Harold's Blog

Council Work Session

Monday afternoon the council held its last work session for the FY2025 budget. After a brief recap of the previous two work sessions the town manager and staff went over the 44 questions asked by the council. I highlighted a few of those questions and answers.

June 17^th Work Session

• Median home prices in the comparison of localities outside of North Carolina. (Included in Work Session PP)

Locality	Rate*	Median Home Price	Median Household Income
Cary, North Carolina	0.325	$647,748	$125,000
Franklin, Tennessee	0.326	$574,000	$106,592
McKinney, Texas	0.428	$400,400	$113,286
Naperville, Illinois	0.665	$482,600	$143,754
Scottsdale, Arizona	0.515	$651,800	$104,197
*All rates are per $100 of assed value Source: United States Census Bureau

• Renters’ contribution (e.g. property tax vs. sales tax):

Residential tenants do not directly pay property taxes; however, the landlords pay taxes and likely pass this cost on to the tenant.

For commercial property, research shows “rents rise after tax changes sufficiently to fully absorb 80-90% of the change in landlord tax payments” (MIT Center for Real Estate). Article available here.

• Nancy Jones historic preservation funds carryover and FY25 specifics:

The FY 2024 budget included funding of $2.4 million for historic preservation efforts. At that time, staff believed this funding, and existing funding, would be sufficient to work on Nancy Jones and Ivey Ellington. After the move of Ivey Ellington in early 2023, and the subsequent decision to use the structure for Downtown Park staff, the Ivey Ellington construction efforts were prioritized to occur first. The final cost to update Ivey Ellington was significantly more than originally anticipated and required the full amount of available funding. The staff report detailing the rehabilitation efforts and funding for Ivey-Ellington House is available here. As a result, funding of $2.5 million in recommended bond funding was included in the FY 2025 budget to begin the process of restoring Nancy Jones.

At least two council members expressed interest in selling some of the historic structures in Cary. Most of the council believes this is something worth investigating but there should be a strategic plan for all the structures. All historic structures are protected.

• Sidewalk and street info for FY 2024 and proposed FY 2025:

• Benefit (customer savings) analysis of Aquastar:

Although the direct savings for customers are immeasurable, the benefit of AquaStar has been realized through the features it offers, particularly in terms of improved customer service and operational efficiency. AquaStar enhances customer service through features such as an online customer portal, monitoring, high usage calls, minimizing water loss, and providing real-time data. This results in increased response times and improves water consumption rates. Monitoring per capita water use with AquaStar allows the town to monitor trends in water usage in real-time and improve customer awareness of their consumption. Cary has seen a decrease in per capita water consumption since the implementation of Aquastar. AquaStar has resulted in a reduction in staffing requirements by 14 members with an estimated annual cost of $1.3 million for the Town.

AquaStar also contributes to environmental stewardship and sustainability by eliminating trips for meter readings and reducing the frequency of maintenance trips, thereby minimizing greenhouse gas emissions. This commitment aligns with our goals outlined in the current SERVE chapter (and future ENRICH chapter) of the Imagine Cary Community Plan.

Furthermore, AquaStar’s capacity to provide water consumption data and conduct audits facilitates improved planning and resource allocation. By identifying areas of water loss and optimizing systems through

• Is the West Chatham Sidewalk addition included in another budget item somewhere?

The two sidewalk projects near the West Chatham Street roundabout are already funded and under process. The project is currently in the planning stage, 75% of which was complete as of April 2024.

• How are the Downtown Park Operations impacted by the loss of revenue from the Gathering Place (House)?

Downtown Park operations are not materially impacted.

A full year of Gathering House revenue would equal $30,000.

• What is the impact of postponing the purchase of the Armored Response Vehicle by one year? Can we leverage Wake County’s services? What are we doing now?

Currently, we rely on the Wake County’s Mobile Command Center, which is operationally unreliable and often unavailable due to deployment elsewhere. Similarly, we have to borrow an armored rescue vehicle from the county or the FBI, but its availability is not guaranteed, and our officers cannot use either vehicle for training purposes. The response time when requesting these vehicles is another significant issue. In high-stakes situations, any delay can be detrimental. The recent CMPD shooting incident underscores the urgent need for this equipment to ensure the safety of both citizens and officers in hot zones. An ARV would greatly enhance our rescue capabilities and overall response effectiveness in critical situations. Waiting an additional year to purchase this vital piece of equipment compromises our ability to respond effectively to emergencies.

Once the vehicle is ordered, it will take 12-14 months for delivery with payment due upon delivery. Thus, even though we would be making the purchase in FY 25, we will not receive nor pay for the ARV until the following fiscal year. This timeline makes it even more imperative to begin the acquisition process as soon as possible to avoid further delays in enhancing our emergency response capabilities.

• How do other municipalities fund their chamber of commerce?

Most comparable municipalities do not have listed funding for their respective chamber of commerce but do acknowledge strategic partnerships with these organizations.

One council member suggested reducing what we pay the Chamber as a form of “belt tightening”. Another council member stated that this would send the wrong signal to our business community and the impact could be far greater than the amount of the reduction.

• Emergency Communication AI? What is the cost? Does this duplicate the services we currently have, such as Public Input, Zencity, and others being used for surveys?

The AI redaction solution utilizes Artificial Intelligence to assist in the redaction of specific words, addresses, and details in a 911 call. By using AI, we can significantly reduce the time it would typically take for our staff to manually perform this task. This solution has not yet been reviewed by individuals involved in an AI policy for the town.

Regarding the Citizen Input solution, it will allow us to randomly send surveys to citizens who have contacted our 911 center. These surveys will enable us to gather valuable feedback on our services, ensuring that we continuously improve our responsiveness and care for our citizens. The data collected through this system will be utilized to make any necessary adjustments to our processes, ultimately leading to more efficient and exemplary service. Additionally, this system seamlessly integrates with our Computer Aided Dispatch Software, enabling us to send automated text messages to callers, providing timely updates on their incidents.

The AI Redaction will cost about $5,000. The Power Engage will cost $9,000. We have researched internally to see if the town had anything that would perform this action for us and specifically spoke to Zencity. Nothing was able to connect to our CAD system to allow the automated messages to be sent to citizens.

• What is being done to track and eliminate duplicative IT software?

Staff continue to review software renewals and licensing to save money on duplicative or unnecessary services without impacting service levels. Estimated savings of $500,000 from that ongoing review are included in the IT budget for Fiscal Year 2025.

• Why do the revenues for benefits almost double in next year’s budget?

Additional details are needed to fully respond to this question. The Health and Dental Insurance Fund Summary on page 144 indicates FY 2025 revenue and expenditure levels in line with or less than FY 2024 numbers.

• Can Cary participate in the Wake County Tax Deferment program?

The Wake County Tax Deferment program is an existing state program that Wake County is advertising. Any applications for deferment of Wake County taxes will also apply to municipal taxes. This program is available annually beginning on January 1 with an application deadline of June 1. You can find more information on the program here.

To implement this program for our residents, staff will publish information about the deferment program in the taxes and assessments section of the town website.

• Is the $4.5m for affordable housing projects in the capital budget in addition to the $5.15m?

The $4.5M for housing projects in the capital budget is included in the $5.15M

• Is the $3.3m for GoCary Transit Projects in the capital budget (page xiv) in addition to the $2.6m transferred from the General Fund to the Transit Fund?

The $3.3M in capital funding is in addition to the $2.6M transferred from the General Fund to the Transit Fund for operations. $3 million of the $3.3 million in GoCary Transit capital projects is funded through the Wake County Transit Tax.

• If the Estimated Sales Tax in 2024 is $57.9m, what is the basis for the estimation of $59.6m for 2025 Sales Tax?

The estimated FY2024 sales tax of $57.9m is a 1.5% increase above actual sales tax collections in FY2023. FY2025 estimates of $59.6m are a 3% increase above FY2024. Historic sales tax returns make it likely that the anemic sales tax growth of the current year was an anomaly and growth with return to the 3-4% level. Staff estimates sales tax revenue based on expert information from the NC League of Municipalities, larger economic expectations, and trend analysis.

• Why is the 2024 Estimated Health and Dental Fund Transfer $5m when our Adopted 2024 budget was -$1m and is proposed to be -$1m again in 2025? Was this a surprise and are we vulnerable to another similar surprise in 2025?

These reviews often result in staff’s recommendation to close capital projects or make other adjustments allowing unused or available dollars to return to the General Fund, or other funds, where they become available for future use. This is typically done at our quarterly meetings and at year-end as we approach next year’s budget development.

As of June 30, 2023, the fund balance in Cary’s Health and Dental Insurance Fund totals approximately $18.9 million. A portion of this total was intentionally established with General Fund transfers. While there is not a specific benchmark for savings in this fund, staff believe that returning $6 million to the General Fund is a prudent adjustment that will not impact our ability to adequately support our health insurance needs.

• Why is Clerks Operations and Maintenance in the 2024 Estimated budget $1.06m (or 781%) over the Adopted 2024 Operations and Maintenance budget?

The Board of Elections for Wake, Chatham, and Durham provided Cary with the estimated amounts to budget for the municipal election in 2023 which resulted in a budget over $1 million. For the 2023 election, Cary reimbursed the Wake, Chatham, and Durham boards of elections a total of $824,507 for the October election date and November Runoff election date.

• Facilities, Construction, and Field Services have a relatively (and surprisingly) small budget. However, it is increasing about 190% over 2024 Adopted. Can you explain the change and what we can expect in future years?

Facilities, Construction, and Field Services was a new department that was created late in the budget process in FY2024. The FY2024 budget represents estimates of what the department would cost with the understanding that much of their budget remained in PIDS. The FY2025 budget is the first year that Facilities, Construction, and Field Services will have a budget that went through the full review process. We can expect slow growth to this budget in future years.

• In the Environment, is Urban Forestry and Solar Energy responsible for increasing the Environment budget by 312%? Will you break this out for us? Do we anticipate that this 2025 Environment budget is a one-year increase, or will it continue to stay at or above $2m?

The growth in Environment is largely due to two studies. The Climate Action Plan ($625,000) and The Urban Forestry Tree Survey ($770,000). Base Environment spending is anticipated to remain around $1 million, but additional projects may bring spending higher in individual years.

• Why was the Police 2024 Estimated budget $6.64m (or 21%) over the Adopted 2024 budget? What will be different this year if we are budgeting $5m less than the 2024 Estimated budget?

Supply chain issues meant that police vehicles Cary ordered over several years were not delivered until FY2024 at a cost of over $6 million. Cary does not pay for most vehicles until we receive them.

• The solid waste fee is increasing to $23/mo which will cover 92% of the operating costs. So, 8% is covered by the general fund? If so, what is the advantage of not having the fee set to an amount that covers 100% of the operating cost? [page x]

Solid Waste and Recycling expenses are included in the general fund so any expenses that are not covered by fees are covered by other general fund revenues. The advantage of a solid waste fee that does not fully cover costs is a lower fee for customers and a buffer to make sure that solid waste fees do not end up subsidizing the general fund.

• Why is the Recycling operations anticipated to decrease by 68% after being in the 1.2m to 2.2m range since 2021?

The FY2025 budget moved waste disposal and contracted services fees from the Recycling and Yard Waste divisions to the solid waste division to increase efficiency.

• Why are the Yard Waste operations expected to decrease by 79% after being in the $750k to 1m range since 2021?

The FY2025 budget moved waste disposal and contracted services fees from the Recycling and Yard Waste divisions to the solid waste division to increase efficiency.

• Is it possible to give citizens access to information on how their tax bill and assessed value has changed over the past twenty years?

Yes, we built a tool that will allow property owners to see this information. Staff published the dashboard on the website, which can be found under the taxes and assessments page which is accessible through the main budget page. You can use the QR code below to access the dashboard directly.

• What are Nuisance Animals in the Police Department fees?

Sec. 6-71 of the Town Ordinance addresses nuisance animals. Annoying sounds are the most frequent complaint. Failure or refusal to abate the annoying sounds could incur a civil citation for the violation in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200.00). Chapter 6 of the Town Ordinance can be found here.

