staff joined Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson, and Councilmembers Lori Bush, Carissa Kohn-Johnson, and Michelle Craig at the Dorcas Thanksgiving Breakfast. During the event, Mayor Weinbrecht accepted the Howard Manning Community Partner of the Year award on behalf of Cary, recognizing Cary’s continued support in launching Stable Homes Cary, a program dedicated to helping residents facing housing instability. The breakfast featured heartfelt stories that highlighted the powerful impact of Dorcas’s programs and wraparound services available to the community.

2024 Cary Community Bonds ABC11 Interview

On Thursday, Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar spoke with ABC11 about the 2024 Cary Community Bond Referendum. As Election Day approaches on November 5, staff remains dedicated to making information about these projects and initiatives accessible to everyone, ensuring all residents have their questions answered and can cast their ballots with confidence.

Emergency Vehicle Preemption

We are pleased to announce that with the recent addition of Emergency Vehicle Preemption (EVP) at 17 more intersections, 156 of Cary’s 225 signalized intersections – nearly 70% – now operate with this life-saving technology. EVP enables real-time signal adjustments when emergency vehicles approach, allowing for smoother and more predictable response routes. This initiative was made possible through a collaborative effort among the Fire Department, Transportation, and Public Works teams. With EVP now widely implemented, emergency vehicles can navigate intersections more safely and with fewer delays, enhancing response times across Cary.

Smart City Pilot for Traffic Detection

Cary staff from Traffic Operations, Information Technology, and Transportation recently deployed the first LIDAR-based detection device in the state at the intersection of Academy Street and Dry Avenue. The LIDAR sensor utilizes lasers to collect millions of points of light that bounce off the surrounding environment to create a real-time, 3D image. This data is fed into an AI platform to precisely detect cars, trucks, buses, pedestrians, cyclists and more. As a pilot installation, staff will monitor the performance of the LIDAR device to determine how effective it is at detecting vehicles and pedestrians, activating the traffic light to minimize delays, and providing additional features that can improve safety at the intersection.
In addition to detecting traffic, the information collected by the LIDAR sensor will be run through a data analytics platform called BlueCity. Staff will be able to utilize this platform to better understand how safely and efficiently the intersection operates. BlueCity can alert us to things like near-misses, red light runners, pedestrians crossing outside of the crosswalk, illegal turning movements, and the number of people using the intersection throughout the day. Integrating the LIDAR platform into the existing traffic signal should assist staff in optimizing the signal timing to reduce vehicle delays and maximize system capacity.

October Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cary, Raleigh, and Wake County recently launched a collaborative initiative for Cybersecurity Awareness Month designed to support digital safety for senior citizens and small business owners. This initiative, held as a series of speaker events and panel discussions, aimed to address the specific cybersecurity challenges these groups often face. Experts shared practical tips on topics such as safe online practices, spotting phishing scams, and protecting sensitive information. Panelists also provided insights into emerging cyber threats and offered advice on affordable security measures. This initiative empowered participants with essential knowledge to help protect their personal and business information in today’s digital landscape.

Green Stormwater Presentation to Lochmere HOA

On October 23, Stormwater staff participated in Lochmere’s Environmental Education Series, where they presented to residents about managing stormwater runoff on residential properties. The presentation was well received and highlighted the benefits of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) for effectively managing runoff. It also introduced Cary’s new GSI Grant program. In November, Cary staff will continue this educational effort by presenting recycling as part of the same series.

2024 Halloween Events

This October, Cary came alive with Halloween events that united the community for a month of festive fun!
At the Ghostly Legends at the Old Hotel, more than 100 guests enjoyed eerie tales from Cary’s past, led by a spiritual medium. The Mummy & Son Ball hosted more than 140 families at Ritter Park, who danced, played games, and joined a spirited costume contest.
Downtown Cary Park transformed into a Halloween hub, welcoming over 8,000 visitors to workshops, themed trivia, and events like the Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Movie Night. This year, Zombiepalooza drew 2,000 fans to the Great Lawn Pavilion for face painting, games, and local films, with awards for Best Zombie Short and Best Costume.
At Bond Lake, the Pumpkin Flotilla attracted 2,000 attendees who watched 60 pumpkins float across the lake at sunset, with live music and food adding to the atmosphere. Lastly, the Haunted Walk, led by the Cary Teen Council, thrilled 1,400 visitors over two nights with spooky surprises and plenty of laughter.

Brandon Pasinski Named Fleet Manager of the Year

Brandon Pasinski, Cary’s Fleet Manager, was named “Fleet Manager of the Year” by the American Public Works Association North Carolina Chapter (APWA NC), recognizing his dedication to excellence, efficiency, and innovation in managing Cary’s fleet. His leadership has driven cost-saving measures, enhanced sustainability, and upheld high service standards, supporting Cary’s operations and long-term goals for responsible resource management.

Upcoming Meetings

Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday, November 4
5:15 p.m.

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, November 4
6:00 p.m.

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, November 4
6:30 p.m.

Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday, November 6
12:00 p.m.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning
Wednesday, November 6
6:30 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Quarterly)
Thursday, November 7
1:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint that Cary doesn’t care about trees.
• Thank you for the Marigold affordable housing project.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the council/staff quarterly, and the Cary Veterans Luncheon.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, November 10^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Vote YES for Cary Bonds!

[DISCLAIMER – the following are my thoughts and opinions on the bond and do not represent the council or the town. The town, by law, cannot advocate or use its resources for or against any bond.]

Cary has been viewed as one of the best communities in the nation for many years. Past decisions were made with a goal to be the best of the best which was a values choice and the choice to continue to be the best of the best (what we call “top of the arc”) is a Cary citizen values choice that will be decided by the bond vote in November.

The November bond is a $590 million bond with most of the cost attributed to new community/senior center projects. Using bond money for these centers makes financial sense, as large capital projects like these are best financed through bonds. That way future residents will also pay their fair share of the cost. Currently Cary has three community centers and one senior center. These centers are decades old, require a LOT of maintenance, and don’t come close to meeting citizens’ demands. And that demand is increasing with Cary being the oldest populated municipality out of the top fourteen populated municipalities in North Carolina.

What is a bond?

The bond on the November ballot is a General Obligation (GO) bond. Citizens vote on these types of bonds and if approved have the lowest interest rate. Because Cary has the highest rating from all the major bond rating agencies, we will get the lowest interest rate on all bonds that will be used to fund these projects. GO bonds are a reliable, cost-effective, and fair way to finance important public projects, while ensuring that the costs are spread out, like a mortgage, and that citizens have a voice in the process.

Are bond votes a vote on projects?

Technically no. Bond votes are votes on project funding. However, if this bond fails then it is highly unlikely that many of these projects will be considered again for several years, and some may be scrapped forever.

What projects are in the bond and what are their costs?

• Sports and Recreation Community Center: $300 million
• Mills Park Community Center: $150 million
• Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion: $60 million
• Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million
• Asia Garden Master Plan: $10 million
• Nature Park Master Plan: $10 million
• New Housing Projects and Programs: $30 million

The state requires us to use highly conservative estimates in my opinion. They make us post 5.34% interest for the park’s bonds and 5.59% interest for the affordable housing bond. I believe Cary will do much better than those interest rates given that our history has been that we have beaten those rates each time. If not, we can wait until the interest rates go down.

The timing of the proposed tax rate change is also pessimistic: 2026, 2028, and 2030. The timeline used in our bond materials is the earliest date that these bonds will be sold and would then impact the tax rate. Keep in mind that Cary doesn’t have the manpower and resources to take on all these projects at one time. Delays are common when planning large projects, and I believe that accomplishing all these projects in the timeframe listed is a stretch.

Sports and Recreation Community Center ($300 million)

The Sports and Recreation Community Center will have three components: Community Center, Senior Center, and Competitive Space. The competitive portion of this project is estimated to generate an annual economic impact to our area of $37 million which will more than double the annual economic impact of all current Cary sports venues (WakeMed Soccer, USA Baseball, and the Cary Tennis Park). In addition, the county has committed $75 million to the cost of this project. If the “competitive space” were in existence today it is estimated that it would be booked out most of the year with other times used for transitioning between sports.

The community center and senior center will be large enough to accommodate people that live nearby as well as all Cary residents. The senior component will have areas dedicated to senior activities. This is desperately needed, especially in this part of Cary.

The area outside the Community Center will be a park-like setting. People will be able to enjoy and experience the entire grounds without ever going inside the center. In addition, the proposed Walnut Creek greenway will connect from it to Fenton and Downtown, providing a way to get to this space without driving. In the future, the developers of South Hills vision is to connect to a redeveloped Crossroads via a pedestrian bridge.

Mills Park Community Center ($150 million)

The Mills Park Community Center will include community center and a senior center. Many of our Cary residents live in western Cary and are currently underserved by public spaces. This will allow programming to help meet the needs of an aging population and the rest of the citizenry. Is this the crown jewels of community centers? No. As plans were originally developed with citizen input, I saw a LOT of features that I would love to see in the center but are just cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, this will be one of the nicest in the region if not the state.

Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion ($60 million)

The Cary Tennis Park benefits our citizens by providing recreational opportunities, but it’s also a venue for top college and professional tournaments. As I write this there is a national tennis tournament with colleges from all over the country in our town. These tennis tournaments generate millions of dollars of economic impact each year. Expanding our facilities will meet requirements that will allow us to draw bigger tennis tournaments and have an even bigger economic impact.

In addition, the expansion will create 30 pickleball courts on land that Cary owns as part of the Tennis facility. This will not only allow for recreational play in a rapidly growing sport but also allow us to hold future pickleball tournaments.

The expansion will also allow Cary to be home to the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you play tennis or pickleball it makes good sense to support this expansion just for the economic benefits, which will help keep our taxes low.

Walnut Creek Greenway ($30 million)

The Walnut Creek Greenway project will allow citizens to go from downtown to Fenton, WakeMed Soccer Park (via Fenton) and eventually to the redeveloped South Hills on a greenway. Connecting destination centers makes sense especially given our citizens’ interest in our downtown area. Cary is known for having an excellent and well-used greenway system of over 90 miles, and this investment will continue the connectivity and IMHO be our crown jewel.

Asia Garden Master Plan ($10 million)

The Asian Garden master plan is about adding a botanical garden and beautiful quiet space in Cary on land owned and shared with Wake County.   This project brings several valuable benefits of green space and beauty, where people can relax, walk and enjoy a calming environment while also celebrating our rich cultural diversity. The idea is to master plan the area and provide a space for a 1 to 2 acre set of gardens. There are few, if any, gardens like this in the Triangle area, and over time, it will provide educational opportunities and space for events to create a sense of community and likely become a destination that creates an economic impact.

Nature Park Master Plan ($10 million)

Cary purchased 200 acres to preserve its natural beauty for future generations. The current plan is to save historic structures on the site, create parking and restrooms, and create a path around the entire property. I think this nature preserve will be a fantastic amenity that keeps us the best of the best and a huge benefit to our community, families, grandkids and future generations.

New Housing Projects and Programs – Affordable Housing Bond ($30 million)

By law, Housing Bonds are separate questions on the ballot.  The Affordable Housing bond is a way to work to implement our already approved Cary Housing Plan. (https://housing.carync.gov/cary-housing-plan/)   If approved, the Housing bond will support housing initiatives in ALL four primary strategic areas contained in our plan, such as building housing and supporting residents with low and moderate incomes across Cary. Affordable Housing is a nationwide challenge, and Cary is not immune to this trend.  Our staff is the best of the best, and although we have made investments, our community has asked us to do more.  Our recently launched Stable Homes Cary Program partnership with Dorcas Ministries- is working to support people staying in their homes and helping with relocation support when moving may be necessary. The funds provided in this bond would provide funds to create or preserve more affordable housing options, including purchasing property, providing housing development gap financing, homeownership programing and working to preserve affordable housing and helping residents age in place.   Our goal is to ensure that people of all income levels can live in our community, and I believe that this bond referendum is a critical investment in Cary’s futureand a significant part of our community’s efforts to address affordability and the growing need for affordable housing. 

Town Manage One-On-One

Monday, I met with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Our topics of discussion included the manager’s annual evaluation, bonds, and an upcoming closed session.

Diwali Proclamation

Monday night I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson, council member Bansal, and council member Kohn-Johnson in a Diwali celebration for the Hindu Society of North Carolina at the Downtown Cary Park. A made a few remarks and read a proclamation. Others in attendance included Congresswoman Ross, Congressman Nickle, NC Senator Batch, NC Representative Liu, NC Representative Cervania, and Wake County School Board member Tyler Swanson.