• Why was the IT 2024 Estimated budget $5.83m (or 30%) over the Adopted 2024 budget?

Software and licensing renewal budgets for the entire organization were consolidated within the IT department’s budget resulting in an uptick in IT’s FY24 actuals. As new technology platforms are added, they are also included in this account. The FY 2025 budget has been increased to appropriately address this consolidation.

Groundbreaking at Park Overlook

Tuesday morning I joined council members Bush, Craig, and Bansal at the groundbreaking of the Park Overlook project. This project will have over 162,000 square feet of flexible space with Class A office entrance facades. The interior will have large bay sizes, high ceilings, loading dock doors on an interior truck court, and Class A office entrance facades. In addition to three other speakers, I provided remarks on the town’s behalf. Afterwards, the council and other dignitaries posed for groundbreaking pictures with hard hats and shovels.

Installment Document Signing Session

Tuesday afternoon I participated in Installment document signing. I signed several documents along with the town attorney, town manager, town clerk, and others. These documents are required by financial institutions for debt.

Diwali Dance Meeting

Tuesday evening, I joined several council members and Cary staff that will make up the Cary dance team at Diwali. So far, we have 13 from Cary with hopes to eventually have 17. Practice will start the second week of July and the performance will be in October.

Cary is #2 Safest Most Affordable

GoBankingRates named Cary is the #2 safest most affordable community in the nation. They state that choosing a family-friendly place to live is a significant decision that involves a balancing act between safety and affordability in any big city. Several cities in America stand out for offering a combination of low crime rates and reasonable living costs, even when compared to small towns. Whether you’re a young professional, a growing family or a retiree, finding real estate where you feel comfortable — both physically and financially — is crucial for a high quality of life. 

Cary Zip Code 27158 is One of the Most Wealthiest in the Nation

The Triangle Business Journal reported that Cary had one of the most wealthiest zip codes in the nation:

“Three Triangle ZIP codes rank among the nation’s 1,000 wealthiest places, and Raleigh leads the way.

That’s according to The Business Journals Wealthy 1000, a new ranking of the nation’s wealthiest ZIP codes based on a weighted formula that looks at a number of wealth metrics.

Raleigh, Cary and Chapel Hill each had one ZIP code that ranked among the Wealthy 1000. 27608 in Raleigh (Hayes Barton, Five Points, Forest Acres) is the wealthiest Triangle ZIP code at No. 370, while 27518 in south Cary (Lochmere area) ranks No. 608 and 27517 covering east and south Chapel Hill (including Carolina Meadows and the Governors Club) is No. 902.”

North Carolina Metro Mayors

The North Carolina Metro Mayors met Friday to hear a weekly summary of legislative actions:

Budget Negotiations

This week, the House and Senate released two different versions of the budget.  H263, 2024 Appropriations Act, is the House version that was made public on Monday, June 17th.  The plan includes raises for state employees, increased funding for childcare, and an increase in the Opportunity Scholarship program. The bill passed (68-36) on the floor on Thursday. However, the Senate does not seem interested in taking up the House’s version of the budget as negotiations remain at an impasse between the two chambers. 

The Senate released its version of the budget on Wednesday, June 19th.  A proposed committee substitute for H317, Adjustments to the 2023 Appropriations Act, received a favorable report from the Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee on Thursday morning.  The Senate spending plan would provide an additional $136.5 million in one-time childcare funding to address the loss of federal COVID-19 pandemic relief aid at the end of June and would provide additional funding for the Opportunity Scholarship program but would not include further raises for teachers and state employees.  

Hemp Bill

A proposed committee substitute for H563, Hemp-Derived Consumables/Con Sub Changes, passed its second reading in the Senate by a vote of 33-9 on Thursday afternoon.  The bill in its current form would make several changes regulating the sale and distribution of hemp-derived products and would ban hemp-derived consumable products from school grounds.  This bill would also amend the North Carolina Controlled Substances Act to add tianeptine as a Schedule II controlled substance, xylazine as a Schedule III controlled substance, and kratom as a Schedule VI controlled substance.  The Senate also added language that would enact the North Carolina Compassionate Care Act to legalize and provide for the sale of cannabis and cannabis-infused products to qualified patients with debilitating medical conditions.

This summary was created by Checkmate Government Relations.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Council, I just wanted to thank you again for devoting extra time on Monday to the Budget Work Session.  The process this year has allowed for higher levels of learning as compared to previous years.  As we navigate a likely challenging year those questions will remain vital to our success.  So please keep asking!
As a reminder, I’m traveling through Monday, but I’ll be available to you by phone.
Have a great weekend.
Sean

Downtown Cary Park Hosts Annual Juneteenth Celebration

On Saturday, June 15, Mayor Harold Weinbrecht read a proclamation at Downtown Cary Park’s annual Juneteenth Celebration, joined by Councilmembers Sarika Bansal and Carissa Kohn-Johnson. Attendees braved the heat and enjoyed a vendor market and food trucks along with a full roster of live entertainment including traditional dances, djembe (drum) performances, educational talks, moving vocal performances, and a full live band to cap off the event.

The History of PFLAG in Cary; Sally Zumbach Story

On June 18, at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center a special Pride Month program celebrated and honored the legacy of Sally Zumbach who was instrumental in forming the Cary chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) in the 1980s. Councilmember Michelle Craig joined Councilmember Lori Bush, with Bush presenting a bronze commemorative plaque to the Zumbach family in recognition of Sally’s service to the community. The program was a joint effort of the Historic Preservation Commission, Friends of Page-Walker, and the Human Relations, Inclusion, and Diversity Advisory Board.

RTA QuickTour in Richmond, Virginia

Russ Overton, Ryan Eades, and Rob Wilson attended the Regional Transportation Alliance’s (RTA) “QuickTour” in Richmond, Virginia on Tuesday. The tour provided the opportunity to visit a nearby peer city to learn more about a freeway cap, bus rapid transit (BRT), and other multimodal infrastructure. In the morning, they learned about the recently renovated Kanawa Plaza and adjacent parking deck that are built over top of the downtown expressway, as well as plans to build a new freeway cap over I-95 to reconnect the Jackson Ward neighborhood. In the afternoon, they learned about Richmond’s experiences with bus-rapid transit (BRT), a zero-fare transit policy, transit-oriented development, and plans for an intercity passenger rail. As part of the tour, they also rode the Pulse BRT and observed red (dedicated) BRT lanes, as well as both curbside and median pick-up/drop-off stations.

Interactive Dashboard: Property Tax Bill Estimates

The proposed FY 2025 budget recommends a new tax rateof $0.325, which will help fund projects, programs, and services for the coming year. In an effort to help citizens see how property revaluations have impacted the value of their homes and Cary property tax bills, the Financial Strategy staff developed an interactive dashboard . On the dashboard, you can search by any Cary residential property in Wake County using an address or the name of the property owner to see how proposed changes to the Cary property tax rate could change your bill in the upcoming year, as well as a history of revaluations dating back to 2001.

Construction Update – Walnut Street at Cary High School PHB

Construction of the Walnut Street PHB (Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon) in front of Cary High School is expected to begin next week. The Traffic Control Plan during construction includes closure of the inside lanes on both eastbound and westbound Walnut Street for approximately one to two weeks to accommodate the median and PHB work. The existing pedestrian crossing is expected to be closed and pedestrian detours will be provided utilizing the existing signalized pedestrian crossing at the intersection of Walnut Street and SE Maynard Road. This project will replace the concrete median on either side of the crosswalk with a slightly longer landscaped median, which will include features based on a collaborative exercise with Cary High School students. The metal pole for the PHB will be installed in the landscaped median with dual mast-arms, each providing traffic control for the eastbound and westbound traffic on Walnut Street.

Utility Relocation Update

Duke Energy has completed their relocation of overhead facilities between Cameron Pond Drive and Howard Road. Crews are still installing underground infrastructure between Howard Road and NC-55 before facilities are relocated underground. Spectrum has also started their relocation efforts between Cameron Pond Drive and Howard Road, which is expected to take roughly three months.

West Park Street Infrastructure Renewal

W. Park Street from Harrison Avenue to Academy Street has undergone a transformation over the last several months. Cary invested in new buried infrastructure including a new water main, upgrades to the sanitary sewer, and the replacement of damaged stormwater piping. A new stormwater catch basin was also installed and all of the curbs and sidewalks have been replaced to prevent ponding. Finally, the roadway was resurfaced, and W. Park Street was reopened last Friday, a week ahead of schedule.

Pavement Marking Condition Survey

Next week, weather depending, consultants working for Cary will begin measuring the reflectivity of pavement markings on some of the major streets maintained by Cary. This assessment is the first step in developing a maintenance program to ensure pavement markings can be sufficiently seen in low light conditions. Streets that will be measured include; Waldo Rood Blvd, Buck Jones Rd, West Chatham St, North Harrison Ave, East Chatham St, Kildaire Farm Road, Lake Pine Dr, Walnut St, McCrimmon Parkway, Old Apex Rd, and Weston Parkway. Lane closures and some night work may be needed to safely complete this work.

Cary Works to Advance the Tree Care Industry in NC

The NC Urban Forest Council hosted an arborist prep course in Greenville this past week. Leslie Moorman, Cary’s Urban Forester, instructed a portion of the course, preparing the next generation of tree care professionals. Cary continues to prioritize the advancement of the tree care workforce to ensure our trees are receiving the best care and maintenance from qualified experts. 

Upcoming Meetings

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

Optimist Farm Greenway Open House
Wednesday, June 26
6:00 p.m.

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

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday. June 27
4:45 p.m.

Town Council Meeting
Thursday, June 27
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Two complaints about a Waverly Place rezoning proposal (It has not been scheduled for a public hearing and council has not seen a staff report).
• A complaint about being towed at the Camden Townhomes in Cary Park.
• A request for a new American flag at Booth Amphitheater.
• A complaint about a 18 wheeler parking on the Cary Morrisville border.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a council work session, and the last regularly scheduled council meeting of the fiscal year.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, June 30^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Council Work Session

Monday afternoon the council held a work session on bond ratings and the budget.

In the staff presentation on bond ratings they pointed out that Cary has the highest bond rating from all three major rating agencies: S&P Global, Moody’s, and Fitch. Cary is one of the few communities in the country that has the highest ratings from all three bond rating agencies which allows us to get the lowest interest rate possible when financing capital projects. The ratings are determined by financial performance and flexibility, debt factors, economic base, managerial factors (staff and council).

After the bond ratings presentation the council held their second work session on the budget. Here are some notes, takeaways, and thoughts from the latest work session:

June 10^th work session:

• The main takeaways from this year’s budget:
  • Market conditions are resulting in increased costs for core services, as well as reduced revenue growth.
  • Recent planned utilization of general fund balance, combined with unprecedented sales tax revenue, allowed Cary to defer tax increases until now.
  • The FY 2025 Recommended Budget ensures Cary remains well positioned for the future, including investment in priority areas without further expansion, while maintaining services and infrastructure.
• The three main factors impacting the budget are a flat sales tax, a period of inflation, and an expansion in programs.
• The breakdown of the 8 cents above revenue neutral can be summarized as three cents due to inflation, two cents due to program expansion (parks and the environment), two cents due to debt service, and one cent due to General Fund Reserve replenishment.
• The town will provide an online tool with a slider on the tax rate to help figure out exactly how much a property owner’s tax will be.
• Chris Nida from the NC League of Municipalities said, “The current sales tax environment seems to bear much more resemblance to the years prior to the pandemic than it does to recent years.”
• Sales tax revenue for this fiscal year is about $4 million under budget. This fiscal year we are budgeting 3% sales tax revenue growth which is lower than pre-pandemic growth.
• The Cary Community Plan predicted the slowing in the town’s growth, “The high quality of life enjoyed in Cary has propelled its growth up until now. However, national, regional, and local trends suggest a changing context for the town…”
• Since 1998 we have added:
  • 26 new parks
  • 85 miles of greenway
  • 1790 acres of park land
  • 4 new fire stations and 1 relocated fire station
  • 208 miles of streets
  • 35,153 utility customers
• What this budget does for General Government:
  • Supports 5% personnel increase for merit
  • Sustained investment in employee training and investment
• What this budget does for Public Works:
  • Supports new work order and asset management platform
  • Makes significant investments in facility planning and maintenance
  • Continues to invest in equipment replacement
• What this budget does for Public Safety:
  • Sustains investment in Public Safety personnel
  • Reinvents and reimagines public safety training
  • Enhances preparedness for critical and unusual events through investments in new technology platforms
• What this budget does for Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources:
  • Funds the first year of operations for the Downtown Cary Park
  • Invests in critical capital maintenance
• What this budget does for development and infrastructure:
  • Invests in the implementation of the Urban Forest Master Plan
  • Expands our investment in historic preservation
  • Fulfills development and parking obligations

May 23^rd work session:

• The biggest factors impacting this year’s budget are a flat sales tax, inflation, and program expansion. Having said that, another big factor is that we are a maturing community. That is, the subsidizing of taxes with growth is basically over.
• While almost everyone will agree that police and fire are essential to our community, other service areas have become a high priority for citizens as well. For example, our urban forestry program, our recycling program (even though we pay to recycle), parks programming, environmental initiatives, affordable housing initiatives, and more.
• Foundational values for the budget include hiring and retaining the best of class of employees, achieving, and maintaining the highest levels of service, and accommodating a growing community.
• Key takeaways from this budget include:

• Market conditions are resulting in increased costs for core services, as well as reduced revenue growth.
• Recent planned utilization of general fund balance, combined with unprecedented sales tax revenue, allowed Cary to defer tax increases until now.
• The FY 2025 Recommended Budget ensures Cary remains well positioned for the future, including investment in priority areas without further expansion, while maintaining services and infrastructure.

• A chief economist from our area says “The latest inflation data surprised the financial markets, revealing that the higher-than-expected inflation reported earlier this year persisted into March. The sharp moderation in the CPI since mid-2022 appears to have pivoted to a slower trajectory.”
• Sales tax revenue has flattened. It was $43.5 million in FY2021, $52.3 million in FY2022, $57.1 million in FY2023, and a projected $58.3 million in FY2024 ($4 million under budget). The proposed budget is estimated to be $59.6 million for this upcoming fiscal year.
• The Cary Community Plan expected the town’s growth to slow: “The high quality of life enjoyed in Cary has propelled its growth up until now. However, national, regional, and local trends suggest a changing context for the town…”
• The influx of population (growth) has subsidized the tax rate for years. That has now ended. Residential permits in FY2023 are the lowest in decades.
• A comparison of Cary from 1998 and today showed a big increase in size, amenities, and wealth. This in turn has significantly increased our maintenance and operating costs.

• Parks expanded from 13 to 39.
• Greenways expanded from 10 miles to 95 miles.
• Park land expanded from 900 acres to 2690 acres.
• Fire Stations expanded from 5 to 9.
• Town owned streets expanded from 302.22 miles to 510 miles.
• Utility customers expanded from 29,583 to 64,736.
• Incorporated miles increased from 40.43 to 61.05.
• The population increased from 85,000 to 187,000.
• The median household income increased from $54,700 ($104,023 in today’s dollars) to $125,317.
• The median single-family home assessed value increased from $108,800 ($206,906 in today’s dollars) to $647,748.
• Property Tax went from $.054 to the proposed $0.325. The property tax was $587.52 ($1117.29 in today’s dollars) to $2,105.18.

• Cary’s change in property values in this revaluation shows an average increase of 56% for residential and 39% for commercial. Wake County averaged 53% and 45%.
• Cary’s tax base is 72% residential and 28% non-residential.
• Cary’s total assessed value was $34.8 billion in 2023 and is 51.8 billion now which is a $17.0 billion increase (48.9%) in one year.
• The proposed tax rate will increase property taxes an average of $649 per year.
• Cary has the lowest proposed tax rate at 32.5 cents followed by Apex at 34 cents, Holly Springs at 34.35 cents, Morrisville at 35 cents, Raleigh at 35.5 cents, Fuquay-Varina at 36.8 cents, Wake Forest at 42 cents, Wendell at 42 cents, Knightdale at 45 cents, Garner at 52 cents, and Zebulon at 54 cents. Wake County will be at 51 cents.
• Cary tax rate compares well nationwide to communities like ours: Franklin, Tennessee at 32.6 cents, McKinney, Texas at 42.8 cents, Naperville, Illinois at 66.5 cents, and Scottsdale, Arizona at 51.5 cents.
• A penny on the tax rate was $3.5 million in 2023 and is now $5.1 million.
• This year’s budget is $503.5 million which is a 3.9% decrease. Operating costs are $384.3 million, an 8.9% increase, and capital expenditures are $1129.2 million, a 29.9% decrease.
• The budget includes 27% public safety, 16% public works, and 11% Parks. The budget by type is 57% personnel, 27% operations, 10% debt, and 6% other.
• The budget includes a $1 increase for solid waste and recycling which only covers 92% of the cost. It also includes a utility rate increase of 3%.
• The downtown park will have its first year of operations and is budgeted at $6.8 million.
• Other Important priorities reflected in the budget include parking decks, action sports improvements, park facility maintenance, greenways, historic preservation, open space, solar initiatives, urban forestry, environmental initiatives, transit projects, firetruck replacement, water meter replacements, water line maintenance and upgrades, sewer line repair and replacements, sidewalks, street improvements, and an adaptive stormwater approach strategy. Two of the biggest increases include $5.8 million for housing and $2.6 for environmental initiatives.

The June 17^th budget work session will focus on the council’s follow-up questions. Some of the ideas council members have floated were to sell historic structures if they are not part of a plan (they are still protected because they are on the national historic registry). Other topics included sidewalk budgets, police mobile command center, funding of the Chamber of Commerce, duplicate IT software, increase in employee benefit costs, vehicle installment purchases, paying for elections, the environment budget, the police budget, solid waste and recycling costs, etc.

Council Meeting

The council held its first regularly scheduled meeting of June on Monday. The agenda included six consent items, three public hearings, and one discussion item. Council member Bush pulled the Bel Canto item from consent to be added to discussion. The rest of the consent was passed unanimously.

The first public hearing was the second public hearing for the FY2025 budget. There were a few written comments and a couple of speakers who were not in favor of the budget because of the proposed tax rate. The council will vote on the budget and the tax rate at the June 27^th meeting.

The next two public hearings were for annexation requests. One to connect to utilities and one related to a previously approved rezoning. These hearings had no speakers, and the annexations were approved unanimously.

The first discussion item was for a 2024 Bond Referendum. During the May 2, 2024, Quarterly Meeting, Council directed staff to begin taking the required steps tohold a bond referendum for Parks and Recreation and Housing projects on November 5, 2024. The legal process associated with holding a referendum requires separate Council actions over several months, the first of which is to adopt a Preliminary Findings Resolution, which documents Council’s conclusions about using debt and authorizes staff to seek approval of the proposed referendum from the N.C. Local Government Commission. After a few comments from council this was approved unanimously. You can find out more about the bond here.

The last discussion item was the Bel Canto rezoning which was pulled from the consent agenda by council member Bush. There was an extensive discussion by council with council member Bush arguing for conditions that required affordable housing and council member Craig pointing out that there were too many unknowns. The rest of the council was in favor of the project mainly because even without conditions over 50% of the project would be studio and one-bedroom apartments which technically are affordable. While I agreed with Ms. Bush’s comments about the need for conditions, what swayed me was the requirement of structured parking spaces at per bedroom at $35,000 per space. This, for the most part, guarantees one bedroom and studios.

The council meeting concluded after about two hours.

Cary Tennis Classic Board

The board for the Cary Tennis Classic met Monday night. The Cary Tennis Classic, formerly the Atlantic Tire Championships, will have both a women’s and men’s professional tournament this year. In our board meeting topics included Anthony Blackman scholars, electronics and streaming during the tournament, ticket pricing, community events, promotion and the media, and other tournament specifics. Our next meeting will be on July 8^th.

CAMPO

Wednesday afternoon I participated in a meeting of the Executive Board for CAMPO (Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization). The agenda included three consent items, one public hearing, and seven discussion items.

The board was presented information on Complete 540, the North Harnett County Transit Study, the Wake Transit Plan, FY2024 Coordinated Public Transit, FY2026 Locally Administered Projects Program, and Amendment #5 to the 2024-2033 Transportation Improvement Program.

The board unanimously approved SPOT 7 (Statewide Programming & Target Modal Mixes, and FY2025 Wake Transit Work Plan and Project Groupings and Deliverables.

Business NC Interview

Thursday I was interviewed by Business North Carolina magazine. The reporter was interested in soccer especially since we had just finished a very successful TST tournament. We talked about the Wake Med facility, soccer events held there, and the potential future of the park and surrounding area. Our conversation was about ten minutes.

Juneteenth Celebration

Saturday afternoon I joined council members Kohn-Johnson and Bansal at the Juneteenth Celebration at the Downtown Cary Park. I provided a brief welcome and read a proclamation:

DESIGNATING JUNE 19, 2024,

AS CARY’S JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

WHEREAS, June 19, 1865 was the date when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War was over and thus represented the last notification of the end of slavery; and

WHEREAS, that date became known as Juneteenth and has grown to become a national event celebrating this significant day in our history, with special meaning for our African American community; and

WHEREAS, Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom and achievement and is a day of liberation, resilience and fortitude; and

WHEREAS, Cary citizens came together to host the inaugural Juneteenth Celebration in 2019 as a way to joyously embrace freedom; and

WHEREAS, The Town of Cary observed Juneteenth as an official Town Holiday for the first time on Friday, June 18, 2021.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Harold Weinbrecht, Jr., Mayor of the Town of Cary, North Carolina, on behalf of the Cary Town Council, do hereby proclaim June 19, 2024, as Cary’s Juneteenth Celebration 2024 and call upon all citizens to join in the celebration.

PROCLAIMED this 19th day of June, 2024.

This was our fifth year of celebrating Juneteenth.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

I want to wish all of the dad’s out there a happy Father’s Day this weekend. Growing up, my dad, Ted, was such a positive, constant presence for me. Dad’s recently moved to Colorado to start a new and exciting chapter in his life, and I couldn’t be happier for him.
As Emma’s dad, I’m starting a new chapter, too, as Michele and I proudly watched her graduate from high school last weekend, and we all prepare for what our lives will be like as Emma goes off to college.
As dad’s go, I’ve been pretty lucky, both in having a great dad and in having the greatest daughter to be “Daddy” to.
Enjoy your weekend.
Sean

Sister Cities Proclamation

Councilmember Jack Smith met with County Meath officials in Ireland, including Councilors Brian Fitzgerald, Chief Executive Kieran Kehoe, and Director of Services Des Foley. To celebrate the over 20-year Sister Cities relationship between Cary and County Meath, Smith presented a proclamation on behalf of the Mayor and Councilmembers.

All Hands – Opportunities Can Take Many Forms

This week, we held the quarterly All Hands meeting where the theme was “opportunities can take many forms.” Hundreds of staff who attended in person and virtually were treated to the Legacy of Leadership retreat video, followed by in-depth discussions of the budget and several staffing changes. Brittany Edwards hosted, and Town Manager Sean Stegall was joined by Deputy Town Manager Russ Overton and Assistant Town Manager Danna Widmar for the conversations.

Municipal Managers Meet in Cary

On Wednesday, Cary hosted the bimonthly Wake Municipal Managers meeting. We were proud to have the opportunity to welcome managers and assistant managers to the Mayton and Downtown Cary Park. The agenda was comprised of school system developments, bus fares, and new OSHA regulations affecting fire departments.

The Soccer Tournament (TST)

The six-day TST extravaganza was a triumph, thanks to the seamless coordination of multiple departments. Each day brought new challenges, but the team’s expertise and collaboration allowed for quick adjustments.

The event buzzed with excitement as 42,436 soccer fans from around the world enjoyed activities, including team activation areas and player interactions. Behind the scenes, the sports turf team ensured first-class playing surfaces, smoothly handled setup and teardown, and quickly transitioned to replacing the stadium field turf before this Saturday’s Courage match.