Council Work Session

Tuesday afternoon the council held a work session as part of the process to evaluate the performance of one of our direct hires. Our direct hires include the town manager, town attorney, and town clerk.

Council Meeting

Thursday night the council met for the last regularly scheduled meeting of October. The agenda had five consent items, two public hearings, and one discussion item.

The meeting opened with a proclamation recognizing Cary Band Day. This was the 65^th Cary Band Day and the 103^rd anniversary of the Cary Band. To say it is a tradition is an understatement.

The first public hearing was for the 23-A-04 Courtyards at White Oak annexation. This had no speakers and will come back for a vote with the associated rezoning. The second public hearing was on the ACT-34 Imagine Cary Community Plan 2024 Update. This plan guides all development in Cary. The council will vote on this early next year.

The discussion item was for the 23-REZ-05 South Hills District Rezoning at the old South Hills mall site which was for an assemblage of properties totaling approximately 44.35 acres along Buck Jones Road near Walnut Street. It will allow a vertically integrated, mixed-use development with structured parking. It would also create a block structure and street grid for the site and incorporate three height zones, with the highest buildings being allowed closest to U.S. 1. The plan requires ground floor activation along specific pedestrian-focused areas of the site. The following types and amounts of uses were modeled in the traffic study for this rezoning:

• 550,000 square feet of commercial uses,
• 35,000 square feet of research and development uses,
• 935,000 square feet of office and public/institutional uses,
• 350 hotel rooms,
• 1,775 multifamily dwellings,
• 328,000 square feet of institutional use for the Center

There will be a developer agreement worked out over the next few months which will give more specificity before the site plan is created. This will be a large development that will hopefully transform a rundown old mall into a vibrant area of Cary. During the discussion council members asked questions that included traffic and impervious surface but ultimately approved it unanimously.

Honoring Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson

Wednesday evening, I joined several Cary staff members at the CPRC (Central Pines Regional Council) meeting to honor Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson for serving as the President of the National Association of Regional Councils in 2023. The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) serves as the national voice for regions by advocating for regional cooperation as the most effective way to address a variety of community planning and development opportunities and issues. Several members of CPRC spoke and praised Ms. Robinson. I added my gratitude and presented her with flowers on behalf of the staff and council. I am so proud and honored to have had Jennifer lead this national organization. She is not only a great leader on all levels but a good friend to many. We are so blessed to have her as our Mayor Pro-Tem.

Special Surprise

Wednesday night I did a taping for a special surprise for Cary citizens and surrounding areas. The surprise will be unveiled on November 1^st.

Shooting in Cary

According to reports, Thursday afternoon a fifteen-year-old was injured by gunfire in the Village Square Shopping center near Cary High School. The suspect was a seventeen-year-old. Neither the suspect nor the victim was a Wake County student. While the incident was tragic, I am glad the shooting was not fatal.

Carpenter Fire Station and McCrimmon Parkway Parks Celebration

Sunday afternoon I joined Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson, council member Bush, council member Bansal and several staff members in a neighborhood parks celebration at Carpenter Fire Station Road Park. The celebration also included McCrimmon Park.

While all council members are involved in the approval of parks, Mayor Pro-Tem Jennifer Robinson was instrumental in these parks since she represented this area of Cary for more than a decade. She was the representative of this area when the idea of neighborhood parks were first initiated, reviewed many versions of the proposal, and was a key advocate for its completion. When our districts were adjusted to rebalance representation, Mayor Pro-Tem Robinson’s district changed and she was no longer this district’s representative. However, her contributions to this area’s development remain significant. Thank you, Jennifer, for all you have done to make these parks a reality.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

This was another week marked by numerous important and meaningful events, as detailed in this report. That said, the most significant undertaking by Cary staff was the flawless unified response to yesterday’s shooting. Public safety has been, and always will be, our top priority, and I am proud to serve the men and women of our police and fire departments, whose fearless dedication was once again on display.
Sean

Diwali Holiday Proclamation

On Oct. 21, the Mayor presented the Diwali Holiday Proclamation to Manoj Pandya, President of the Hindu Society of North Carolina, alongside other community leaders. Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson and Councilmembers Sarika Bansal and Carissa Kohn-Johnson were in attendance, joined by federal, state, and county elected officials. The event was a meaningful occasion for the community to come together and celebrate the spirit of Diwali, with attendees expressing gratitude for the opportunity to honor this significant holiday.

Central Pines Recognizes Council Member Robinson

On Oct. 23, the Mayor, leadership staff, and the Central Pines Board of Delegates honored Jennifer Bryson Robinson for her outstanding service, as she recently completed her term as the Chair of the National Association of Regional Councils. The event was also attended by Erich Zimmermann, Executive Director of the association.

Western Wake Children’s Business Fair

Cary hosted the Western Wake Children’s Business Fair on Oct. 19 at Thomas Brooks Park. Councilmembers Lori Bush and Sarika Bansal attended the award ceremony to congratulate the participants. The event offered an exciting day of entrepreneurship and family fun. The fair featured nearly 60 young entrepreneurs who showcased their creativity and business skills, making it a memorable event for the community.

Quarterly All Hands Meeting

On Thursday, Brittany, Sean, and Russ led Cary’s quarterly All Hands meeting with staff, covering key topics like capital budget priorities, the upcoming bond referendum, and Hurricane Helene assistance efforts. More than 100 employees joined in person, with hundreds more tuning in online, including 300 Public Works employees after their annual Snow Rodeo. It was a great conversation about prioritization and taking this time to determine what is most precious to us. At a time when several of our North Carolina neighbors are experiencing such devastation, it is important to remember what matters most. 

2024 Cary Community Bonds WRAL Interview

On Tuesday, Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar was interviewed by WRAL News to share information on the 2024 Cary Community Bonds. The interview aired on Tuesday evening and was a great opportunity to inform Cary citizens about the bonds and express the importance of their vote.

Smart Cities Tour at the Downtown Cary Park

This week, members of the Traffic Engineering and Transportation Planning Councils from the North Carolina Section of the Institute for Transportation Engineers visited downtown Cary. Staff from Police, Transportation, PRCR, and IT led a tour of the Downtown Park, highlighting Smart Cities applications that illustrate how people move around the park. Topics included Cary’s new LiDAR installation at the Academy Street and Dry Avenue intersection, video analytics throughout the park, and smart sensors for weather, sound, and trash. The tour ended with networking at the Bark Bar.

Cary Greenway Projects Update

Construction on Cary’s Crabtree Greenway Project, extending from Bond Park to High House Road, is nearing completion and expected to open in early 2025. Managed by Lanier Construction, the final tasks include paving and installing fencing. Once finished, the greenway will link Bond Park to High House Road, providing a critical connection in the Crabtree Creek Greenway corridor with GoCary transit access and enhanced bike and pedestrian routes.

Phase one of the Black Creek Greenway Renovation is set for completion by summer 2025. Completed work includes utility relocations and waterline installation, with storm drainage and bridge foundation installations underway. Project updates and drone footage are available online.

Bond Lake Supplemental Watershed Plan

Following the public meeting in August, Wake County has published a FAQ addressing public concerns and feedback on upgrades to Bond Lake Dam.

The FAQ outlines potential temporary disruptions if the project moves forward, aiming to meet federal flood regulations while also ensuring long-term benefits for the lake’s ecosystem, wildlife, and recreation use. Cary and Wake County staff will meet at the end of the month to discuss the project and community input. Additional updates and information will be available on Wake County’s Crabtree Creek Watershed website.

October Harvest Fest

October’s Harvest Fest attracted hundreds to Cary’s Good Hope Farm last Saturday for tours, local produce from farmer trainees, and a variety of family-friendly activities. Staff partnered with various nonprofit groups including the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Trees for the Triangle, The Cary Tree Archive, Cary Garden Club, Piedmont Conservation Council, Western Wake Farmers Market, Cary Farmers Market, Save Soil, Pitstop for the Birds, and the NC Bluebird Society to provide information booths. Cary staff also hosted booths to engage visitors in sustainability initiatives. November’s Harvest Fest is set for the 16th, focusing on buying locally and preventing food waste during the holidays.

Sturgill Simpson’s Benefit Concert

Sturgill Simpson performed two sold-out shows earlier this week at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Originally scheduled to perform in Asheville on Monday, that show was canceled due to extensive damage from Hurricane Helene. Instead, Simpson performed in Cary on Tuesday night, raising money for disaster relief efforts in western North Carolina. Proceeds from the concert were donated to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund.

2024 NC Senior Pickleball Championships

From Oct. 18 – 20, the Cary Tennis Park hosted the NC Senior Games 2024 State Pickleball Championships for the third consecutive year. More than 850 players, aged 50 to 94, participated in the event, which required 30 pickleball courts (26 taped and 4 permanent). Throughout the three days, matches were held in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles across all age groups.

Upcoming Meetings

2024 Cary Community Bonds Public Meeting
Monday, October 28
6:30 p.m.

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, October 28
6:30 p.m.

Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, October 30
5:15 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about the “literacy” of Cary, Apex, and Morrisville signs.
• A request to ban cyclists from the streets and make them use greenways.
• A complaint about flooding of Sequoia Creek.
• A complaint about the bond referendum.
• A request to find out how youth are getting guns (referring to the shooting).

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Laurel Street Project’s groundbreaking, a meeting with a representative from Friends of the Page Walker, the Dorcas Thanksgiving breakfast, an Economic Development Committee meeting, and a meeting of the NC Metro Mayors.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, November 3^rd, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Vote YES for Cary Bonds!

[DISCLAIMER – the following are my thoughts and opinions on the bond and do not represent the council or the town. The town, by law, cannot advocate or use its resources for or against any bond.]

Cary has been viewed as one of the best communities in the nation for many years. Past decisions were made with a goal to be the best of the best which was a values choice and the choice to continue to be the best of the best (what we call “top of the arc”) is a Cary citizen values choice that will be decided by the bond vote in November.

The November bond is a $590 million bond with most of the cost attributed to new community/senior center projects. Using bond money for these centers makes financial sense, as large capital projects like these are best financed through bonds. That way future residents will also pay their fair share of the cost. Currently Cary has three community centers and one senior center. These centers are decades old, require a LOT of maintenance, and don’t come close to meeting citizens’ demands. And that demand is increasing with Cary being the oldest populated municipality out of the top fourteen populated municipalities in North Carolina.

What is a bond?

The bond on the November ballot is a General Obligation (GO) bond. Citizens vote on these types of bonds and if approved have the lowest interest rate. Because Cary has the highest rating from all the major bond rating agencies, we will get the lowest interest rate on all bonds that will be used to fund these projects. GO bonds are a reliable, cost-effective, and fair way to finance important public projects, while ensuring that the costs are spread out, like a mortgage, and that citizens have a voice in the process.

Are bond votes a vote on projects?

Technically no. Bond votes are votes on project funding. However, if this bond fails then it is highly unlikely that many of these projects will be considered again for several years, and some may be scrapped forever.

What projects are in the bond and what are their costs?

• Sports and Recreation Community Center: $300 million
• Mills Park Community Center: $150 million
• Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion: $60 million
• Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million
• Asia Garden Master Plan: $10 million
• Nature Park Master Plan: $10 million
• New Housing Projects and Programs: $30 million

The state requires us to use highly conservative estimates in my opinion. They make us post 5.34% interest for the park’s bonds and 5.59% interest for the affordable housing bond. I believe Cary will do much better than those interest rates given that our history has been that we have beaten those rates each time. If not, we can wait until the interest rates go down.

The timing of the proposed tax rate change is also pessimistic: 2026, 2028, and 2030. The timeline used in our bond materials is the earliest date that these bonds will be sold and would then impact the tax rate. Keep in mind that Cary doesn’t have the manpower and resources to take on all these projects at one time. Delays are common when planning large projects, and I believe that accomplishing all these projects in the timeframe listed is a stretch.

Sports and Recreation Community Center ($300 million)

The Sports and Recreation Community Center will have three components: Community Center, Senior Center, and Competitive Space. The competitive portion of this project is estimated to generate an annual economic impact to our area of $37 million which will more than double the annual economic impact of all current Cary sports venues (WakeMed Soccer, USA Baseball, and the Cary Tennis Park). In addition, the county has committed $75 million to the cost of this project. If the “competitive space” were in existence today it is estimated that it would be booked out most of the year with other times used for transitioning between sports.