Ivey-Ellington Temporary Parking Lot Closure

The Old Library parking lot will be closed from June 17 to 19 for the installation of new stormwater lines in preparation for the upcoming rain garden at the Ivey-Ellington House. Barricades will block vehicles from entering Charlie Gaddy Lane while crews remove asphalt for the work. Once the project is complete, the parking lot will be temporarily restored with gravel until it is resurfaced with new asphalt later this summer.

Cary Towne Boulevard Sewer Repairs

On June 20, contractors will begin replacing approximately 30 feet of a 12-inch sewer line along the south side of Cary Towne Boulevard, adjacent to the former Cary Towne Center property. The excavation, pipe replacement, and pavement repairs are expected to take about three days. The outside eastbound travel lane will be closed daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the work. The adjacent turn lane will remain closed until repairs are completed.

Additionally, another repair is needed on the same sewer main closer to the SE Maynard Road intersection. This work will be performed mostly from within the pipe, causing minimal ground-level disturbance. The repair will occur at night during periods of low sewer flow and will be completed within the same timeframe.

Complete 540 Phase 1 Update

NCDOT is over 90% complete with the Complete 540 Phase 1 project, which extends from the NC 55 bypass in Apex to the I-40/US 70 interchange. The highway is set to open this summer, with tolling consistent with other tolled sections of NC 540. Residents should note that the Bells Lake Road interchange ramps will open later in the year. Near that interchange, NCDOT operates a temporary asphalt plant to support the project. On June 22, NCDOT will host a 5k run on the soon-to-open turnpike.

2024 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship

The eight-day NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship (World Series) was hosted by Cary, the University of Mount Olive, USA Baseball, and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance for the 14th time in the past 16 years.

On Saturday, in front of a crows of around 1,500 fans, Tampa University won the National Championship over defending champion Angelo State.

Upcoming Meetings

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Monday, June 17
5:00 p.m.

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, June 18
6:00 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Tuesday, June 18
6:15 p.m.

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

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Five complaints about the proposed budget from the town manager.
• A complaint from a former employee about hearing loss from heavy machinery.
• Concerns about the loss of EMS for Chatham County residents of Cary.
• A request to extend bus route #5.
• A complaint about the town celebrating Pride: “…we are forced (through our tax dollars) to contribute to something that directly conflicts with our faith.”

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a council budget work session, a groundbreaking at Park Overlook, signing installment documents, and a Diwali Dance team meeting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, June 23^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Memorial Day

Monday I participated in a Memorial Day Observance at the Veterans Freedom Park. Council member Smith, our only veteran, was the emcee. I was also joined by council members Kohn-Johnson and Craig. I read a proclamation recognizing the importance of this day:

DESIGNATING MAY 27, 2024 AS THE

OBSERVANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY IN CARY

WHEREAS, Memorial Day has been set aside as a national holiday for all Americans to remember the sacrifices made by those who have given their lives in service to the United States through their military service; and

WHEREAS, we come here today to undertake the solemn duty of remembering those brave Americans; and

WHEREAS, we honor those we have lost throughout our country’s history; the proud men and women who served in the Air Force, the Army, the Coast Guard, the Marines and the Navy that have fought in wars so that future generations would have freedom; and

WHEREAS, in Cary we are fortunate to have a place dedicated for us to gather to honor these men and women and to pay tribute to them and their families; and

WHEREAS, the National Moment of Remembrance is a voluntary observance for each of us in our own way to take a moment of remembrance and respect to honor and give thanks to all of those who have risked their lives so that we may enjoy our freedom,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Harold Weinbrecht Jr., Mayor of Cary, North Carolina, on behalf of the Cary Council, do hereby designate May 27, 2024, as “An observance of Memorial Day in Cary,” and I urge all citizens to participate in honoring our country’s service men and women.

PROCLAIMEDthis 27^th day of May 2024.

Needless to say, I was honored to be in the presence of so many heroes who served our country.

Also, part of the ceremony was hearing from mothers of two Gold Star families.

Afterwards, the Garden Club dedicated a Gold Star marker next to the Blue Star marker that was dedicated last year. What a great observance to honor our veterans.

TST Interview

Friday morning, I was interviewed by Spectrum News about next week’s TST soccer tournament. I shared that we expected 70,000 attendees, which is double last year’s attendance. This event will be on the world stage and is expected to have a $15 million direct impact. It is a great opportunity to see some of the best players, men and women, in the world. The men and women’s teams will each be vying for $1 million prize.

Cary #8 City on the Rise

The News and Observer reported that Southern Living ranked Cary is the #8 city on the rise:

“The Research Triangle’s innovative energy has rubbed off on this once-small suburb. A thriving arts and culture scene, excellent restaurants and ever-growing downtown make Cary a worthy standalone destination,” the report says. “The long-awaited and recently opened 7-acre Downtown Cary Park now provides a centralized gathering space, further adding to the reasons the city landed on Livability’s 2023 Best Places to Live list.”

NC Metro Mayors

Friday I joined a meeting of the NC Metro Mayors to get a legislative summary. Here is information provided by the Executive Director:

It was a very quiet week at the General Assembly. Speaker Tim Moore’s father passed away on Monday and the House canceled all committees and votes so members could attend the funeral. The Senate did not hold votes but did have a few committee meetings.

The Appropriations chairs are making progress on the budget. The Transportation area chairs have made the most progress so far and they were some of the only members in town this week. Activity at NCGA will pick up again next week, with committee work to be done on Tuesday-Thursday and floor votes expected later in the week.

The mayors also heard from the Secretary of the NC Department of Environmental Quality about PFAS. This is not an issue for Cary which removed PFAS years ago.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Council, as you will see, this Weekly Report is full of a number of very important project updates – projects that will have direct impacts on our citizens in the next several days. For this reason, I recommend you read what follows at your earliest convenience so you will be better prepared to answer any questions you may receive as these projects unfold. Thank you to our staff, as well as our contractors and consultants, for all of your hard work which keeps Cary at the Top of the Arc.
I hope you all enjoy your weekend. 
Sean

2024 Memorial Day Remembrance

On Monday, hundreds of Cary citizens gathered at Veterans Freedom Park to remember and honor the U.S. military personnel who have served or are still serving in the line of duty. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht read the proclamation, joined by Councilmembers Michelle Craig and Carissa Kohn-Johnson. Councilmember Jack Smith emceed the event, and Congressman Wiley Nickel delivered his remarks. The event included a formal dedication of a Gold Star Memorial at the park, coordinated by the Cary Garden Club, with powerful tributes by Gold Star mothers.

Mayor Interviews with Spectrum News About TST

This morning, Mayor Weinbrecht was interviewed by Spectrum News to discuss the upcoming Soccer Tournament and its impacts on Cary and the greater Triangle region. The segment will air throughout the morning of June 5 on Spectrum News 1. The Soccer Tournament takes place June 5 to June 10 at WakeMed Soccer Park.

S&P Affirmed Cary’s ‘AAA’ Rating

On Wednesday, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) affirmed Cary’s ‘AAA’ bond rating with a stable outlook. According to S&P, Cary’s credit strengths include a “strong and growing local economy” and “strong financial policies and practices.” Cary has now received affirmations of its ‘AAA’ rating from all three rating agencies. Fitch Ratings affirmed their ‘AAA’ rating last summer, on July 25, 2023, and Moody’s affirmed their ‘AAA’ rating earlier this year on February 14, 2024. The ‘AAA’ rating is the best possible rating for a local government.

Walnut Street Pedestrian Warning Lights Complete

Contractors working for Cary recently completed a second installation of in-road pedestrian warning lights on Walnut Street near R.S. Dunham Park. Similar to the first installation on Harrison Avenue, this system includes LED-enhanced warning signs, decorative poles, and audible pedestrian push buttons. Completion of this work marks another step forward for the Walnut Street Road Diet project and furthers Cary’s commitment to pedestrian safety.

GoCary Downtown Loop Begins June 1

Beginning June 1, Cary will enjoy greater access to downtown attractions with the launch of the new GoCary Downtown Loop (DL) . The Downtown Loop will provide service between destinations like Cary Town Hall, Downtown Cary Park, and other downtown attractions along Chatham Street. Parking is available at the Town Hall parking deck, with a DL bus stop conveniently located on Wilkinson Avenue. The Downtown Loop will operate every 25 minutes, Thursday through Sunday. For DL hours of operation or to track your bus in real-time, download the new GoCary App today. For inquiries or further assistance, please email BetterTransit@GoCary.org.

New Sidewalk Along Byrum Street

Next week, contractors working for Cary will begin constructing a new sidewalk along Byrum Street. This project is being coordinated with additional sidewalk improvements by private developments in the area. Upon completion, there will be a fully connected pedestrian route between Kildaire Farm Road and Walnut Street. Lane closures will be necessary to ensure the work is completed safely. Construction of Cary’s portion of the sidewalk is expected to take approximately two months.

Morrisville Carpenter Road Median Planting

As part of the recently completed Carpenter Fire Station Road Bridge and Intersection Improvements project, staff worked with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and NCDOT to create a median landscape plan that complements the Carpenter Historic District. The plants selected for this median are native species that thrive in hot and dry conditions. Contractors working on behalf of Cary will begin installing the Morrisville Carpenter Road median landscaping on June 3. Work will take place between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and is expected to be completed by the end of June. Temporary lane closures will be in place during working hours, but impacts on traffic are expected to be minor.

Ivey-Ellington Tree Removal

The rehabilitation of the historic Ivey-Ellington House continues. Recent work includes preparing the exterior for new paint, restoring the home’s historic windows to working condition, and starting the reroofing process. Next week, following a recommendation by a third-party arborist and confirmation by Cary’s urban forester, contractors will remove two hazardous trees on the site. The tree removal work will take place on Monday, June 3. While the work will take place within the construction fence surrounding the home, crews will have staff and barriers in place to direct pedestrian traffic away from the immediate work area. This fall, landscape work will continue on-site, incorporating native plants and trees.

Dog Park Membership System Transition

Starting in June, we will begin a two-month process to upgrade the technology associated with Cary’s dog parks. The new software for selling and renewing passes will be RecTrac, the same system used by PRCR and Downtown Cary Park for class registration, POS, rentals, and more. Integrating our dog park pass sales into RecTrac will streamline operations and improve the customer experience when purchasing or renewing a pass. We will update the hardware at each dog park to integrate with RecTrac, beginning with the Downtown Cary Park’s Barkyard. Dog Park members will have uninterrupted access to facilities as we transition and will start receiving communications about this transition next week. For updates starting in June, visit  www.carync.gov/dogparks.

2023 Asset Management Report

The 2023 Annual Asset Management Report  was recently completed and provides a dashboard view of the current state of Cary’s linear, utility assets. The report tracks infrastructure added through capital and development initiatives and helps verify that key performance targets are being achieved. Over the past year, the focus has remained on improving GIS data, maintaining buried linear infrastructure, and continuing work on risk-based capital planning. One of the highlights of the report is the creation of GIS route optimization maps that have benefitted leaf collection, water meter maintenance, and sewer main leak testing.

Sharing Greenway Etiquette with the Community

As part of its ongoing greenway safety campaign, Cary is connecting with local businesses to share greenway rules and etiquette that foster a safe and enjoyable experience for all greenway users. Look for the greenway’s informational banners at bike shops and other local businesses as engagement continues throughout the year.

2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship

This past weekend, Cary hosted its 37th NCAA National Championship. WakeMed Soccer Park, in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, hosted the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Championship in front of 9,192 fans. Immediately after Boston College was crowned the 2024 National Champion, the sports turf group began preparations for The Soccer Tournament (TST).

Upcoming Meetings

Parks, Recreation, & Cultural Resources Advisory Board
Monday, June 3
5:15 p.m.

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, June 3
6:00 p.m.

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, June 3
6:30 p.m.

Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Task Force
Tuesday, June 4
6:00 p.m.

Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday, June 5
12:00 p.m.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting
Wednesday, June 5
6:30 p.m.

Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, June 5
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• One agreement with the proposed budget from the town manager.
• Three disagreements with the proposed budget from the town manager.
• A thank you for “fantastic service” from our fire department. (That is why they are the best of the best).
• A complaint about rezoning proposals in Regency. (They have yet to have public hearings, so any vote is months away.)
• A concern and questions about an easement on someone’s property.

Next Week

Next week I will be on a family vacation. It will be one of the few times in the year where my wife and I can visit with both daughters, my son-in-law and of course my grandson. I will also spend time resting as I continue to recover from shoulder surgery.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, June 16^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

National Tennis Month Proclamation

Monday afternoon I presented a proclamation recognizing May as National Tennis Month in Cary. Nearly 24 million people play tennis in the United States which is a 34% increase since 2019. Tennis is a lifetime sport that has many wellness and health benefits. I encourage all citizens to give tennis a try.

Council Meeting Prep

Monday morning I contacted each council member to see if they had questions or concerns about the upcoming agenda.

Later in the day I met with staff to go over the agenda items. The agenda appeared to be straight forward without any controversial items.

Manager One-On-One

Later Monday I met with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. We mostly talked about the budget and a little about the South Hills redevelopment proposal.

Wake County Mayors Association

Monday night I met with the mayors of Wake County. All were in attendance except for the mayors of Wendell and Raleigh.

The meeting started with a presentation from a representative of the Turnpike Authority. He gave us updates on the phases with expected completion times.

We also had a presentation from a representative of NCDOT from District 5 (Wake County and other areas). He updated us on many projects including I440 along with the completion dates.

The ten mayors then went around the room and talked about budgets, proposed tax rates, and oddly enough fireworks and Christmas parades. Our meeting concluded after about two and a half hours.

Cary #15 Friendliest City in South

On Wednesday I was notified that Cary was ranked #15 friendliest city in the south by Southern Living. Here is what they said about Cary:

“The three cities that make up North Carolina’s Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill) have earned their keep as favorite Southern destinations, but a new kid on the block nearby has stolen the show as one of the South’s friendliest cities. Cary, once a minor suburb, has exploded into a major cultural hub while retaining its small-town character. Readers love the hospitality they receive at the big-city accommodations like the Umstead Hotel and Spa, but also called out devoted longtime residents like Ralph and Daphne Ashworth, who owned Ashworth Drugs in downtown Cary form 1957 through early 2024, for outstanding service.”

Council Work Session

The council and staff held the first budget work session on Thursday evening. This budget will be one of the toughest we have had in my 20+ years as an elected official. Here are some notes, takeaways, and thoughts from the work session:

• The biggest factors impacting this year’s budget are a flat sales tax, inflation, and program expansion. Having said that, another big factor is that we are a maturing community. That is, the subsidizing of taxes with growth is basically over.
• While almost everyone will agree that police and fire are essential to our community, other service areas have become a high priority for citizens as well. For example, our urban forestry program, our recycling program (even though we pay to recycle), parks programming, environmental initiatives, affordable housing initiatives, and more.
• Foundational values for the budget include hiring and retaining the best of class of employees, achieving, and maintaining the highest levels of service, and accommodating a growing community.
• Key takeaways from this budget include:
  • Market conditions are resulting in increased costs for core services, as well as reduced revenue growth.
  • Recent planned utilization of general fund balance, combined with unprecedented sales tax revenue, allowed Cary to defer tax increases until now.
  • The FY 2025 Recommended Budget ensures Cary remains well positioned for the future, including investment in priority areas without further expansion, while maintaining services and infrastructure.
• A chief economist from our area says “The latest inflation data surprised the financial markets, revealing that the higher-than-expected inflation reported earlier this year persisted into March. The sharp moderation in the CPI since mid-2022 appears to have pivoted to a slower trajectory.”
• Sales tax revenue has flattened. It was $43.5 million in FY2021, $52.3 million in FY2022, $57.1 million in FY2023, and a projected $58.3 million in FY2024 ($4 million under budget). The proposed budget is estimated to be $59.6 million for this upcoming fiscal year.
• The Cary Community Plan expected the town’s growth to slow: “The high quality of life enjoyed in Cary has propelled its growth up until now. However, national, regional, and local trends suggest a changing context for the town…”
• The influx of population (growth) has subsidized the tax rate for years. That has now ended. Residential permits in FY2023 are the lowest in decades.
• A comparison of Cary from 1998 and today showed a big increase in size, amenities, and wealth. This in turn has significantly increased our maintenance and operating costs.
  • Parks expanded from 13 to 39.
  • Greenways expanded from 10 miles to 95 miles.
  • Park land expanded from 900 acres to 2690 acres.
  • Fire Stations expanded from 5 to 9.
  • Town owned streets expanded from 302.22 miles to 510 miles.
  • Utility customers expanded from 29,583 to 64,736.
  • Incorporated miles increased from 40.43 to 61.05.
  • The population increased from 85,000 to 187,000.
  • The median household income increased from $54,700 ($104,023 in today’s dollars) to $125,317.
  • The median single-family home assessed value increased from $108,800 ($206,906 in today’s dollars) to $647,748.
  • Property Tax went from $.054 to the proposed $0.325. The property tax was $587.52 ($1117.29 in today’s dollars) to $2,105.18.
• Cary’s change in property values in this revaluation shows an average increase of 56% for residential and 39% for commercial. Wake County averaged 53% and 45%.
• Cary’s tax base is 72% residential and 28% non-residential.
• Cary’s total assessed value was $34.8 billion in 2023 and is 51.8 billion now which is a $17.0 billion increase (48.9%) in one year.
• The proposed tax rate will increase property taxes an average of $649 per year.
• Cary has the lowest proposed tax rate at 32.5 cents followed by Apex at 34 cents, Holly Springs at 34.35 cents, Morrisville at 35 cents, Raleigh at 35.5 cents, Fuquay-Varina at 36.8 cents, Wake Forest at 42 cents, Wendell at 42 cents, Knightdale at 45 cents, Garner at 52 cents, and Zebulon at 54 cents. Wake County will be at 51 cents.
• Cary tax rate compares well nationwide to communities like ours: Franklin, Tennessee at 32.6 cents, McKinney, Texas at 42.8 cents, Naperville, Illinois at 66.5 cents, and Scottsdale, Arizona at 51.5 cents.
• A penny on the tax rate was $3.5 million in 2023 and is now $5.1 million.
• This year’s budget is $503.5 million which is a 3.9% decrease. Operating costs are $384.3 million, an 8.9% increase, and capital expenditures are $1129.2 million, a 29.9% decrease.
• The budget includes 27% public safety, 16% public works, and 11% Parks. The budget by type is 57% personnel, 27% operations, 10% debt, and 6% other.
• The budget includes a $1 increase for solid waste and recycling which only covers 92% of the cost. It also includes a utility rate increase of 3%.
• The downtown park will have its first year of operations and is budgeted at $6.8 million.
• Other Important priorities reflected in the budget include parking decks, action sports improvements, park facility maintenance, greenways, historic preservation, open space, solar initiatives, urban forestry, environmental initiatives, transit projects, firetruck replacement, water meter replacements, water line maintenance and upgrades, sewer line repair and replacements, sidewalks, street improvements, and an adaptive stormwater approach strategy. Two of the biggest increases include $5.8 million for housing and $2.6 for environmental initiatives.

The next budget work session and public hearing will be on June 10^th.

Council Meeting

Thursday night the council held their last regularly scheduled meeting of May. The agenda included four consent items, two public hearings, and one discussion item.

The first public hearing was for the annexation of Trinity townhomes. The rezoning was approved a few months ago so this was essentially a formality. There were no speakers.

The second public hearing was the first public hearing on the FY2025 budget. One speaker challenged statements from our finance department and said the tax rate could be lower. The second speaker spoke in favor of the budget because of affordable housing funding. There were several in attendance that showed signs in support of affordable housing and the budget.

The discussion item was the presentation of the Urban Forest Master Plan. The summary of the plan states:

“Working in concert with the Environmental Advisory Board and building on Cary’s newly established Urban Forestry Program, staff has been working to develop a 10-year strategy to guide urban forest management, programming, and policy. The Urban Forest Master Plan goes beyond a simple focus on preservation, aspiring to grow the quality and quantity of the urban forest for the future through leadership, stewardship, sustainability, and resilience. The plan establishes three primary goals, 10 strategies, and numerous action items to develop a data-driven, proactive urban tree management program. Cary’s Environmental Advisory Board participated in the preparation and review of the plan and recommends Council adoption.”

After a comprehensive presentation and  review of the plan, the council praised it and unanimously approved it.

The council meeting concluded in a little over an hour.

NC Metro Mayors and Legislative Summary

Friday I participated in a meeting of the NC Metro Mayors to get a legislative summary. Here is a summary of that meeting from the Executive Director:

• The mask bill dominated the discussions at the General Assembly this week.
• On Wednesday, the Appropriations chairs only met for a short amount of time behind closed doors. Not much substantive progress was made on budget negotiations. This week, Senator Berger spoke to reporters about the differences in the House and Senate’s ideas on spending this year and confirmed that not much progress had been made. Senator Berger was quoted this week from an article in the NC Insider, “The good news is we have a budget. We adopted a two-year budget last year, and we have a budget. The real sticking point at this point is that, notwithstanding the fact that we have seen revenue projections that are about a billion dollars more than what we anticipated, spending those billion dollars is not enough for the House.”
• NCGA does not have to “pass a budget” this year, since the state actually makes an adjustment in the short session to the second year of an enacted two-year budget. The previously enacted biennial budget for this year has pay raises for teachers and employees (although there is an expectation that further increases would be included if they pass this year’s budget adjustment).

The meeting concluded in less than half an hour.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

To reiterate some of the points I made at last night’s meeting; for those who will be staying in or coming to Cary for the Memorial Day weekend, we’ll be hosting a wide array of special activities and events. Our annual Summerfest concert series with the North Carolina Symphony kicks off tonight at Koka Booth Amphitheatre. On Friday and Sunday, the Division 1 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse National Championship will be at WakeMed Soccer Park. Finally, on Monday, there will be the American Legion Post 67 event at Hillcrest Cemetery in the morning, followed by our Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at Veteran’s Freedom Park.
As we discussed at last night’s meeting, most Town facilities will be closed Monday for the national holiday. Council and I want to once again thank all the staff who will be working over the weekend and on Monday to make these events happen. As a reminder, solid waste collection will be delayed by one day this week, with no collections on Monday.
Have a great weekend.
Sean

Mayor Presents Tennis Month Proclamation

Mayor Weinbrecht presented the proclamation recognizing May as Tennis Month. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) designated this month to promote local programs and activities, showcase the sport, and help communities find courts and playing opportunities. Cary is proud to support tennis activities for all ages at the Cary Tennis Park.

Proclamation Recognizing EDS

Councilmember Lori Bush presented the proclamation recognizing Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) to a group of advocates. EDS encompasses a group of 13 heritable connective tissue disorders caused by genetic mutations affecting connective tissue. Each type of EDS has its own distinct features and diagnostic criteria. Common characteristics shared across all types of EDS include joint hypermobility, skin hyperextensibility, and tissue fragility.

Chamber Business Excellence Awards

Councilmember Sarika Bansal delivered the opening remarks at the Cary Chamber Business Excellence Awards on Thursday. This annual event honors small businesses in Cary that make a significant positive impact on our community. Congratulations to the 2024 winners!

Cary Leadership Program Graduation

This week, Captain Rob Carey, Lieutenant Chris Redig, and Assistant Finance Director Denisha Harris completed the Leadership Cary Program. Leadership Cary is a unique, seven-month program that exposes participants to multiple facets of the community including local non-profits, health & medical services, economic development, local government, entrepreneurship and innovation, and law enforcement. Throughout the program, participants learn from and build relationships with industry leaders.

Wheels On Academy

On Saturday, Cary hosted the 11th Annual Wheels on Academy Car Show at its new location on North Academy Street. Despite the dreary weather forecast, over 50 vehicles participated, with models ranging from 1931 to 2024, and around 2,500 spectators came out to enjoy the event. A new addition this year was the Explore-an-EV area, where staff invited the community to learn about electric vehicles. Spectators explored eight electric vehicles from Cary’s award-winning green fleet and discovered the environmental benefits of EVs.