The community center and senior center will be large enough to accommodate people that live nearby as well as all Cary residents. The senior component will have areas dedicated to senior activities. This is desperately needed, especially in this part of Cary.

The area outside the Community Center will be a park-like setting. People will be able to enjoy and experience the entire grounds without ever going inside the center. In addition, the proposed Walnut Creek greenway will connect from it to Fenton and Downtown, providing a way to get to this space without driving. In the future, the developers of South Hills vision is to connect to a redeveloped Crossroads via a pedestrian bridge.

Mills Park Community Center ($150 million)

The Mills Park Community Center will include community center and a senior center. Many of our Cary residents live in western Cary and are currently underserved by public spaces. This will allow programming to help meet the needs of an aging population and the rest of the citizenry. Is this the crown jewels of community centers? No. As plans were originally developed with citizen input, I saw a LOT of features that I would love to see in the center but are just cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, this will be one of the nicest in the region if not the state.

Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion ($60 million)

The Cary Tennis Park benefits our citizens by providing recreational opportunities, but it’s also a venue for top college and professional tournaments. As I write this there is a national tennis tournament with colleges from all over the country in our town. These tennis tournaments generate millions of dollars of economic impact each year. Expanding our facilities will meet requirements that will allow us to draw bigger tennis tournaments and have an even bigger economic impact.

In addition, the expansion will create 30 pickleball courts on land that Cary owns as part of the Tennis facility. This will not only allow for recreational play in a rapidly growing sport but also allow us to hold future pickleball tournaments.

The expansion will also allow Cary to be home to the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you play tennis or pickleball it makes good sense to support this expansion just for the economic benefits, which will help keep our taxes low.

Walnut Creek Greenway ($30 million)

The Walnut Creek Greenway project will allow citizens to go from downtown to Fenton, WakeMed Soccer Park (via Fenton) and eventually to the redeveloped South Hills on a greenway. Connecting destination centers makes sense especially given our citizens’ interest in our downtown area. Cary is known for having an excellent and well-used greenway system of over 90 miles, and this investment will continue the connectivity and IMHO be our crown jewel.

Asia Garden Master Plan ($10 million)

The Asian Garden master plan is about adding a botanical garden and beautiful quiet space in Cary on land owned and shared with Wake County.   This project brings several valuable benefits of green space and beauty, where people can relax, walk and enjoy a calming environment while also celebrating our rich cultural diversity. The idea is to master plan the area and provide a space for a 1 to 2 acre set of gardens. There are few, if any, gardens like this in the Triangle area, and over time, it will provide educational opportunities and space for events to create a sense of community and likely become a destination that creates an economic impact.

Nature Park Master Plan ($10 million)

Cary purchased 200 acres to preserve its natural beauty for future generations. The current plan is to save historic structures on the site, create parking and restrooms, and create a path around the entire property. I think this nature preserve will be a fantastic amenity that keeps us the best of the best and a huge benefit to our community, families, grandkids and future generations.

New Housing Projects and Programs – Affordable Housing Bond ($30 million)

By law, Housing Bonds are separate questions on the ballot.  The Affordable Housing bond is a way to work to implement our already approved Cary Housing Plan. (https://housing.carync.gov/cary-housing-plan/)   If approved, the Housing bond will support housing initiatives in ALL four primary strategic areas contained in our plan, such as building housing and supporting residents with low and moderate incomes across Cary. Affordable Housing is a nationwide challenge, and Cary is not immune to this trend.  Our staff is the best of the best, and although we have made investments, our community has asked us to do more.  Our recently launched Stable Homes Cary Program in partnership with Dorcas Ministries- is working to support people staying in their homes and helping with relocation support when moving may be necessary. The funds provided in this bond would provide funds to create or preserve more affordable housing options, including purchasing property, providing housing development gap financing, homeownership programing and working to preserve affordable housing and helping residents age in place.   Our goal is to ensure that people of all income levels can live in our community, and I believe that this bond referendum is a critical investment in Cary’s futureand a significant part of our community’s efforts to address affordability and the growing need for affordable housing. 

Town Manage One-On-One

Monday, I met with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Topics of discussion included the Urban Land Institute event, a rail crossing issue, the manager’s review, and the Wake Stone Quary which will begin work next week.

Cary Tennis Classic Board

I participated in a meeting of the Cary Tennis Classic Board on Monday night. We spent time going over the data from the professional combined men’s and women’s tournament we held in August. We will be meeting with the USTA soon in hopes of having a combined event next year. Other topics included sponsorships, events for existing sponsors, and the Cary Bond.

ULI Event

Tuesday afternoon I joined Assistant Town Manager Scot Berry and Lee and Associates President Ted Boyd in a ULI (Urban Land Institute) event. We held a panel discussion on the history of downtown development and its future.  Ted Boyd was Cary’s Economic Development Director for over a decade until he moved to Lee and Associates.

In our discussion we talked about early plans, how they changed, and some of the challenges over the years. In future years I stated that I believed downtown, and Fenton would become more integrated, and we would see increased density downtown.

CAMPO

Wednesday afternoon I was part of an Executive Board for CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization). The agenda included two consent items, one public hearing, and four discussion items.

The public hearing was an update on the Congestion Management Process.

Presentations were made to the committee on GoTriangle’s audit and findings, Amendment #6 to the FY2024 – FY2033 Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP), an update on SPOT 7 (Strategic Transportation Prioritization) division needs, and an update on the Regional Multi-Modal Safety Action Plan.

WakeMed Public Hearing

Thursday morning I spoke at a public hearing on behalf of WakeMed Cary Hospital’s request for 24 additional acute care beds. North Carolina is one of eight states that require a certificate of need for hospital beds. 

NC Metro Mayors

The NC Metro Mayors met Friday, and the featured speaker was former Governor Pat McCrory. Here is the executive director’s summary of his comments:

• RightCount is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to help fortify and protect the rule of law in the tabulation of voting across the United States. 

• There are concerns from both sides of the aisle that citizens will not trust the results of the election. RightCount is calling on mayors and other civic leaders to help educate their citizens on the well-run and secure nature of elections in North Carolina.
• Mayors Sandy Roberson (Rocky Mount) and Vivian Jones (Wake Forest) have joined the RightCount coalition.  If any mayor is interested – please contact Patrick Sebastian – patrick@tarheeltargeting.com.
• Actions by the North Carolina General Assembly over the last couple of years have led to three major changes to this year’s elections that can help overcome some public skepticism:

• Voter ID will be required for the first time during a presidential election.
• Each voting machine will be required to have a paper backup. In cases of a recount, there will now be a paper backup to count as well.
• It is now illegal for voting machines to be connected to the internet.

• As a coalition, Metro Mayors (and mayors in general) you do an excellent job educating your constituents on topics such as public safety, transportation, economic development, etc. It is important to be just as diligent in educating them on election security.
• As mayors – you should consider contacting your local county Board of Elections Director and ask how you can help.  Ideas include holding media events and a press conference with other local leaders (county, business and civic groups) to thank local election workers, and help explain how the electoral system works.  EDUCATE the public on the process and what to expect as results are tabulated. An educated public is less likely to “distrust” the results.  The process is complicated and at times confusing, so the more our civic leaders can shed light on the process NOW, the better.
• Patrick Sebastion mentioned that they have talked with other state-wide programs dedicated to supporting the electoral process in NC, such as  www.nctrustedelections.org which can also be a valuable resource.
• After the election, lawyers are being lined up on both sides for legal challenges. So, be prepared for a drawn out and public battle – further reason to share facts NOW about how the process works and what the public should expect, serving as a counterbalance for potential “disinformation.”  It will be helpful for you to coordinate with your local election board and other civic leaders to bring calm and thoughtful public dialogue to your cities.

Town Manager’s Report

Russ’ Message

This was another full week with several meetings, including two information sessions on the 2024 Cary Community Bond referendum. I enjoyed attending both sessions, where Sean presented and answered questions about the bond.

The third information session is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Creek Community Center.
I hope you enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend and throughout the coming week.
Russ 

Cary Continues Support to Western North Carolina

Cary staff continued to support the relief and recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina this week. Fire, Police, Utilities, Public Works, and 311 provided personnel, equipment, and transportation to assist hard-hit departments and utilities.

Hum Sub Diwali 2024

More than 14,000 people, including Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Councilmembers Sarika Bansal, Lori Bush, Michelle Craig, and Carissa Kohn-Johnson, gathered at Koka Booth Amphitheatre on Saturday, October 12, to celebrate the 24th annual Hum Sub Diwali. Attendees enjoyed vibrant music, dance performances, a vendor bazaar, and authentic Indian cuisine.

The ceremonial diya lighting featured Mayor Weinbrecht, Councilmembers Bansal and Craig, the Hum Sub Board of Directors, Congresswoman Deborah Ross, Congressman Wiley Nickel, Senator Jay Chaudhuri, and local leaders from Morrisville and Apex. Later, Weinbrecht, Bansal, Bush, Craig, and Kohn-Johnson joined Morrisville Mayor T.J. Cawley, Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert, and Cary staff members in on-stage dance performances.

Fire Station 9 Hosts Save a Life Event

On Wednesday, October 16, the Cary Fire Department hosted the 21st annual Operation Save a Life event in partnership with ABC11, Kidde, and The Home Depot. Fire Station 9 served as the venue and distribution hub, where more than $125,000 worth of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms were provided to local fire departments for distribution to those in need.

Last year, North Carolina saw 146 fire-related fatalities, and this year has already reported 92, highlighting the critical importance of working smoke alarms.

Early Voting Begins

Early Voting began on Thursday, October 17, at two locations in Cary: the Herb Young Community Center and the Cary Senior Center. The Board of Elections reported an overwhelming turnout on the first day. Staff is actively working with the Wake County Board of Elections to help address any traffic and parking issues near these sites.

These locations are open to any Wake County voters for early voting. Given the high demand, we encourage voters to check the Early Voting Wait Time Tracker before heading out.

Reedy Creek Road Receives Recognition with the NCDOT Mobi Awards

Cary’s Reedy Creek Road project earned third place in the Large Urban category at the N.C. Department of Transportation Mobi Awards, which recognize outstanding multimodal transportation projects across the state. It also won second place for MVP (Most Voted Project), receiving 1,896 votes. This marks the first time Cary has been honored at the Mobi Awards.

Transportation Project Managers Sammy Wood and Amir Nezarati accepted the awards on Oct. 11 at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)/NC NCDOT Joint Transportation Conference, held at the Raleigh Convention Center.

New Neighborhood Improvement Grant Project Completed

In their Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program  application, Cary Woman’s Club cited their passion for reading and the idea of building a little free library in downtown Cary. With no property of their own, Cary Woman’s Club set out to find another partner in this endeavor, and Bond Brothers Beer Company enthusiastically joined the team. Jeremy Bond constructed the Hobbit-themed library, located at the brewery on E. Cedar St. using an old whiskey barrel, while the Cary Woman’s Club worked to landscape the area and stock the shelves with books for all ages. The new addition quickly captivated downtown visitors, with one of the library’s first users sharing, “This is hands down the most unique little library I’ve ever seen!” This collaborative project truly embodies the goals of the Neighborhood Improvement Grant Program and showcases the power of partnerships in enriching the Cary community.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting November 6

The following neighborhood meetings will be held virtually on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m.

24-REZ-13 227 & 309 Barbee Road Rezoning

24-REZ-14 Weston PDD Amendment – O&I Tract 4

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

Upcoming Meetings

Athletic Committee
Monday, October 21
6:00 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Tuesday, October 22
4:45 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Regular)
Tuesday, October 22
6:30 p.m.

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, October 23
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about the coverage of the SAS Championships by the N&O.
• A complaint about the lack of a traffic light at Bond Park (it is funded and scheduled).
• Comments about the Imagine Cary update.
• Complaints about Cary tax rates and the bond.
• Multiple requests for interviews and attending events.
• A complaint about the town’s education efforts on the bond.
• A complaint about pesticide uses in Cary.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Diwali proclamation at the Downtown Cary Park, a council work session, a regularly scheduled council meeting, and a special event to honor someone.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, October 27^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Vote YES for Cary Bonds!

[DISCLAIMER – the following are my thoughts and opinions on the bond and do not represent the council or the town. The town, by law, cannot advocate or use its resources for or against any bond.]

Cary has been viewed as one of the best communities in the nation for many years. Past decisions were made with a goal to be the best of the best which was a values choice and the choice to continue to be the best of the best (what we call “top of the arc”) is a Cary citizen values choice that will be decided by the bond vote in November.

The November bond is a $590 million bond with most of the cost attributed to new community/senior center projects. Using bond money for these centers makes financial sense, as large capital projects like these are best financed through bonds. That way future residents will also pay their fair share of the cost. Currently Cary has three community centers and one senior center. These centers are decades old, require a LOT of maintenance, and don’t come close to meeting citizens’ demands. And that demand is increasing with Cary being the oldest populated municipality out of the top fourteen populated municipalities in North Carolina.

What is a bond?

The bond on the November ballot is a General Obligation (GO) bond. Citizens vote on these types of bonds and if approved have the lowest interest rate. Because Cary has the highest rating from all the major bond rating agencies, we will get the lowest interest rate on all bonds that will be used to fund these projects. GO bonds are a reliable, cost-effective, and fair way to finance important public projects, while ensuring that the costs are spread out, like a mortgage, and that citizens have a voice in the process.

Are bond votes a vote on projects?

Technically no. Bond votes are votes on project funding. However, if this bond fails then it is highly unlikely that many of these projects will be considered again for several years, and some may be scrapped forever.

What projects are in the bond and what are their costs?

• Sports and Recreation Community Center: $300 million
• Mills Park Community Center: $150 million
• Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion: $60 million
• Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million
• Asia Garden Master Plan: $10 million
• Nature Park Master Plan: $10 million
• New Housing Projects and Programs: $30 million

The state requires us to use highly conservative estimates in my opinion. They make us post 5.34% interest for the park’s bonds and 5.59% interest for the affordable housing bond. I believe Cary will do much better than those interest rates given that our history has been that we have beaten those rates each time. If not, we can wait until the interest rates go down.

The timing of the proposed tax rate change is also pessimistic: 2026, 2028, and 2030. The timeline used in our bond materials is the earliest date that these bonds will be sold and would then impact the tax rate. Keep in mind that Cary doesn’t have the manpower and resources to take on all these projects at one time. Delays are common when planning large projects, and I believe that accomplishing all these projects in the timeframe listed is a stretch.

Sports and Recreation Community Center ($300 million)

The Sports and Recreation Community Center will have three components: Community Center, Senior Center, and Competitive Space. The competitive portion of this project is estimated to generate an annual economic impact to our area of $37 million which will more than double the annual economic impact of all current Cary sports venues (WakeMed Soccer, USA Baseball, and the Cary Tennis Park). In addition, the county has committed $75 million to the cost of this project. If the “competitive space” were in existence today it is estimated that it would be booked out most of the year with other times used for transitioning between sports.

The community center and senior center will be large enough to accommodate people that live nearby as well as all Cary residents. The senior component will have areas dedicated to senior activities. This is desperately needed, especially in this part of Cary.

The area outside the Community Center will be a park-like setting. People will be able to enjoy and experience the entire grounds without ever going inside the center. In addition, the proposed Walnut Creek greenway will connect from it to Fenton and Downtown, providing a way to get to this space without driving. In the future, the developers of South Hills vision is to connect to a redeveloped Crossroads via a pedestrian bridge.

Mills Park Community Center ($150 million)

The Mills Park Community Center will include community center and a senior center. Many of our Cary residents live in western Cary and are currently underserved by public spaces. This will allow programming to help meet the needs of an aging population and the rest of the citizenry. Is this the crown jewels of community centers? No. As plans were originally developed with citizen input, I saw a LOT of features that I would love to see in the center but are just cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, this will be one of the nicest in the region if not the state.

Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion ($60 million)

The Cary Tennis Park benefits our citizens by providing recreational opportunities, but it’s also a venue for top college and professional tournaments. As I write this there is a national tennis tournament with colleges from all over the country in our town. These tennis tournaments generate millions of dollars of economic impact each year. Expanding our facilities will meet requirements that will allow us to draw bigger tennis tournaments and have an even bigger economic impact.

In addition, the expansion will create 30 pickleball courts on land that Cary owns as part of the Tennis facility. This will not only allow for recreational play in a rapidly growing sport but also allow us to hold future pickleball tournaments.

The expansion will also allow Cary to be home to the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you play tennis or pickleball it makes good sense to support this expansion just for the economic benefits, which will help keep our taxes low.

Walnut Creek Greenway ($30 million)

The Walnut Creek Greenway project will allow citizens to go from downtown to Fenton, WakeMed Soccer Park (via Fenton) and eventually to the redeveloped South Hills on a greenway. Connecting destination centers makes sense especially given our citizens’ interest in our downtown area. Cary is known for having an excellent and well-used greenway system of over 90 miles, and this investment will continue the connectivity and IMHO be our crown jewel.

Asia Garden Master Plan ($10 million)

The Asian Garden master plan is about adding a botanical garden and beautiful quiet space in Cary on land owned and shared with Wake County.   This project brings several valuable benefits of green space and beauty, where people can relax, walk and enjoy a calming environment while also celebrating our rich cultural diversity. The idea is to master plan the area and provide a space for a 1 to 2 acre set of gardens. There are few, if any, gardens like this in the Triangle area, and over time, it will provide educational opportunities and space for events to create a sense of community and likely become a destination that creates an economic impact.

Nature Park Master Plan ($10 million)

Cary purchased 200 acres to preserve its natural beauty for future generations. The current plan is to save historic structures on the site, create parking and restrooms, and create a path around the entire property. I think this nature preserve will be a fantastic amenity that keeps us the best of the best and a huge benefit to our community, families, grandkids and future generations.

New Housing Projects and Programs – Affordable Housing Bond ($30 million)

By law, Housing Bonds are separate questions on the ballot.  The Affordable Housing bond is a way to work to implement our already approved Cary Housing Plan. (https://housing.carync.gov/cary-housing-plan/)   If approved, the Housing bond will support housing initiatives in ALL four primary strategic areas contained in our plan, such as building housing and supporting residents with low and moderate incomes across Cary. Affordable Housing is a nationwide challenge, and Cary is not immune to this trend.  Our staff is the best of the best, and although we have made investments, our community has asked us to do more.  Our recently launched Stable Homes Cary Program in partnership with Dorcas Ministries- is working to support people staying in their homes and helping with relocation support when moving may be necessary. The funds provided in this bond would provide funds to create or preserve more affordable housing options, including purchasing property, providing housing development gap financing, homeownership programing and working to preserve affordable housing and helping residents age in place.   Our goal is to ensure that people of all income levels can live in our community, and I believe that this bond referendum is a critical investment in Cary’s futureand a significant part of our community’s efforts to address affordability and the growing need for affordable housing. 

Searstone Highview Opening

Tuesday I attended the grand opening of the new Highview residential building at Searstone. I was one of four speakers providing congratulatory remarks. The opening celebration was held in the new auditorium that seats about 350 people. I joined several dignitaries outside for the ribbon cutting. Afterwards, I toured the two model units. The Highview was very impressive and is a place to consider when thinking about retirement communities.

SAS Championship Pro-Am

Wednesday and Thursday I joined council member Jack Smith, town manager Sean Stegal, and former Cary Chamber President Howard Johnson for the SAS Championship Golf Tournament Pro-Am event. The first day we had the pleasure of playing with professional Ricardo Gonzales of Argentina. The second day we had the pleasure of playing with Paul Broadhurst of England. Both were an absolute delight, and we had a blast.

Taping for Golf Channel

Thursday afternoon I did a taping for the Golf Channel as part of the SAS Championship tournament broadcast. It was basically the same script as I have done in previous years. I was able to do this one in just one take.

Folds of Honor at SAS Championship

Friday morning, just before the beginning of the SAS Championship, I participated in the Folds of Honor ceremony by providing a few remarks of thanks to our veterans and our first responders. This organization provides life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen, disabled military, and families of first responders. To find out more go to foldsofhonor.org.

Diwali Opening

Saturday morning at Koka Booth Amphitheater I read a proclamation celebrating Diwali. I was joined on stage by council members Craig and Bansal. Other dignitaries speaking included Congresswomen Ross and Congressman Nickel. There were also several dignitaries in attendance including NC Senator Chaudhuri, Morrisville Mayor Cawley, and several Morrisville council members. After opening remarks, we all took turns lighting the ceremonial Diwali lamp. The lamp, or diyas, is lit during Diwali and symbolizes victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

Diwali Dance

Saturday night I joined council members Bush, Kohn-Johnson, Craig, Bansal, and twelve Cary staff members in a celebrity Diwali dance. Our group has been practicing weekly since July. It was a great performance, and I was proud to be part of such a great group of dancers. I am sure you can find the performance on social media somewhere. We were followed by groups from Apex and Morrisville.

To finish the celebrity portion of the dance I joined the mayors of Apex in Morrisville in a quick 30 second dance which we learned the day before.

Our Diwali celebration, sponsored by Hum Sub and the Town of Cary, is a fun time for all. If you missed this year’s event, you need to check it out next year. BTW, the actual Diwali date is November 1^st.

SAS Championship Final Round

Sunday I attended the final round of the SAS Championship golf tournament held at Prestonwood County Club in Cary. This event puts Cary on the international stage and is a great economic boost. Congratulations to this year’s 2024 winner Jerry Kelly who won with a score of -13.

Update from Asheville Mayor

I received a copy of an update Asheville mayor Manheimer sent to her citizens. It shows the slow progress and how long the recovery will be:

“Water is known to signify life, connectivity, power, and rebirth. With every household that can turn on the tap and get water, Asheville comes back to life. We’re regaining our strength and getting reconnected, and I have no doubt that as we recover together, our city be better than before.

I couldn’t be prouder of the work our city crews, contractors, and federal partners have done to get the bypass connected in record time. We are pressurizing the system and water is beginning to flow in some places. Homes at lower elevations and closest to the North Folk Reservoir may already be getting water. As the pressure builds in the system to push water out further and to higher elevations, more and more residents will start to have water flow. THIS WATER IS NOT YET SAFE FOR DRINKING FROM THE TAP. We are still some time away from a fully-functioning system and as the water moves through the lines, the crews are watching for leaks that could have emerged because of pipes shifting and breaking underground. If you see a leak, report it to 828-251-1122. We remain under a mandatory boil water advisory until further notice for residents who receive water from the North Fork Reservoir. Please share the following critical safety measures concerning the water with everyone you know:

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘁

• Sediment Alert: Newly available water may contain more sediment than usual. Turn off ice makers and cut off water to toilets when not in use.
• Boil Water Notice: If you receive water from the City of Asheville, you MUST boil it vigorously for at least one minute before using it for cooking, brushing teeth, or drinking. It’s safe for showers but avoid getting water in your mouth. Sponge baths are recommended for babies and small children.
• Hot Water Heater Tips:

• If the water looks dirty, close the valve to your hot water heater or whole house filter to prevent sediment build-up.
• Remember to open the inlet valve once the water is clear.  It is also best to turn the power off to the hot water heater to ensure no damage occurs if you don’t have water but have power. You can turn it back on once clean water is restored.
• Other Household Considerations: If visible sediments appear, turn off ice makers and toilets, flush discolored water through a bathtub faucet.  Then return toilets and ice makers to service.

• Black Mountain Residents: If you’re receiving water, DO NOT drink it or give it to pets—even if boiled. Only use it for flushing toilets.

Along with the water system, we’ve also been working non-stop with federal and state agencies to get the needed resources flowing from FEMA Serious Needs Assistance to SBA solutions for small businesses to addressing public housing residents and veterans’ needs with HUD. There is still much work to be done, but each day, let’s take a moment to celebrate progress and encourage each other. Thank you for all that you’re doing to keep Asheville moving forward. We’re one step closer!

Click here for City of Asheville water treatment plants approximate map of service areas.“

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

As you can see from this picture, Cary was well represented at this week’s SAS Pro-Am.  The Pro-Am is a golf tournament that pairs tournament sponsors with the professionals competing in the official SAS Championship, which kicks off today at Prestonwood Country Club.
The SAS Championship is one of a handful of signature events that brings positive national and international attention to Cary while providing an amazing experience for our citizen spectators.
Once again, there are several interesting updates in this week’s report. Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a great weekend.
Sean

The Highview Grand Opening

On Tuesday, Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Business Services Manager Bryan Hayes attended the grand opening of Searstone’s highly anticipated expansion, The Highview. This new addition represents Searstone’s latest vision for senior living in Cary. During the event, they toured the building to explore its amenities and offerings, as well as meet staff members and dignitaries. We are excited about the future of the Searstone Retirement Community and look forward to having them in Cary for many years to come.