Chatham Street Pedestrian Crossing Improvements

To enhance pedestrian safety, contractors working for Cary have upgraded crosswalks to high-visibility standards. This work spanned from the Old Apex roundabout to the Durham Road roundabout, including Academy Street from Cedar Street to Wilkinson Avenue. In total, 33 pedestrian crossings were improved with high-visibility markings. The project also included upgrading pedestrian signs at midblock crossings to double-faced signage. Additionally, improvements within each roundabout were made, featuring new pavement markings and channeling devices.

High House Road Repaving

This week, NCDOT began the repaving of High House Road from NC 55 to Davis Drive. Lane closures will be necessary to safely complete construction. Work will primarily be completed overnight when traffic volumes are the lowest. Repaving is expected to take 4-6 weeks to complete. Concrete repairs will also be made over the next couple of months.

North and South Cary WRFs Nitrogen Report

The results are in for the 2023 Neuse River Nitrogen Monitoring Report and we are excited to announce another year of exceptional performance for Cary’s water reclamation facilities. Through the implementation of advanced biological treatment methods and the dedication of our staff, both the North and South Cary Water Reclamation Facilities achieved some of the lowest nitrogen levels in the Neuse River basin, demonstrating our commitment to environmental sustainability.

Bike Month Rides

Last Friday, staff celebrated Bike to Work Day with a group ride to the ‘Appreciate the Best’ event at the Cary Tennis Park. Cary’s greenways, street-side trails, and neighborhood bikeways provided a safe and comfortable route for the group, offering a fun and healthy way to travel to the event.
On Wednesday, Cary’s Bike Plan Focus Group replaced their monthly meeting with a group ride around downtown. This citizen-based group is providing valuable input for the update of Cary’s Bike Plan and is championing community engagement and advocacy efforts. The ride allowed the group to experience various road designs throughout Cary and observe how the design of streets and intersections impacts bicycling comfort and safety.

Backyard Bins and Barrels

Cary community members are growing greener lawns and gardens through composting and rainwater harvesting thanks to our annual sale! Participants purchased a grand total of 220 rain barrels and 135 backyard compost bins and will receive resource guides when picking up their units at Good Hope Farm this month.

Upcoming Meetings

None Scheduled

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Three complaints about the proposed budget.
• Support for affordable housing in the budget.
• A concern about Parks and Recreation policy changes.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Memorial Day Service at Veterans Freedom Park, and a NC Metro Mayors meeting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Friday, May 31^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Cary #5 Best City to Move to

Cary was named the 5^th best city to move to in North Carolina according to The USA Today. Here is some of what they said about Cary:

“… It’s conveniently close to top employers in the Research Triangle Park and medical facilities such as Rex UNC Hospital. Cary attracts residents thanks to top-ranking schools, which scored an 8 out of 10 on NeighborhoodScout. Cary has a relatively low crime rate of fewer than 12 crimes committed per 1,000 residents, according to NeighborhoodScout.

Cary’s typical rent is $1,776 per month, higher than many other parts of North Carolina. However, Cary’s high median income of $125,317 means Cary still has a favorable rent-to-income ratio, and the area has the lowest percentage of rent-burdened residents on our list.”

Unfortunately, they think of Cary as a suburb. Those days were gone 15 years ago. More people come to Cary to work than leave for work.

Cary #1 For Renters in US

According to the 2024 USA Today survey Cary is the best place for renters in the country. The reasons they cited included financial accessibility, low crime, good schools, and access to recreation.

PPA Tournament Generated $2.6 million in Economic Impact

The estimated direct economic impact of the PPA Tour (The Pro Tour of Pickleball) held in Cary during the first week of April, was $2,637,818. The direct local tax revenue from visitor spending was $119,851. An estimated 4,907 attendees visited from outside of Wake County.  We look forward to hosting more professional pickleball in the future.

Weekly One-On-One with the Town Manager

Monday I met briefly with the town manager. Some of the topics of conversation included the upcoming proposed budget, the potential bond, an upcoming work session, and the council.

Cary Tennis Classic Board

I participated in a meeting of the Cary Tennis Classic Board Monday evening. Topics included the sponsors, the Anthony Blackmon Scholars, tournament electronics and streaming, media, promotions, and new sponsor levels. The board will be announcing exciting news soon.

CAMPO Executive Board

The CAMPO Executive Board met Wednesday and approved Amendment #4 to the FY2024-2033 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The board also received information on Triangle Regional Transit Survey 2023, Morrisville Pkwy Access Management Study Recommendations, Recommended FY 2025 Wake Transit Work Plan, and the NC540 Bonus Allocation Programming.

NC Metro Mayors

Friday I participated in a meeting of the North Carolina Metro Mayors for a legislative summary. Here is a summary of this week’s actions from Checkmate Government Relations:

Budget Surplus Adjustment

The North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) released a revised General Fund revenue forecast for the 2023-2025 biennium.  The revenue forecast provides policymakers at the General Assembly with updated information on revenue collections to inform them before budget adjustments are made in the short session.  The Consensus Forecasting Group, comprised of economists at the OSBM and the Fiscal Research Division at the General Assembly, made a downward revision to the General Fund Forecast of $225 million in the current fiscal year, and $205 million in the next fiscal year.  The adjustment resulted from personal income tax collections in April falling short of the April consensus forecast.  Despite the revenue adjustments, the budget surplus for this fiscal year will be $188 million and is expected to be $799 million next year. 

Second Primary Election Results

The polls closed for North Carolina’s second primary runoff election at 7:30 pm on Tuesday.  The results were reported by the North Carolina State Board of Elections and are available on their website. Hal Weatherman was selected as the Republican nominee for the Lieutenant Governor race.  Weatherman will face Democratic candidate Rachel Hunt and Libertarian Shannon Bray in the general election this November.  Dave Boliek defeated Jack Clark in the Republican primary runoff for state auditor.  Boliek will face Democratic candidate Jessica Holmes and Libertarian Bob Drach in November.  Brad Knott defeated Kelly Daughtry in the race for North Carolina’s 13th Congressional district. He will face Democratic candidate Frank Pierce in the general election. 

Juvenile Justice Bill

This week, the Senate approved HB834, Juvenile Justice Modifications by a vote of 41-4.  The bill received favorable reports from the Senate Judiciary and Rules committees before moving to the floor for a vote on Wednesday.  This bill would update the definition of “delinquent juvenile” to exclude certain, more major offenses. The bill would also help clarify the transfer process between Juvenile and Superior courts.  Senator Danny Britt (R-Robeson) presented the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee and spoke to the intent the bill has to clear the backlog of cases waiting to be heard in Juvenile courts.  The bill has been sent back to the House for a concurrence vote. 

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

Today you will be receiving your FY 2025 Proposed Budget. As you review the document, please keep in mind that the document itself is not intended to serve as a replacement for the staff presentations you will be receiving during the upcoming budget work sessions.  
Similar to staff reports, the presentations will assist you in the overall comprehension of the Town’s Budget. Since it is a proposed document, the final adopted version will include any changes that are made during the process, as well as provide additional clarification or line-item detail that you may find helpful. In the past, councilmembers have asked for more detail than what was stated in the proposed version, and we can and will make those adjustments as we move forward. As always, if you have any questions, please let me know.
Finally, we close out our day together at Appreciate the Best to honor our colleagues and our joint contributions to keeping Cary at the Top of the Arc. I’m personally grateful to those who could not attend today’s event because they were “keeping the machine” going – thank you! And thank you to Human Resources, Public Works, the Cary Tennis Park, and all of this year’s partners for organizing an amazing event.
Have a great weekend.
Sean

2024 Cary 101 Graduates

This year’s Cary 101 participants celebrated their completion of the program on Wednesday after spending the last several weeks learning about Cary’s operations, programs, and services. Councilmembers Lori Bush and Michelle Craig thanked the citizens for their interest in Cary, and firefighters at Station 9 cooked a delicious dinner to honor this year’s graduates! The next Cary 101 program will be planned for Spring 2025.

Impressions of Taiwan

On Wednesday, Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson provided welcoming remarks for the Ten Drum Art Percussion Group, performing “Impressions of Taiwan,” at the Cary Arts Center. She was joined by Councilmember Sarika Bansal at this event which was presented by Cary Sister Cities, NC Taiwanese Cultural Arts, and the Town of Cary, celebrating Taiwan Heritage Week and our relationship with our sister city, Hsinchu, Taiwan. The performers shared the culture and history of Taiwan through music and movement. 

Walk, Roll, and Bike to School Day

This month, we celebrate National Bike Month with various bike-focused events and activities. On May 8, Councilmember Michelle Craig participated in Briarcliff Elementary’s Walk, Roll, and Bike to School Day. This event encourages students and families to walk or bike to school, promoting physical activity, environmental awareness, and safer routes. During the event, Councilmember Craig addressed the students, parents, and staff, emphasizing her and Cary’s commitment to making the town more walkable and bikeable by adding bike lanes and sidewalks.
Additionally, we are excited to announce the launch of two bike corrals downtown, located on Academy Street near Park Street and on Chatham Street near Crosstown Pub. For more information on upcoming events, visit our Bike Cary page. As part of our commitment to enhancing bike mobility, we are also updating Cary’s Bike Plan. The draft network map and online survey is now open for input.

Homeschool KIDS Visit Town Hall

On May 14, the Homeschool KIDS Group visited Town Hall to learn more about their government. They visited Information Technology, the Traffic Management Center, the Police K9 Unit, the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, and Councilmember Lori Bush.

Cary Honors Our Teachers

On Wednesday, Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Bryson Robinson and Councilmember Michelle Craig participated in the Cary Chamber of Commerce Honor A Teacher Program, an initiative that recognizes and celebrates outstanding teachers for their dedication and contributions to education in the community. As a councilmember and teacher, Councilmember Craig provided a heartfelt welcome on behalf of the Mayor and Councilmembers, emphasizing the important role of teachers in our community. Congratulations to all the award winners who were announced at the event.

Celebrating International Compost Awareness Week

During International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) from May 5 – 11, Cary encouraged the community to participate in various composting activities. Staff promoted the benefits and opportunities to compost through a week-long social media campaign, reaching 14,266 people. The latest Cary Matters segment featured Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and Councilmember Jack Smith, who highlighted the expanded food waste recycling drop-off service. Citizens finalized compost bin purchases as the annual sale concluded with 135 units sold, and Sarah Justice, Environmental Outreach Program Coordinator, hosted compost Q&A sessions at the Carpenter Garden. Supporting statewide ICAW events, Srijana Guilford, Waste Strategy and Impact Consultant, presented on the NC Composting Council’s “Community Composting and Drop Spots” webinar, sharing Cary’s experience in developing food waste drop-off sites and the community’s success in diverting waste from landfills. Cary was one of five North Carolina municipalities highlighted to encourage best practices in collection services.

Walnut Street In-Road Warning Light System

Installation for the addition of in-road warning lights to the existing crosswalk on Walnut Street at R.S. Dunham Park is scheduled for the week of May 20. This work is anticipated to be completed within one week. Throughout this period, at least one travel lane will remain open in each direction. The system being installed mirrors the one recently completed on Harrison Avenue near the Cary Depot, and it will be integrated into the Walnut Street Road Diet as that project progresses. Further details are available on the project website, and staff will also inform the public about the planned construction through social media.

Street Repairs in Oakwood Heights

Next week, crews will begin concrete repairs in the Oakwood Heights neighborhood as part of our annual Street Improvements Project. These repairs, which are done in advance of repaving, are essential for improving streets. They involve fixing damaged curbs and gutters and upgrading curb ramps to meet the latest standards.

“Live Inspired” Tagline Receives Official Trademark Designation

We are thrilled to announce that Cary’s “Live Inspired” tagline has officially received trademark certification from the United States Patent and Trademark Office! This milestone is a significant achievement for Cary and a testament to the ongoing success of our branding initiatives. With this approval, “Live Inspired” joins our existing registrations: “Cary,” “Cary Live Inspired,” and “Cary North Carolina.” Along with these, Cary has an extensive list of materials that have obtained copyrights such as the OneCary Toolkit. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be updating the logos and branding materials where applicable to align with this standard.

Ritmo Latino Festival

Last weekend, the 21st annual Ritmo Latino Festival brought Latin beats and delicious eats to Downtown Cary, as over 5,000 attendees enjoyed the beautiful weather and vibrant festival atmosphere. Presented by Diamante Arts and Cultural Center in partnership with the Town of Cary, the Ritmo Latino Festival is a celebration of Latino/Hispanic cultures, offering music, dancing, food, and experiences to share these cultures with the Cary community.

Touring the Kellanova Plant in Cary

On Thursday, Deputy Town Manager Russ Overton and Chief Development Officer Scot Berry toured the Kellanova plant with representatives from the Cary Chamber of Commerce. Kellanova, a global snacking company, is considering expansion and growth in Cary.

Planning and Zoning Board Training at UNC

On Wednesday, members of Cary’s Planning and Zoning Board attended a training session on legislative zoning decisions at the UNC School of Government in Chapel Hill. This half-day workshop focused on procedures and considerations for legislative land use decisions, including rezonings, conditional zonings, and text amendments. The workshop also included members of boards, commissions, and staff from the greater Triangle Region.

Stratified Police Training

This past week, the Police Department welcomed Doctors Roberto and Rachel Santos, the architects of Stratified Policing, to Cary to train our staff on their problem-oriented policing model. Stratified Policing is an evidence-based organizational problem-solving, analysis, and accountability model that seeks to facilitate crime reduction. It provides a framework that clearly identifies the roles and responsibilities for all personnel in crime prevention and problem-oriented policing.

International Coaching Week

This week, in recognition of International Coaching Week, 60 employees attended workshops led by Executive Leadership Coach Mark Robertson. In recent years, Mark has helped us learn and embrace leadership fundamentals and behaviors that support our organization’s culture and values. The workshops were extremely beneficial for staff at all levels to have open and vulnerable dialogues about trust, emotional intelligence, and how to have conversations and relationships that lead to greater impact and clarity.

Playing Through Cary

This week, professional golfers Scott McCarron, Robert Karlsson, and Rod Pampling, 2023 SAS Championship winner, “played through” Cary for a commercial shoot, featuring various iconic Cary locations, which will air during the upcoming 2024 tournament. The players and crew had a great time exploring the area, and we’re excited to welcome them back this October for the SAS Championship!

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting

The following neighborhood meeting will be held virtually from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 5:

• 24-REZ-08 Yates Store Rd Rezoning

Upcoming Meetings

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, May 20
6:30 p.m.

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, May 20
6:30 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday, May 23
4:30 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Regular)
Thursday, May 23
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Several complaints about proposed rezonings in Regency (Council has little information at this point since there hasn’t been a public hearing)
• Concern about the budget and tax rate
• Complaint about the “total destruction of a great little town”
• A request for Cary to give away cash to homeless people like Raleigh
• Several requests for ALS Awareness month (We do this every year)
• Request to recognize a citizen turning 100 (Absolutely!)
• Requests to do more about climate change
• A complaint about the safety of Cary Elementary crosswalks
• A noise complaint of La Buena Vida

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Wake County Mayors Association meeting, a council work session on the budget, and the last regularly scheduled meet of May.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, May 19^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Manage One-On-One

Monday I talked with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. We mostly talked about a potential bond and what should be in it. Our goal for the quarterly meeting later in the week was to finalize whether or not to have a bond and what would be on it.

WakeMed Cary Hospital Given Grade A

New safety grades by The Leapfrog Group, which evaluates hospital performance, show that the Raleigh/Cary metro area has the seventh-highest number of hospitals with “A” grades in the country, tying with Charleston/North Charleston, SC with 62.5% of the area’s medical centers receiving top marks. WakeMed Cary Hospital was given a “A” grade.

TST Taping

Tuesday morning I did a welcome taping for the upcoming TST (The Soccer Tournament), which will be held for the second time from June 5 through June 10. TST 2024 will expand from 32 to 48 teams in a winner-take-all tournament for $1 Million. New this year to TST is an 8-team, $1 Million, winner-take-all women’s tournament. Headlined by Heather O’ Reilly’s US Women, this field is sure to be stacked with top-tier talent. The format of this 7-on-7 competition is explained this way:

“This is one of the unique, game-altering features of TST. Following the conclusion of the two 20-minute halves, the teams will enter an untimed period to determine the winner. The official winner will be determined by the first team that reaches a predetermined target score. The Target Score will be defined as one more goal than the leading team’s goal total after the two halves. ​For example: if Team A leads Team B by a score of 5-3 at the end of 40 minutes of game action, the Target Score will be set at 6. The first team to reach 6 goals wins. So, Team A would need to score just one more goal in order to win, while Team B would need to score three unanswered goals to be declared winner. If the target is not reached after 5 minutes, one outfield player from each team exits the field until only one is left, with the process continuing every 5 minutes until the winning goal is scored.”

This is extremely entertaining, and it is a must see.

Water Resources Report

The council was presented the annual water resources report on Thursday. Here are some of my takeaways:

• The North Cary Water Reclamation Facility has been operating for 40 years.
• The Cary/Apex Water Treatment Facility, capable of producing 56 million gallons a day, is operating at 41% of capacity only using 23.1 million gallons a day.
• Apex is using 59% if their allotment and Morrisville is using 58% of their allotment.
• The North Cary Wastewater Facility is operating at 51% of capacity.
• The South Cary Wastewater Facility is operating at 40% of capacity.
• The Western Wake Regional Wastewater Facility is operating at 38% of capacity.
• Per person water usage has decreased since the program was established in 1995 from 72 gallons per day to 49 gallons per day.

Quarterly Report

The council was presented the 3^rd Quarter report for fiscal year 2024 (January – March) on Thursday. Here are a few of my takeaways:

• As of March 31, Cary’s General Fund shows expenditure trends outpacing revenues due to inflation, less consumer spending, and increased costs.
• Overall, the General Fund net results decreased by $6.3 million compared with Quarter 3 of last year.
• Property Tax, the largest revenue source, increased 2% from Q3 last year.
• Sales Tax, the second largest revenue source, increased modestly compared to Q3 last year where they increased by 12%.
• Permit and fee revenue decreased by 24%.
• General Fund expenditures have increased by 6% over last year.
• The Utility Fund expenditures are marginally greater than revenues with an 8% increase in expenditures.
• Cary has 537 general capital projects totaling $696.6 million and $419.2 million of utility capital projects.
• The four largest capital investments: $12.9 downtown Cary multi-modal transit facility, $8.2 million parking deck at Chatham and South Harrison, $8.7 million Winding Pine regional pump station, and $5 million new resource planning system to modernize information systems.
• The council committed $2.4 million over the next three years to establish Stable Homes Cary, increase Dorcas’s case management capacity, and support Dorcas’s administration of the existing Oasis Utility Bill and Plan it Forward programs.
• Cary issued 59 new detached residential and townhouse permits in the third quarter.
• 110 detached and townhouse certificates of occupancy were issued this quarter. This is 160 fewer than the same period last year.
• Cary did not issue any building permits for new multifamily this quarter.
• Cary issued 422 permits for alterations and additions this quarter which is a 9% increase.
• Three nonresidential projects for a total of 297,243 square feet were issued. The largest was a parking deck at Fenton.
• There were 32 rezoning cases in the process this quarter with 3 getting approved.
• Cary approved 46 development plans this quarter.
• Construction of Jordan Hall is underway with crews ready to install drywall.
• The Ivey Ellington House began renovations with expected completion in Spring of 2025.
• The freshly renovated Ed Yerha Park is now open.
• Cary’s Diavolo disk golf course at New Hope moved up in the world rankings to number 21 and was number 4 for free public courses.
• Cary Senior Center was awarded national accreditation through the National Council on Aging.
• The Chinese Lantern Festival saw 216,000 visitors and generated more than $8 million in direct economic impact.
• Cary will begin resurfacing 11 miles of streets as part of the Street Improvement Project for 2024.
• This quarter Cary upgraded four signalized intersections to improve safety for all modes of transportation and optimize traffic flow.
• The GoCary Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility has reached its final design and is expected to begin construction in the fall.
• This quarter Cary added two new electric vehicles to its fleet.
• Cary has kicked off its Greenway Safety Campaign to educate and engage the public and include a technical evaluation of Cary’s greenways. With electric-assist bicycles now allowed, Cary seeks to be proactive with a safety campaign that will emphasize key greenway rules and etiquette.
• Cary opened a second food waste drop-off site at Mills Park.
• Cary began dredging Symphony Lake to restore the environmental and water quality characteristics of the lake. Paving and other restoration are anticipated to be completed in May.

The complete Quarterly report can be found here.

Parking Update

A parking update was provided to the council on Thursday. Here are a few basic points:

• The Walnut Street Parking deck has approximately 600 spaces. 236 are for public use, 120 have been designated for Cary Regional Library, and 250 are licensed to The Walker.
• The Cedar Street Parking Deck next to the Rogers will have 300 spaces all for public use. Demolition is underway. The deck will have smart parking technology (sensors, gates, signs) and rooftop solar panels. Estimated completion is the summer of 2025.
• The Academy Street Parking Deck (Meridian West and First Baptist) will have 450 spaces. 220 will be for public use, including EV and ADA. 230 will be for Meridian West residents.

Details about these parking decks can be found here.

Town Council Quarterly Meeting

A quarterly meeting was held with staff and council for half a day on Thursday. Topics included a quarterly financial update, the FY 2025 recommended budget, the 2024 proposed bond referendum, and a capital projects update.

The financial update included a lot of comparisons from 1998 to give an idea of value change. Here are some of the points I noted from the financial update and the recommended budget:

• Cary was 40.43 square miles in 1998 and is now 61.05 square miles.
• The population was 85,000 with 89% white. Today we are at 187,000 with 57% white.
• The median household income was $104,023 in today’s dollars. Today it is $125.317.
• The total assessed value of Cary properties was $6.06 billion in 1998. Today it is $51.81 billion.
• The median price of a home in 1998 was $206,906 in today’s dollars. Today the median price is $647,748.
• The median property tax in 1998 was $1,117.20 in today’s dollars. Today it is $2,105.18 if the proposed tax rate of 32.5 cents is approved.
• There were 13 parks, 10 miles of greenways, 5 fire stations, and 302.22 miles of streets in 1998. Today there are 39 parks, 95 miles of greenways, 9 fire stations, and 510 miles of streets.
• Since 1998 we have added 26 new parks, 85 miles of greenways, 1,790 acres of Park, Recreation, and cultural resource land, 4 new fire stations, 1 relocated fire station, 208 miles of streets, and 35,153 utility customers.
• We also added C-Tran/GoCary, redeveloped town hall campus, made massive technological improvements, created the Imagine Cary Community Plan, beehives on public land, pollinator gardens, My Tree Our Tree program, Composting programs, Healthy Homes program, Stable Homes program, Adaptive Stormwater approach, Solar Initiatives and solar farms, EV charging stations, EV town vehicles and hybrid vehicles, the 311 center, leaf collection, snow removal program, pothole repair program, and much more.
• Based on projected municipal tax rates in Wake County, Cary will have the lowest tax rate once again at 32.5 cents. This is followed by Fuquay, Apex, Morrisville, and Holly Springs with tax rates under 35 cents.
• Eight properties were evaluated across town. In one example of a downtown property the property value changed 493% since 1994. The tax bill, in today’s dollars, changed 41% over that same time. In another example near Maynard, Cary Parkway, and Castalia the property changed 601% while the tax bill decreased 20% in today’s dollars. The other examples were less dramatic.
• The 32.5 cent tax rate will be part of the proposed budget on May 17^th.
• Our financial model has been based on growth. Growth has subsidized our finances for years. Those days of high growth are over, and our residential permits are declining. Cary will need to decide whether it wants to cut services or pay more to keep Cary as good as it is.

A potential bond referendum for this fall moved forward. On June 10^th the council is scheduled to adopt a resolution of intent. On June 27^th the council is scheduled to introduce bond orders and adopt a sworn statement. A public hearing would be held and the adoption of a resolution calling for a referendum would be on July 25^th. A vote on the bond would be at the November 5^th election.