SAS Women’s Day

As part of Cary’s partnership with the SAS Championship, 30 Cary staff members from various departments, along with Councilmembers Lori Bush, Sarika Bansal, and Michelle Craig, joined women from across the Triangle for an inspiring event focused on well-being and growth for women in the workplace. Councilmember Bush, representing the Town of Cary, shared remarks during the event, contributing to the meaningful discussions. This gathering provided a unique opportunity for participants to reflect on their professional development and gain valuable resources to mentor and support other women within Cary.

Turkish Consul General Visits

On Oct. 7, Councilmember Jack Smith, along with Cary Sister Cities and leaders from the American Turkish Association of N.C., welcomed Mr. Resul Sahinol, the Turkish Consul General in Miami, for a luncheon at Page-Walker. During the event, Mr. Sahinol learned about the diverse cultural events and exchanges Cary hosts with its community partners and expressed his support for future collaborative endeavors.

Cary High School Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

The Cary High School Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place on Oct. 4. The event honored six former student athletes who were inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame: Jo Ann Hines Duncan, Wanda Mauney, Lakeisha “Mimi” Warner, Bakri Abushouk, Donte Tatum, and Dennis Landin. Council members Michelle Craig and Jack Smith were in attendance and participated in the proclamation presentations. 

Newcomers Breakfast at Senior Center

Last Friday, Councilmembers Michelle Craig and Sarika Bansal attended the “Newcomer’s Breakfast” at the Cary Senior Center. This monthly event, hosted by volunteers, kicks off with an overview of helpful information, including the PRCR program guide and GoCary, along with other resources and happenings at the senior center. The breakfast was well attended by newcomers eager to connect with the Cary community and form new friendships at the senior center.

National Walk and Roll to School Day

On Oct. 9, National Walk and Roll to School Day took place, and Councilmember Michelle Craig participated with Briarcliff Elementary. During the event, students learned about the health and environmental benefits of walking and rolling to school. It also raised awareness of safe routes for students to get to school.

Imagine Cary Community Plan 2024 Update

The final draft update of the Imagine Cary Community Plan is available for public review, with a public hearing scheduled for Oct.22. The update focuses on four items, a new preface for the plan; the incorporation of the 2021 Cary Housing Plan into the LIVE chapter; expanding efforts related to the environment, which was previously included in the SERVE chapter, into a new chapter called ENRICH; and an update to the SERVE chapter focused on our evolving community services. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Councilmember Lori Bush filmed a Cary Matters segment to highlight the update, which was posted to social media and on the website. Communication about the final draft and public hearing will be sent to all boards and commissions and published in the BUD Newsletter and This Week in Cary. The Imagine Cary Community Plan, adopted in 2017, is Cary’s comprehensive plan created by the community. For more information and to review the draft update, please visit www.carync.gov/imaginecaryupdate.

Temporary Closure of Green Level West Road

Starting Monday, Oct. 14, contractors working on behalf of a private development will temporarily close a section of Green Level West Road, west of Wimberly Road, as part of the Green Level Trail Site Development. The closure is expected to remain in effect until Monday, Nov. 11, weather permitting.

Thru traffic will not be allowed, but local traffic along Green Level West Road and Wimberly Road will be maintained. Drivers are encouraged to follow the posted detour. Access to Batchelor Road from Green Level West Road will remain open during the closure, located west of the work area.

Final Bands, Bites, and Boats of the Season

Last Friday, hundreds gathered at Bond Park for the season’s final Bands, Bites, and Boats event. Guests enjoyed food from Buff-O-Lina and Atlas Nomads, along with brews from Fortnight, while listening to a performance by Garland Mason. The concert series, which typically draws 500-800 attendees, runs monthly from April through October. The 2025 lineup will be announced early next year.

Fall Litter Sweep Volunteers

Thanks to the hard work of our Fall Litter Sweep volunteers, Cary is cleaner and greener. Last Saturday, 44 dedicated residents collected around 520 pounds of litter, helping to protect our local streams and rivers. Since 2010, the Spruce Program’s annual event has brought citizens together each fall to clean up streets, parks, and trails.

As part of Cary’s ongoing efforts to engage the community in environmental stewardship, individuals and groups can schedule their own litter sweep year-round using the online Spruce Program tool at carync.gov/spruce.

Specialized Recreation Monster Mash

The annual Specialized Recreation Monster Mash Dance was a huge hit! Participants showed off their most creative costumes and danced the night away with friends and caregivers. From fun music to festive treats, the room was full of laughter and joy as everyone celebrated Halloween together.

Major Cross Country Events in Cary

Over the past month, Cary has hosted over 15,000 visitors at two major cross-country events held at WakeMed Soccer Park. The Great American Cross-Country Festival attracted 3,500 athletes and 6,000 spectators from around the country, while the Adidas XC Challenge brought in 2,000 athletes and 3,500 spectators. These events highlighted Cary’s capability to host top-tier competitions, while also providing a significant boost to local businesses, hotels, and restaurants. As the cross-country season continues, we anticipate even more visitors, solidifying Cary’s reputation as a premier destination for sports tourism.

Upcoming Meetings

2024 Cary Community Bonds Public Meeting
Monday, October 14
6:30 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Tuesday, October 15
6:00 p.m.

2024 Cary Community Bonds Public Meeting
Tuesday, October 15
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about a leaking garbage truck.
• A complaint about the Cary Bond referendum.
• A thank you email for staff investigating a sewer line issue.
• A complaint about traffic on Highway 64.
• A request for Cary to support a new soccer initiative.
• Cut and paste emails about signing a national petition on fossil fuels. (I don’t respond to cut-and-paste emails. We don’t sign national petitions since their purpose is just to make people feel good, in some cases make people feel bad, and are not part of our core services.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Cary Tennis Classic Board meeting, a ULI event, a CAMPO Executive Board meeting, and a Public Hearing Presentation for WakeMed.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, October 20^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts, those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Cary Bonds

[DISCLAIMER – the following are my thoughts and opinions on the bond and do not represent the council or the town. The town, by law, cannot advocate or use its resources for or against any bond.]

Cary has been viewed as one of the best communities in the nation for many years. Past decisions were made with a goal to be the best of the best which was a values choice and the choice to continue to be the best of the best (what we call “top of the arc”) is a Cary citizen values choice that will be decided by the bond vote in November.

The November bond is a $590 million bond with most of the cost attributed to new community/senior center projects. Using bond money for these centers makes financial sense, as large capital projects like these are best financed through bonds. That way future residents will also pay their fair share of the cost. Currently Cary has three community centers and one senior center. These centers are decades old, require a LOT of maintenance, and don’t come close to meeting citizens’ demands. And that demand is increasing with Cary being the oldest populated municipality out of the top fourteen populated municipalities in North Carolina.

What is a bond?

The bond on the November ballot is a General Obligation (GO) bond. Citizens vote on these types of bonds and if approved have the lowest interest rate. Because Cary has the highest rating from all major bond rating agencies, we will get the lowest interest rate on all bonds that will be used to fund these projects. GO bonds are a reliable, cost-effective, and fair way to finance important public projects, while ensuring that the costs are spread out, like a mortgage, and that citizens have a voice in the process.

Are bond votes a vote on projects?

Technically no. Bond votes are votes on project funding. However, if this bond fails then it is highly unlikely that many of these projects will be considered again for several years, and some may be scrapped forever.

What projects are in the bond and what are their costs?

• Sports and Recreation Community Center: $300 million
• Mills Park Community Center: $150 million
• Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion: $60 million
• Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million
• Asia Garden Master Plan: $10 million
• Nature Park Master Plan: $10 million
• New Housing Projects and Programs: $30 million

The state requires us to use highly conservative estimates in my opinion. They make us post 5.34% interest for the park’s bonds and 5.59% interest for the affordable housing bond. I believe Cary will do much better than those interest rates given that our history has been that we have beaten those rates each time. If not, we can wait until the interest rates go down.

The timing of the proposed tax rate change is also pessimistic: 2026, 2028, and 2030. The timeline used in our bond materials is the earliest date that these bonds will be sold and would then, impact the tax rate. Keep in mind that Cary doesn’t have the manpower and resources to take on all these projects at one time. Delays are common when planning large projects, and I believe that accomplishing all these projects in the timeframe listed is a stretch.

Sports and Recreation Community Center ($300 million)

The Sports and Recreation Community Center will have three components: Community Center, Senior Center, and Competitive Space. The competitive portion of this project is estimated to generate an annual economic impact to our area of $37 million which will more than double the annual economic impact of all current Cary sports venues (WakeMed Soccer, USA Baseball, and the Cary Tennis Park). In addition, the county has committed $75 million to the cost of this project. If the competitive space were in existence today it is estimated that it would be booked out most of the year with other times used for transitioning between sports.

The community center and senior center will be large enough to accommodate people that live nearby as well as all Cary residents. The senior component will have areas dedicated for senior activities. This is desperately needed especially in this part of Cary.

The area outside the Community Center will be a park-like setting. People will be able to enjoy and experience the entire grounds without ever going inside the center. In addition, the proposed Walnut Creek greenway will connect from it to Fenton and Downtown, providing a way to get to this space without driving. In the future, the developers of South Hills vision is to connect to a redeveloped Crossroads via a pedestrian bridge.

Mills Park Community Center ($150 million)

The Mills Park Community Center will include community center and a senior center. Many of our Cary residents live in western Cary and are currently underserved by public spaces. This will allow programming to help meet the needs of an aging population and the rest of the citizenry. Is this the crown jewels of community centers? No. As plans were originally developed with citizen input, I saw a LOT of features that I would love to see in the center but are just cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, this will be one of the nicest in the region if not the state.

Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion ($60 million)

The Cary Tennis Park benefits our citizens by providing recreational opportunities, but it’s also a venue for top college and professional tournaments. As I write this there is a national tennis tournament with colleges from all over the country in our town. These tennis tournaments generate millions of dollars of economic impact each year. Expanding our facilities will meet requirements that will allow us to draw bigger tennis tournaments and have an even bigger economic impact.

In addition, the expansion will create 30 pickleball courts on land that Cary owns as part of the Tennis facility. This will not only allow for recreational play in a rapidly growing sport but also allow us to hold future pickleball tournaments.

The expansion will also allow Cary to be home to the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you play tennis or pickleball it makes good sense to support this expansion just for the economic benefits, which will help keep our taxes low.

Walnut Creek Greenway ($30 million)

The Walnut Creek Greenway project will allow citizens to go from downtown to Fenton, WakeMed Soccer Park (via Fenton) and eventually to the redeveloped South Hills on a greenway. Connecting destination centers makes sense especially given our citizens’ interest in our downtown area. Cary is known for having an excellent and well used greenway system of over 90 miles, and this investment will continue the connectivity and IMHO be our crown jewel.

Asia Garden Master Plan ($10 million)

The Asian Garden master plan is about adding a botanical garden and beautiful quiet space in Cary on land owned and shared with Wake County.   This project brings several valuable benefits of green space and beauty, where people can relax, walk and enjoy a calming environment while also celebrating our rich cultural diversity. The idea is to master plan the area and provide a space for a 1 to 2 acre set of gardens. There are few, if any, gardens like this in the Triangle area, and over time, it will provide educational opportunities and space for events to create a sense of community and likely become a destination that creates an economic impact.

Nature Park Master Plan ($10 million)

Cary purchased 200 acres to preserve its natural beauty for future generations. The current plan is to save historic structures on the site, create parking and restrooms, and create a path around the entire property. I think this nature preserve will be a fantastic amenity that keeps us the best of the best and a huge benefit to our community, families, grandkids and future generations.

New Housing Projects and Programs – Affordable Housing Bond ($30 million)

By law, Housing Bonds are separate questions on the ballot.  The Affordable Housing bond is a way to work to implement our already approved Cary Housing Plan. (https://housing.carync.gov/cary-housing-plan/)   If approved, the Housing bond will support housing initiatives in ALL four primary strategic areas contained in our plan, such as building housing and supporting residents with low and moderate incomes across Cary. Affordable Housing is a nationwide challenge, and Cary is not immune to this trend.  Our staff is the best of the best, and although we have made investments, our community has asked us to do more.  Our recently launched Stable Homes Cary Program in partnership with Dorcas Ministries- is working to support people staying in their homes and helping with relocation support when moving may be necessary. The funds provided in this bond would provide funds to create or preserve more affordable housing options, including purchasing property, providing housing development gap financing, homeownership programing and working to preserve affordable housing and helping residents age in place.   Our goal is to ensure that people of all income levels can live in our community, and I believe that this bond referendum is a critical investment in Cary’s futureand a significant part of our community’s efforts to address affordability and the growing need for affordable housing. 

Umstead #12 in South

Monday I was notified that the Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary is again being called one of the South’s top hotels. It is ranked number 12 on Condé Nast’s Readers’ Choice Awards for the top 25 in the South. 

Cary Awarded 6 National Championships by NCAA

Wednesday I was notified that Cary, and its host partners have been awarded six National Championships across three sports for the 2026-2028 seasons by the NCAA. The following press release was issued:

The Town of Cary and its host partners have been awarded six National Championships across three sports for the 2026-2028 seasons by the NCAA. Specifically, Cary will play host to four NCAA College Cups and two Division II Baseball World Series in those years.
As one of the NCAA’s most trusted partners over the past 20 years, Cary was selected from a pool of over 1,200 bids due to its rich history of hosting premiere college sporting events and its world-class facilities that have hosted competition at every level of play. “We appreciate the strong partnership we’ve built with the NCAA over all these years,” said John Collins, Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources. “A lot of work gets put into these bids, and it is exciting to celebrate these rewards and show the world what Cary has to offer.”
WakeMed Soccer Park will play host to the Women’s and Men’s Division I Soccer College Cups as the championships return in 2026 and 2027, bringing the total number of NCAA soccer champions crowned in Cary to 23. The facility is currently the home to professional teams including the NC Courage and North Carolina FC, and also has shown its versatility as the host of local events, festivals, and international tournaments, including the world’s highest-stakes professional women’s soccer tournament, The Soccer Tournament (TST).
The USA Baseball National Training Complex will once again host the Division II Baseball World Series, which marks the 15^th and 16^th times the event will be held in Cary since 2009. Following a recent renovation, the $11 million facility is now the official home of USA Baseball’s executive office in a new 40,000 square-foot building that also houses a 22,000 square-foot indoor training center. Last September, SportsTravel magazine recognized the complex as one of the top “Best New or Renovated Venues” in the country in their annual awards.
Cary’s contribution to collegiate athletics continues to cement the area and state as a hub of premiere and collegiate sporting events in the country. “We are thrilled that Cary remains the home for the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Soccer College Cups and Division II Baseball World Series,” said Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. “Our phenomenal staff works hard to provide championship experiences to players of all skill levels and audiences of all ages across our world-class venues.”
Across its sports venues, Cary has hosted 106 College Championships, including 41 NCAA and 65 ACC, as well as dozens of high school and recreation league events. Through 2023, Cary’s total economic impact of sports tourism is nearly $300 million, attracting 10.5 million visitors from all over the United States and the world.

Hurricane Helene

My heart hurts from the losses because of Hurricane Helene. People have lost their homes, their sense of security, and, in many cases, their loved ones. For those affected by the disaster, know that my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Cary staff has been volunteering their time, sending much-needed donations, providing safety and shelter to displaced residents, and lifting each other up others with their thoughts and prayers. We have sent support to western NC as part of the response efforts and delivering critical supplies and equipment. And our staff remains ready and waiting to do more. God bless them! I recorded a message that was sent out to all staff expressing these thoughts. I would encourage others to do the same as our staff continues to go beyond the call of duty to help.

The residents of Cary have also been sending help to affected areas. Almost everyone I talk to wants to help and get involved in the recovery process. The biggest caution I have heard from the affected areas is to be coordinated. If not, they must stop what they are doing to receive. One effort I was made aware of was the NC Potbelly Sandwich Shop that has locations in Cary, Morrisville, and Durham. They will be distributing 25% of sales to the following organizations:

• JAARS
• UNCA Fund
• Hearts with Hands
• Manna Foodbank
• BeLoved Asheville
• Foothills Food Hub
• American Red Cross

It will be a long recovery in Western North Carolina and other areas. We will need to sustain help for months if not years. Those areas will never be the same but hopefully we can help them rebuild into a better version of what they were. My recommendation is to put a reminder on your calendar to check every few months to see what else you and I can do. And if you are religious, pray.

NC Metro Mayors

Friday I was in a virtual meeting with over 40 metro mayors including Mayor Manheimer from Asheville. Here are some of the takeaways from that meeting:

• Mayor Manheimer thanked all the municipalities who have sent help.
• Most people don’t have power they don’t even know the extent of the devastation.
• Massive debris piles everywhere. Troops here helping. Many municipalities have sent police to help prevent looting.
• Some people are still completely landlocked.
• Despite the false narrative being broadcast by some media outlets like Fox news, Manheimer says the federal and state government has been amazing and working with the governor is fantastic.
• As of October 4^th, there were still 54 people in Asheville missing.
• There is level one emergency in Asheville which means the federal government is coordinating.
• FEMA drilled a well for the hospital to produce 40,000 gallons a day which pressurized their system.
• In 2004 Asheville lost water due to the remnants from a hurricane. To make sure that didn’t happen again they buried the water lines 30 feet down and created a redundant line. All of it was washed away. The main line is not repairable in the foreseeable future, but the redundant line is being repaired. They are looking at 3 weeks.
• There is a new river as the result of the hurricane.
• They need NC police officers to make arrests since they are the only ones that have authority (Virginia police officers and national guard soldiers do not have authority in NC).
• Biggest need now is water, food, hygiene supplies.
• People taking showers at friend’s homes who have water. Others line up at the YMCA for showers.
• Donations are collected in a distribution center. Trucks with supplies are going to smaller communities every day.
• Mayors agreed that we need to have a coordinated effort through emergency operations.
• Asheville and surrounding areas hold briefings at 10 and 4 every day which are streamed.
• NPR in downtown Asheville never lost power. Reporters stayed there in sleeping bags and reported non-stop all the things going on. People with land lines were calling in for others who didn’t have the ability.
• Many mayors offered their own shelters for residents.

The information I heard was heartbreaking. I am so proud to be in a group of mayors who care and want to help. We have a LONG way to go.

Oktoberfest

Friday I joined council member Jack Smith at the Triangle Oktoberfest which was sponsored by several area Rotary Clubs including Cary and Apex. Mayor Gilbert of Apex was also in attendance. The festival opened with remarks by the Oktoberfest Rotary Foundation, the Miracle League of the Triangle which was the main beneficiary of the event, the Rotary District Governor, and me. Afterwards I tapped the ceremonial keg which marked the official beginning of the two-day event.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

There is a clearinghouse for the endless amounts of requests that are being funneled through the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and that is how Cary is notified of needed support. I encourage you to read this information shared by Chief Mike Cooper – who leads our emergency management efforts – detailing our efforts to support those impacted by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina.
I am grateful to Chief Cooper and the entire team for shifting priorities this week to help others in North Carolina. 
Take care, 
Sean

Mayor Weinbrecht’s Message to Staff

This week, Mayor Weinbrecht shared a message with Cary staff expressing his deep gratitude for their work supporting response efforts in western North Carolina. On behalf of his fellow councilmembers, he thanked staff for “reminding all of us of what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves” and living Cary’s people-first values. 

Asia Fest Recap

On September 28, Asian Focus NC produced its 9th annual Asia Fest at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. Welcoming thousands of visitors, the festival featured a variety of pan-Asian foods, cultural performances, and a health fair. The main events were the dragon boat races on Symphony Lake with more than 30 teams competing. Mayor Weinbrecht gave welcoming remarks at the event and was joined in attendance by councilmembers Smith, Craig, Kohn-Johnson, and Bansal as well as several dignitaries including State Attorney General Josh Stein, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, state house members, state senate members, and county officials.

Public Safety Honored by Heart of Cary Association

To commemorate upcoming First Responders Day, on October 28, the Heart of Cary Association honored first responders on Thursday at The Matthews House with a breakfast and generously donated tokens of appreciation. Councilmember Kohn-Johnson attended and read a proclamation issued by Mayor Harold Weinbrecht. Fire Chief Mike Cooper and Police Chief Terry Sult both spoke, emphasizing, in the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation in western North Carolina, the importance of disaster preparedness, among other topics.

District D HOA Meeting

On Tuesday evening, Councilmember Bansal hosted an HOA meeting for representatives in District D. Roughly 30 attendees were provided with an overview of the district, ongoing and recently completed projects, followed by an opportunity for open discussion.

Advisory Board Orientation

On Monday, twenty-five new members of Council-appointed advisory boards gathered for new member orientation where they heard from Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar, Assistant Town Attorney Matt Pentz, and Deputy Town Clerk Julie Clifton on a variety of topics including OneCary Culture, Leadership on the Line, the Imagine Cary Community Plan, policies relating to board member work, public records, meeting information, and much more. 

State of Wake County

Assistant Town Manager Shelley Curran and Fire Chief Mike Cooper attended the Wake County State of the County address this week. The theme for the 2024 event was “Growing Together”. They hosted a “Touch-a-Truck” event with ambulances, fire trucks, and other public safety vehicles. Chair of the Board of Commissioners, Shinica Thomas, gave an informative address which included interesting statistical information. She then moderated a conversation with local leaders (pictured).

Public Safety Day

The Police Department (PD) hosted Public Safety Day on September 21, which looked a little different this year. The event was held on Town Hall campus and with some exciting new partnerships. Radio crew 96.1 BBB FM was in attendance and provided live music. If you listened to 96.1 in the weeks leading up to Public Safety Day, you probably heard their commercials for the event. We were joined by over 30 different public safety entities this year to include NC State PD and their horses, Garner PD with their Nintendo Switch in the back of the patrol car, and many more. Thank you all for your support in making this event such a huge success.

Repair for Reuse

A big thanks goes out to Repair Café NC and the 28 volunteer “Fix-it Coaches” who helped teach participants how to repair their items and keep working materials out of the landfill. Cary hosted the free fall event, welcoming 71 participants and 55 items for fixing, from teddy bears to grandfather clocks. This is the sixth Cary-hosted Repair Café since 2022, with the highest repair rate to date of 76%. Spring event dates will be posted in early 2025 to offer more opportunities for the community to share repair skills, encourage appreciation and value of materials, and support waste reduction efforts.

Triangle Bikeway Update

The design phase has begun for the Triangle Bikeway project, a regional bicycle and pedestrian facility that would parallel I-40 for 23 miles from Raleigh to Chapel Hill. A feasibility study  for the project was completed in 2022; it was adopted by both Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) and Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO), and added to the Metropolitan Transportation Plan. Wake County and the Research Triangle Foundation have provided funding to initiate design and NEPA documentation for the Triangle Bikeway East which includes the 14 miles between RTP and Raleigh. This design work is being managed by CAMPO, and there is no current funding past this phase of the project. 

North Carolina CIO Leadership Dialogues

Earlier this week, Chief Information Officer (CIO) Nicole Coughlin participated in the Reynolds American NC CIO Leadership Dialogues.  The event brings together top technology leaders to discuss key topics like future technology trends, cybersecurity, and the impact of generative AI on business innovation and leadership lessons. Nicole shared her knowledge on information technology leadership techniques that may lead to being a successful CIO. The forum provided a valuable opportunity for North Carolina CIOs and senior IT leaders to network, share experiences, and learn from industry experts.

Association NC Stormwater Conference

At the APWA-NC (American Public Works Association) Stormwater Conference, Stormwater Field Services Administrator Charles Brown and Stormwater Program Analyst Emily Cochran presented on the evolution of Cary’s post-construction program, highlighting its growth since its inception in 2001. They showcased key milestones, emphasizing how the program has expanded to meet increasing regulatory demands and development. The presentation included several success stories, as well as valuable lessons learned, which other communities could apply to enhance their own post-construction efforts. Through this, they aimed to inspire continuous improvement and collaboration in stormwater management across the state.

Upcoming Meetings

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

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

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, October 7
6:30 p.m.

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

Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday, October 9
12:00 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday
October 9, 6:15 p.m.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting
Wednesday, October 9
6:30 p.m.

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

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A request to have a building moratorium. (We do not have that authority).
• A concern that a proposed development in Waverly would create flooding. (Today’s standards help with flooding mitigation).
• Several requests for jobs and internships. (That is handled through HR and not me).
• Several requests to attend events.
• A concern about contractor damage on Manassas Gap Place and Linville Gorge Way.
• A request for sidewalks to the Windermere development.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, several Diwali dance practices, the Searstone Highview Opening ceremony, SAS Championship pro-am pairings event, SAS Championship pro-am Wednesday and Thursday, the SAS Championship Folds of Honor breakfast and event, Diwali opening in the morning with dance in the evening, the SAS Championship final round, and an HOA neighborhood event.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, October 13^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Council Work Session, Council Meeting, and Asia Fest

Cary Bonds

[DISCLAIMER – the following are my thoughts and opinions on the bond and do not represent the council or the town. The town, by law, can not advocate or use its resources for or against any bond.]

Cary has been viewed as one of the best communities in the nation for many years. Past decisions were made with a goal to be the best of the best which was a values choice and the choice to continue to be the best of the best (what we call “top of the arc”) is a Cary citizen values choice that will be decided by the bond vote in November.

The November bond is a $590 million bond with most of the cost attributed to new community/senior center projects. Using bond money for these centers makes financial sense, as large capital projects like these are best financed through bonds. That way future residents will also pay their fair share of the cost. Currently Cary has three community centers and one senior center. These centers are decades old, require a LOT of maintenance, and don’t come close to meeting citizens’ demands. And that demand is increasing with Cary being the oldest populated municipality out of the top fourteen populated municipalities in North Carolina.

What is a bond?

The bond on the November ballot is a General Obligation (GO) bond. Citizens vote on these types of bonds and if approved have the lowest interest rate. Because Cary has the highest rating from all major bond rating agencies, we will get the lowest interest rate on all bonds that will be used to fund these projects. GO bonds are a reliable, cost-effective, and fair way to finance important public projects, while ensuring that the costs are spread out, similar to a mortgage, and that citizens have a voice in the process.

Are bond votes a vote on projects?

Technically no. Bond votes are votes on project funding. However, if this bond fails then it is highly unlikely that many of these projects will be considered again for several years, and some may be scrapped forever.

What projects are in the bond and what are their costs?

• Sports and Recreation Community Center: $300 million
• Mills Park Community Center: $150 million
• Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion: $60 million
• Walnut Creek Greenway: $30 million
• Asia Garden Master Plan: $10 million
• Nature Park Master Plan: $10 million
• New Housing Projects and Programs: $30 million

The state requires us to use highly conservative estimates in my opinion. They make us post 5.34% interest for the park’s bonds and 5.59% interest for the affordable housing bond. I believe Cary will do much better than those interest rates given that our history has been that we have beaten those rates each time. If not, we can wait until the interest rates go down.

The timing of the proposed tax rate change is also pessimistic: 2026, 2028, and 2030. The timeline used in our bond materials is the earliest date that these bonds will be sold and would then, impact the tax rate. Keep in mind that Cary doesn’t have the manpower and resources to take on all these projects at one time. Delays are common when planning large projects, and I believe that accomplishing all these projects in the timeframe listed is a stretch.

Sports and Recreation Community Center ($300 million)

The Sports and Recreation Community Center will have three components: Community Center, Senior Center, and Competitive Space. The competitive portion of this project is estimated to generate an annual economic impact to our area of $37 million which will more than double the annual economic impact of all current Cary sports venues (WakeMed Soccer, USA Baseball, and the Cary Tennis Park). In addition, the county has committed $75 million to the cost of this project. If the competitive space were in existence today it is estimated that it would be booked out most of the year with other times used for transitioning between sports.

The community center and senior center will be large enough to accommodate people that live nearby as well as all Cary residents. The senior component will have areas dedicated for senior activities. This is desperately needed especially in this part of Cary.

The area outside the Community Center will be a park-like setting. People will be able to enjoy and experience the entire grounds without ever going inside the center. In addition, the proposed Walnut Creek greenway will connect from it to Fenton and Downtown, providing a way to get to this space without driving. In the future, the developers of South Hills vision is to connect to a redeveloped Crossroads via a pedestrian bridge.

Mills Park Community Center ($150 million)

The Mills Park Community Center will include community center and a senior center. Many of our Cary residents live in western Cary and are currently underserved by public spaces. This will allow programming to help meet the needs of an aging population and the rest of the citizenry. Is this the crown jewels of community centers? No. As plans were originally developed with citizen input, I saw a LOT of features that I would love to see in the center but are just cost prohibitive. Nevertheless, this will be one of the nicest in the region if not the state.

Cary Tennis Park and Pickleball Expansion ($60 million)

The Cary Tennis Park benefits our citizens by providing recreational opportunities, but it’s also a venue for top college and professional tournaments. As I write this there is a national tennis tournament with colleges from all over the country in our town. These tennis tournaments generate millions of dollars of economic impact each year. Expanding our facilities will meet requirements that will allow us to draw bigger tennis tournaments and have an even bigger economic impact.

In addition, the expansion will create 30 pickleball courts on land that Cary owns as part of the Tennis facility. This will not only allow for recreational play in a rapidly growing sport but also allow us to hold future pickleball tournaments.

The expansion will also allow Cary to be home to the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame.

Whether or not you play tennis or pickleball it makes good sense to support this expansion just for the economic benefits, which will help keep our taxes low.

Walnut Creek Greenway ($30 million)

The Walnut Creek Greenway project will allow citizens to go from downtown to Fenton, WakeMed Soccer Park (via Fenton) and eventually to the redeveloped South Hills on a greenway. Connecting destination centers makes sense especially given our citizens’ interest in our downtown area. Cary is known for having an excellent and well used greenway system of over 90 miles, and this investment will continue the connectivity and IMHO be our crown jewel.

Asia Garden Master Plan ($10 million)

The Asian Garden master plan is about adding a botanical garden and beautiful quiet space in Cary on land owned and shared with Wake County.   This project brings several valuable benefits of green space and beauty, where people can relax, walk and enjoy a calming environment while also celebrating our rich cultural diversity. The idea is to master plan the area and provide a space for a 1 to 2 acre set of gardens. There are few, if any, gardens like this in the Triangle area, and over time, it will provide educational opportunities and space for events to create a sense of community and likely become a destination that creates an economic impact.

Nature Park Master Plan ($10 million)

Cary purchased 200 acres to preserve its natural beauty for future generations. The current plan is to save historic structures on the site, create parking and restrooms, and create a path around the entire property. I think this nature preserve will be a fantastic amenity that keeps us the best of the best and a huge benefit to our community, families, grandkids and future generations.

New Housing Projects and Programs – Affordable Housing Bond ($30 million)

By law, Housing Bonds are separate questions on the ballot.  The Affordable Housing bond is a way to work to implement our already approved Cary Housing Plan. (https://housing.carync.gov/cary-housing-plan/)   If approved, the Housing bond will support housing initiatives in ALL four primary strategic areas contained in our plan, such as building housing and supporting residents with low and moderate incomes across Cary. Affordable Housing is a nationwide challenge, and Cary is not immune to this trend.  Our staff is the best of the best, and although we have made investments, our community has asked us to do more.  Our recently launched Stable Homes Cary Program in partnership with Dorcas Ministries- is working to support people staying in their homes and helping with relocation support when moving may be necessary. The funds provided in this bond would provide funds to create or preserve more affordable housing options, including purchasing property, providing housing development gap financing, homeownership programing and working to preserve affordable housing and helping residents age in place.   Our goal is to ensure that people of all income levels can live in our community, and I believe that this bond referendum is a critical investment in Cary’s futureand a significant part of our community’s efforts to address affordability and the growing need for affordable housing. 

ICMA Conference

Saturday through Tuesday I was in Pittsburgh for the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) conference which was not town related. I was able to be involved in town staff meetings during my absence.

Council Work Session

Thursday evening the council held the first of many prioritization work sessions. This work session was to review our municipal waste streams and discuss the organic collection feasibility study. There following are my notes:

• Cary contributes 7% of the waste going to the Wake County landfill.
• Cary’s recycling contamination rate is 12% which is below Raleigh and the state at 14% and the national rate of 17%.
• Cary is the only municipality in our area that collects yard waste weekly. The only other municipalities that collect yard waste are Raleigh, Durham, Holly Springs, and Apex.
• Cary has 70,000 tons of curbside collection annually. 38,000 is solid waste, 11,500 is recycling, 10,500 is yard waste, and 10,000 is leaf collection.
• Cary landfill diversion rate is 46%: 16% recycling, 15% yard waste, and 15% leaves.
• Our food waste pilot was very successful resulting in a new drop off at Mills Park. Currently 140 tons have been collected.
• Cary is considering adding food waste drop off locations near Jack Smith Park and near Middle Creek Park. That would put 99% of Cary residents within 10 minutes of a drop off site.
• Cary was one of 388 municipalities across the country that participated in an organics collection feasibility study.
• In the future Cary could have curbside food waste collection which would require an additional cart.
  • This would be a $2.5 million cost for carts and $6.5 million for trucks.
  • The operational cost would be an additional $2.9 million.
  • The solid waste fee would go from $23 a month to $28 a month.
• How to move forward with this initiative would be decided by prioritizing all current and future initiatives.

Council Meeting

The Cary Town Council met Thursday night for its last regularly scheduled meeting of September. The agenda had a presentation, two consent items, and two public hearings.

Doug McRainey, who recently retired as Cary’s Director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources was presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Doug’s contributions during his tenure were many including getting Cary the Gold Meal Award meaning we had the #1 park system in the country.

The two consent items were approved unanimously. The first was to call for a public hearing for an annexation and the second was to modernize language in a policy statement.

The first public hearing was a rezoning proposal 23-REZ-03 Courtyards at White Oak. Comments in the hearing were focused on road access to the site during construction. This will go to the Planning and Zoning Board and council will vote on it in a few months.

The second public hearing was a rezoning proposal 24-REZ-05 Westley Manor. Several people spoke in favor of this rezoning. This will also go to the Planning and Zoning Board and return for a vote in a few months.

After a closed session the council adjourned. The meeting lasted about three hours.

Asia Fest

Saturday I joined council members Smith, Craig, Kohn-Johnson, and Bansal at Asia Fest held at Koka Booth Amphitheater. It was the 9^th annual event and was attended by several dignitaries including the State Attorney General Josh Stein, the Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, state house members, state senate members, Apex and Morrisville council members, and county officials.

I provided welcoming remarks and talked about our diverse community, how we embrace our differences, and how we are stronger for sharing our cultures with each other. Also speaking was the Cary Police Chief, NC Secretary of State, and NC Attorney General.

Town Manager’s Report

Danna’s Message

This morning I had the great honor to introduce the keynote speaker for the breakfast at the Women of Western Wake Forum. Susan Gisler of Bell Leadership Institute in Chapel Hill spoke about leading with intention and shifting from chaos to clarity in everyday life. The session was about putting yourself into the best state of flow to be able to successfully show up for yourself and others. I was able to share about Cary’s values of people first and anyone can lead. It was an inspiring talk by Susan and I’m grateful that Cary Magazine organizes such an incredible event each year. Prior to introducing Susan, I had the opportunity to share a little about Cary and chose to share a portion of the inspiring details and meaning of the star in our logo:
For thousands of years, stars have guided us in the dark. They are beacons of hope, wonder, and magic. A star symbolizes positivity and possibility inspiring us all to strive for a higher standard. Our star serves as a visual reminder for residents and businesses to dream of a better future for themselves and their communities.
It was great seeing everyone last night, thank you for making my experience serving in Sean’s place so special. Stay safe until Helene has passed.
Danna

Farm to Fork Dinner and Celebration

This week, Cary celebrated eight years of urban agriculture at Good Hope Farm with our annual dinner and celebration. Farm to Fork attracted 150 guests from across the Triangle, including Councilmember Michelle Craig. Attendees enjoyed a farm-fresh dinner, a guided farm tour, and an evening of dining and dancing under the stars. All proceeds supported Good Hope Farm’s mission to train new farmers and strengthen long-term food security in our region.

Deutsche Bank Marks 15 Years in Cary

Last week, Councilmember Michelle Craig, Cary Chamber President Mark Lawson, and staff member Bryan Hayes attended Deutsche Bank’s US Technology Center celebration, marking 15 years in Cary. During the event, they met with Deutsche Bank’s CEO Americas, Stefan Simon, to learn more about the Technology Center and its contributions to the financial industry. We look forward to many more years of them calling Cary home.

2024 Bonds Presentation at Chamber Eye Opener

On Wednesday, Town Manager Sean Stegall presented on the 2024 Cary Community Bond Referendum at the Cary Chamber Eye Opener Breakfast, offering community members a chance to ask questions.

This was the first of four public presentations on the bond referendum. The remaining sessions, scheduled for October, will give citizens the opportunity to engage directly with Town leadership, receive a detailed presentation, and participate in a Q&A session. Dates and locations are listed below, and registration is not required. Visit carybonds.org for details.

• Monday, October 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Cary Theater
• Tuesday, October 15 at 6:30 p.m. at Courtyard Raleigh Cary/Parkside Town Commons
• Monday, October 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Creek Community Center

Fire Department Swift Water Rescue Team Deploys to Western North Carolina

The Fire Department’s Swiftwater Rescue Team was activated Wednesday evening and deployed to Lenoir, North Carolina, on Thursday morning ahead of Hurricane Helene. Eight highly skilled team members joined 19 other teams from across the state, prepared to assist the citizens of western North Carolina. The mountain region is forecasted to receive record rainfall, leading to dangerous flash floods, landslides, and river flooding. Our thoughts are with the team during their travels and operations as they personify Cary’s value to serve.

Cary Housing Microsite Chosen for Web Excellence Awards

Cary’s Housing & Community Partnerships microsite was recognized as a winner of the Web Excellence Awards. Over the past year, staff worked to create a modern, approachable, and easy-to-navigate website where citizens can learn about Cary housing programs and initiatives. This new site ensures citizens can connect with community partners, learn about new developments, and access housing resources. The microsite is in good company with national brands like Puma and Fidelity. See the  Web Excellence Awards for a complete list of winners, as well as Cary’s award page.

Street Improvements Update

Cary’s annual street resurfacing project is moving forward, with recent work completed on Two Creeks Road in the Briarcliff area. In the coming weeks, Kilmayne Drive (from Maynard Road to Kildaire Farm Road) and High Meadow Drive (from Kildaire Farm Road to Two Creeks Road) are scheduled for resurfacing, weather permitting. For more details, visit carync.gov/resurfacing.

2024 US Masters Disc Golf Championships

The 2024 US Masters Disc Golf Championship wrapped up on Sept. 22, at Cary’s Diavolo at New Hope Disc Golf Course. This 4-round tournament, one of seven annual PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) Majors, attracted over 500 professional and amateur athletes from 43 states and 5 countries. Video coverage and scores are available at U.S. Masters: National Championships | Town of Cary (carync.gov).

Upcoming Meetings

Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity Advisory Board
Tuesday, October 1
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A concern about Cary vehicles using fossil fuels.
• A complaint about misinformation being spread about the bond by those who oppose it.
• A complaint that questions are not being answered about the bond.
• An offer for free meditation sessions.
• A request to fly American Flag banners.
• A complaint about the property tax comparing it to Governor Tryon “a savage” who “enriched his friends at the expense of colonists”.
• A complaint about native plants.
• Several emails about a HOA greenway squabble between neighbors.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity board meeting, a NC Metro Mayors meeting, and Oktoberfest.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, October 6^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday I met briefly with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Our topics of discussion included council actions, the upcoming bond, a dying tree that will need to be removed in the downtown park, and the Wake Stone Quarry upcoming actions.

Mayors Association

Monday night I attended a Mayors Association meeting in Fuquay-Varina. In attendance were mayors from Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, and Wake Forest. We talked about Mayors Association cash flow issues for our annual holiday dinner and then did a round table discussion. A big thank you to Fuquay-Varina Mayor Massengill for hosting the mayors.

CAMPO

Wednesday I attended a meeting of the CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization) Executive Board. The agenda included six consent items, two public hearings, and three discussion items. Items that resulted in votes included:

• The Human Services Transportation Plan was approved after a public hearing.
• Division needs updates for target modal mix in SPOT (Strategic Transportation Prioritization) was approved.
• And there was an approval to allow the Executive Director to sign an Updated US 1 Council of Planning Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of CAMPO.

All votes were unanimous.

Cary Chamber Annual Banquet

Wednesday night I attended the Cary Chamber’s Annual Banquet. I provided a few remarks on what the community has accomplished over the years through business community, the citizens, and the town partnerships. I was followed by the keynote speaker, NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson, who was an excellent speaker and very entertaining. Congratulations to Ralph Ashworth for receiving the Order of the Long Leaf Pine and to Liza Weidel who received the Citizen of the Year award.

Carolina Courage Potential Sale

Thursday I was notified that Former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry may buy 60% of the North Carolina Courage from Steve Malik for about $108 million.

Volunteer Appreciation Event

Thursday night I joined 5 other council members in a volunteer appreciation event for our boards and commissions. We honored the outgoing board members for their years of service. We also celebrated and recognized the new HRID (Human Relations Inclusion Diversity) board. It was a great event and a time for council and staff to talk with the volunteers for these boards.

NC Metro Mayors

The NC Metro Mayors met Friday for a presentation and a legislative summary:

The Legislature met last week to pass a “mini-budget” H10, which also included a provision that requires NC Sheriffs to cooperate with federal ICE officials. We expect this bill to be vetoed by Governor Cooper later today. The “mini-budget” bill also includes:  

• An additional $215.5M for private school Opportunity Scholarships 
• An additional $377M to the Division of Health Benefits for the Medicaid
• Various other public schools, community college, and special needs program funding. 
• The “mini budget” did not include any funding for teacher raises, or for member earmarks.  

The Legislature overrode vetoes, including:

• House Bill 155 allows the DMV to authorize certain modified vehicles for 4-lane roads. 
• House Bill 556, prohibits counties and cities from adopting certain ordinances that would prohibit landlords from refusing to rent to tenants because the tenant uses federal aid for rent.  
• House Bill 690 prohibits any state agency from accepting a central bank digital currency. 
• Senate Bill 166  an “omnibus land use and building code “bill – became law 9/11/24.   
• Senate Bill 445 makes it illegal for a person to advertise property or rent property they have no authority to rent or sell (veto override still needs House action on S445).  

Cary #1 Best Place to Retire

Friday I was notified that Cary was the #1 place in the nation to retire using Dave Ramsey’s 8% withdrawal rate. Dave Ramsey is an American radio known for being a financial guru with a focus on helping people get out of debt. To find out more about this ranking go here.

ICMA Conference

Saturday I left for Pittsburgh to attend the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) conference which is not town related. However, I will be performing mayoral duties remotely through Tuesday.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

“Volunteers don’t get paid, not because they’re worthless, but because they’re priceless.” -Sherry Anderson
Ms. Anderson’s statement certainly rings true in Cary.  It was nice seeing everyone last night during another busy week in Cary.  As I have said many times, the Cary Council and Staff appreciates its volunteers more than any other place I have ever worked.  We are so very grateful to them!

Enjoy reading this week’s Weekly Report and at a minimum please read the first story. Have a nice weekend. 
Sean

Willow Oak Removal in Downtown Park

Despite meticulous care and maintenance in recent years, the willow oak tree in the Downtown Cary Park’s North Botanical Garden has reached the end of its lifespan. In June 2024, Park staff noticed the browning of the leaves in the willow oak tree’s canopy. Immediate action was taken by staff to inspect the status of the tree. A tree care specialty group confirmed that the vascular flow of the tree had stopped, officially marking the end of its mature life stage. It is estimated to be 100 years old. The safety of park guests and staff is our top priority and for that reason the tree must be removed. The removal is scheduled for September 24 and 25, and will have minor impacts to pedestrian traffic in the area. After removal, new life will bloom in the north botanical garden as more trees and plants will be installed.

TCC Coffee and Chat

Councilmembers Bansal, Craig, Kohn-Johnson, Robinson, and Smith along with staff from a number of departments had a “coffee chat” with members of the development community on Thursday. The annual event which was organized by the Triangle Community Coalition allowed Council to share ideas with developers on ways to address housing in Cary. 

District D Homeowners Association

The District D Homeowners Association meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 1 at 5:00 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott in Parkside Town Commons, Cary. It’s a great opportunity to connect with other HOA members and get updates on district developments. Staff will also be present to share insights and answer any questions after a brief presentation on Town projects and initiatives. If you are interested in attending, please let Ginny know. 

The Cary Podcast on the 2024 Cary Community Bond Referendum

This week, John Collins, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Director, was interviewed about the 2024 Cary Community Bond Referendum for The Cary Podcast, in an opportunity that came through an interaction with a Cary citizen at the Lazy Daze bonds booth. Listen to the podcast here ! In addition, Cary staff has been busy engaging with citizens to provide information on the bonds, attending events such as the Farmer’s Market and Carolina Circus, plus several public meetings. After this weekend, where we’ll be attending a booth at Public Safety Day, staff will have invested almost 100 hours of time educating citizens on the bonds at 32 events and meetings. 

Cary Hosts Service Tours

Colleagues from Holly Springs and Morrisville were interested in learning more about how programs like Cary’s community gardens and food waste drop-off sites are designated and operated. To model these municipal services, staff proudly conducted a series of tours that also showcased Cary’s leadership in sustainable practices and partnerships and our citizens’ efforts to reduce waste, compost, and grow locally. 

NC State University Project

Professor Lokendra Pal at NC State University is leading research that could ultimately convert portions of solid waste into sustainable biofuel. This research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, utilizes advanced AI imaging technology to analyze Cary’s waste stream. Currently in the stakeholder engagement phase, this AI imaging project is designed to improve the sorting and processing of waste materials through extensive imaging analysis.

The study provides us with excellent insights. Because Cary citizens do a great job of recycling and due to the low presence of metals in Cary’s solid waste, further improvements in the imaging may involve utilizing Cary’s recycled materials. With over 1.7 million images collected and a 90% accuracy rate in analyzing the waste composition, the project is well on its way to effectively accomplishing the objectives of the study. Professor Pal is continuing the stakeholder engagement phase over the next several months.

Urban Forestry: Clearing the Way

Staff from Public Works’ facilities, operations, and urban forestry groups continued their combined effort to make Cary’s public rights-of-way safer for pedestrians and vehicular traffic by addressing tree/infrastructure obstructions around town. You may have noticed improved sight lines at some intersections throughout town. Some of their work included:

• traffic signal clearance on Walnut Street at Cary High School.
• traffic signal clearance on SW Cary Parkway at West Chatham Street.
• street clearance on Old Apex Road at Brentwood Drive.
• street clearance on Beechtree Drive at Beech Forest Court.
• sidewalk clearance on Green Level Church Road at Hortons Creek Road; and
• clearance of numerous regulatory signs obstructed by low-hanging tree limbs.

This effort is a step towards expanding our tree maintenance efforts and it allows us to provide new ways to train staff with hands-on learning as part of our Urban Forestry Program initiatives.

2024 Veterans Benefit Live

The Herbert C. Young Community Center hosted the Veterans Benefits Live Event—VA in My Town Cary NC, September 12-14. A special thanks goes to all the organizations that came together to assist veterans in accessing the benefits they have earned. The dedication and hard work of Cary staff, the American Legion Post 67, VA Administrators, Veteran Service Officers and all the volunteers who put in long hours and were ready to help wherever needed, contributed to the success of this event. Over the three days, the event served 1,180 veterans, an increase from 1,006 in 2023. 

Marketing Team Relocation

Cary’s Marketing team has moved! Today, the team hosted a “housewarming” breakfast at the old reception desk on the first floor of the Town Hall. This move signifies an important milestone in the team’s evolution, and the group looks forward to new opportunities to collaborate and connect with those in Town Hall and beyond in the future. 

Caustic Tank Project Complete

Construction is complete for the caustic tank replacement project at the Cary-Apex Water Treatment Facility. Caustic, also known as sodium hydroxide, is a chemical used for pH adjustment and is an important part of the water treatment process. The project involved the replacement of 4 fiberglass tanks that were at the end of their service life. The new tanks are carbon steel and are expected to last for at least 20 years. Another important part of the project was rerouting of chemical piping and electrical conduit. This important work will ensure that the facility can safely and effectively add caustic during water treatment, as part of our process to provide high quality drinking water to our citizens.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting – October 9^th

The following Neighborhood Meeting will be held virtually on Zoom on Wednesday, October 9 at 6:30 PM.: 24-REZ-12 402 Charles Ct.

Upcoming Meetings

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, September 23
6:30 p.m.

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, September 25
6:00 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday, September 26
4:45 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Regular)
Thursday, September 26
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about a neighbor’s shipping container.
• A request to connect Carpenter Village to Cary’s greenways.
• Several requests to support the rezoning proposal in the Wellington Park neighborhood.
• A complaint about contamination in water (investigation showed that Cary water was fine and the contamination was airborne within the residence).
• Several requests to attend several events.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the ICMA conference, a council work session, a council meeting, and Asia Fest.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, September 29^th, 2024. Although I have Facebook and Twitter accounts those are not the best means of communication with me. Please send all Town of Cary questions or comments to Harold.Weinbrecht@carync.gov and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.