On the capital projects update it was noted that Cary has not built a community center since 2001.

Trip to Roanoke

Thursday I traveled to Roanoke as part of my Government Relations job. I joined a post President of APWA (American Public Works Association) in talking about communicating with management, councils, and the public. I was also present for a Cary staff members presentation on pavement management.

Legislative Summary

The legislative summary for this week is provided by Checkmate Government Relations:

Short Session Begins

The 2024 North Carolina legislative short session convened on April 24th.  The short session takes place on even-numbered years and is typically used to address unfinished policy items and budget corrections from the long session.  Governor Cooper presented the legislature with his Budget Recommendations while House and Senate Appropriations Chairs work on their own proposal. North Carolina has a projected $1.4 billion surplus in state revenues through Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.  The surplus is expected to be used to fund the Opportunity Scholarship program, childcare shortages, and teacher pay raises. 

ICE Bill

This week, the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee approved a proposed committee substitute for HB10, Require Sheriffs to Cooperate with ICE.  This bill requires sheriffs to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the United States Department of Homeland Security and to honor immigration detainers and administrative warrants.  The bill would require ICE to be notified when an individual, charged with certain offenses, is in custody and their legal residency or United States citizenship status is undetermined.  Judicial officers would be required to order prisoners, subject to detainers and administrative warrants, be held in custody for 48 hours, or until ICE resolves the request.  The bill passed its third reading on the Senate floor Thursday morning and will be sent to the Governor. 

School Choice Funding Bill

A proposed committee substitute for HB823, Eliminate School Choice Program Waitlists, passed on the Senate floor. The bill will return to the House for a concurrence vote before being sent to the Governor. H823 provides additional funding for the Opportunity Scholarship grant program and the North Carolina Personal Education Student Accounts for Children with Disabilities Program.  The General Assembly eliminated income requirements for the Opportunity Scholarship program last year, opening the door for a broader range of families to apply. The high demand for these state-funded vouchers created a waitlist, leaving many families in North Carolina still waiting for approval.  Senator Michael Lee (R-New Hanover) was a sponsor of this bill and a strong advocate for clearing the waitlist. The current budget bill includes $191.5 million for the voucher program for the 2024-2025 school year, and the funding will increase to $415.5 million for the 2025-2026 school year.  The Senate’s proposal would add another $215.5 million to that amount for 2025-2026 and subsequent years. 

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Several complaints about rezoning proposals 22-REZ-19 and 24-REZ-06. (Since there hasn’t been a public hearing, the council has very little information about these proposals. A decision is months away.)
• A complaint about Epic Games.
• A request for a high school internship.
• A complaint about traffic: “There is basically zero traffic enforcement.” (Sorry but that is not true)
• Questions about the Laurel Street apartments.

Next Week

Next week I will be having shoulder surgery. My initial recovery will prevent me from any activities. I will be in a sling for six weeks with a target of full recovery in 4 to 6 months. So please be patient with me if I don’t promptly respond to emails, texts, or phone calls.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, May 19^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Council Meeting Prep

Monday I contacted council members to hear of questions or concerns about the agenda for the meeting on Thursday. Later in the day I met with staff and Mayor Pro-Tem Bryson-Robinson to go over the agenda. We believed it would be a short meeting since there were no concerns or controversial issues.

Council Member Bush Meeting

Tuesday, I talked with council member Bush about representing Cary at the US Mayors Roundtable and the City Data Alliance by Bloomberg philanthropy.

The US Mayors Roundtable is all sponsored by private companies and allows mayors or their representatives to come together to share strategies to addressing issues. Ms. Bush will report back findings that could be beneficial to Cary.

Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance works with mayors and cities across the Americas to provide executive education and coaching on how to leverage data to strengthen local government operations, innovate public services, and produce better outcomes for residents including improving access to health care, reimagining waste management systems, expanding affordable housing, or combatting homelessness. The suite of support provided to cities in the City Data Alliance helps mayors and their senior teams deepen their use of data to inform decisions, transform systems, understand impact, and communicate results. 

A big thank you to council member Bush for taking on these responsibilities.

Hum Sub Meeting

Tuesday evening I joined council member Bush and representatives of Hum Sub in talking about the town’s participation in the Diwali dance later in the year. Cary should have close to a dozen elected officials and staff that are willing to participate. Our practices will begin in the second week of July.

Glenaire Ribbon Cutting

Thursday morning I joined council members Bush and Craig at the Ribbon Cutting for the Glenaire Expansion. I provided a few remarks before reading a proclamation:

Celebrating the Expansion of Glenaire in Cary

WHEREAS, since its founding in 1993, Glenaire has set a standard of excellence in person-centered care, profoundly enriching the lives of its residents and the wider Cary community.

WHEREAS, today we honor the significant expansion of Glenaire, which adds 192 apartment homes, enabling a greater number of seniors to experience an exceptional quality of life in a community tailored to their needs. This expansion brings with it a state-of-the-art wellness center, a variety of dining options, and increased opportunities for artistic expression and lifelong learning, enhancing the daily experiences of its residents; and

WHEREAS, senior housing is vital to our community’s fabric, allowing older adults to live with independence and dignity, while remaining an active part of our vibrant society. As our demographic landscape of Cary shifts towards an older population, we recognize the importance of creating a community that supports its residents in aging with grace and security.

WHEREAS, Glenaire continues to evolve under the dedicated leadership of its management and with the support of Brightspire, contributing significantly to help Cary meet the needs of our aging population;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Harold Weinbrecht, Jr., Mayor of Cary, North Carolina, on behalf of the Cary Council, do hereby proclaim today as a day of celebration in honor of the expansion of Glenaire. We extend our best wishes for their continued success as an integral part of our community, furthering our mission to provide a safe, inclusive, and enriching environment for our citizens of all ages.

PROCLAIMED this 25th day of April 2024.

Also providing remarks were the Executive Director, the President of Brightspire (parent company), and the Cary Chamber President. Congratulations to Glenaire and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.

Huntington’s Disease Proclamation

Thursday afternoon I met with the Executive Director of HD Reach to present a proclamation. Huntington’s disease is an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. The disease attacks areas of the brain that help to control intentional movement, as well as other areas. People living with Huntington’s Disease develop uncontrollable dance-like movements and abnormal body postures, as well as problems with behavior, emotion, thinking, and personality. HD Reach is working to improve the care and quality of life for those affected by Huntington’s disease. Founded as a nonprofit in 2009, they provide connections to medical providers, referrals to local services, care management, family support, education, and anonymous genetic testing. I was honored to present a proclamation to help with awareness of this terrible disease.

Council Work Session

Thursday evening the council held a work session to talk about the Center at South Hills, a potential bond referendum this fall, and how Cary will hold future elections.

The staff did a great presentation giving the history of the Center which originally included an arena. The original design presented to the council at the 2023 retreat cost in the $500 million to $600 million range. It was clear that was cost prohibitive even with $75 million from the county. Two options were presented at this work session. Both options included a community center and senior center. The options differed on basketball courts. The option with just four basketball courts would be approximately $230 million. The option with eight basketball courts would be approximately $280 million. The eight basketball courts would create a venue for competition, which was the original intent of the Center. The four basketball courts would be just for local play. It is estimated that the eight-court option would create 32-40 tournaments, 20,000 to 25,000 room nights, and $25 to $30 million in economic impact. The eight-court version would also allow the $75 million promised from the county which would more than make up the difference in the cost of the two options. The council discussed this at length and will decide at an upcoming quarterly meeting.

A potential bond was also discussed. The current list of projects on the potential bond would be in the $500 to $600 million. The council discussed dividing the projects into two separate bonds since all the bond work couldn’t be done at the same time anyway. The council will decide whether to have a bond and what will be on that bond at an upcoming quarterly meeting.

It should be noted that the property reevaluation and the future tax rate was also part of the bond discussion. The council’s decision will be whether to cut or maintain services. Cutting services would be needed to reach revenue neutral. To cut services would likely include cuts in police, fire, and public works since that makes up 85% of our cost according to the town manager. Personally, I would have an extremely difficult time cutting services to those areas. They are all vital to our community’s success.

The final work session topic was on future elections. Cary currently holds elections in odd years in October. If a candidate does not have 50% plus one vote, then there is a runoff. We are the only municipality that now does this. Which means we can’t share election costs with other municipalities. And those costs this past election were around $900,000. Other municipalities hold their elections in November with the top vote getter (plurality) being elected. Cary did that years ago, which meant that the voting majority could vote for someone other than the person elected. Because of the confusion of holding October rather than November elections, and the cost associated with holding elections in October, the council unanimously approved to go to plurality elections. The process to change will move forward in time to allow plurality in the 2025 elections.

Council Meeting

The council held its last regularly scheduled meeting of April on Thursday night. The agenda included the recognition of French culinary students from Le Touquet, four consent items, three public hearings, and a closed session.

The consent items included minutes, meeting schedule adjustments, Trinity Road Townhouses Annexation (rezoning already approved), and year in budget adjustments (put unspent money back in the General Fund).

The first public hearing was to close a portion of a road platted decades ago that never got built. A portion of this road is located under existing buildings being demolished for the new parking structure. No one spoke at the public hearing, and it was approved unanimously.

The second public hearing was to consider approval of the FY 2024-2025 Annual Action Plan and the proposed list of funding recommendations, authorizing staff to submit the Annual Action Plan to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and pursue initiative implementation. A few speakers spoke in favor of the plan, thanking the council for their support. The plan was approved unanimously.

The final public hearing was on the South Hills rezoning and development. This rezoning includes properties totaling approximately 44.35 acres along Buck Jones Road near Walnut Street. The rezoning request would allow a vertically integrated, mixed-use development with primarily structured parking. The rezoning would create a block structure and street grid for the site and 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 request also includes a District Development Standards document to govern the site development and design of the project. This project will now go to the Planning and Zoning board for their review and recommendation. It will return to the council for a vote in a few months.

Cary #1 Best Place to Live in NC

Friday morning I was notified that Cary was ranked as the #1 best place to live in North Carolina by NICHE. This ranking was based on crime, public schools, cost of living, job opportunities, and local amenities. Here was what they said about Cary:

“Cary is a suburb of Raleigh with a population of 174,880. Cary is in Wake County and is one of the best places to live in North Carolina. Living in Cary offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes. In Cary there are a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, and parks. Many families live in Cary and residents tend to have moderate political views. The public schools in Cary are highly rated.”

While I appreciate the ranking very much, Cary is NOT just a suburb of Raleigh, and our population is now over 187,000. That perception of being a suburb was invalidated years ago with more people coming to work in Cary than leaving to work elsewhere. In addition, we are consistently recognized nationally for many things independent of Raleigh and recognized more than Raleigh.  

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

The staff and I found yesterday’s work session and Council meeting to be extremely valuable, and we appreciate the thoughtful dialogue and action on several key items. The day set the perfect foundation for next week’s Quarterly Meeting. Until then, enjoy the updates that follow as well as your time at Spring Daze.
Sean

Children’s Day Festival

The Children’s Day Festival took place in Downtown Cary Park on April 20. Hosted by the American Turkish Association of NC in collaboration with Cary Sister Cities and the Town of Cary, the event was a vibrant celebration. Councilmember Sarika Bansal led the reading of the proclamation, accompanied onstage by Councilmembers Carissa Kohn-Johnson and Michelle Craig, alongside NC Senator Gale Adcock and ATA-NC presenter, Buket Aydemir. This joyous community gathering spotlighted the talents of local youth from various cultural backgrounds, embodying a truly international celebration created by and for kids!

Council Member Craig Welcomes German Students

Last Friday, Councilmember Michelle Craig welcomed a student exchange group from Oberursel, Germany, to Cary Town Hall. This visit is part of a broader exchange program with Cary Academy, during which the students explore the three levels of government, including trips to Raleigh and Washington, DC.

Walnut Street Road Diet Update

Staff across the organization continue to work on this high priority project, which will provide safety enhancements along Walnut Street between Maynard Road and Kildaire Farm Road. With surveying ongoing, next week, contractors will begin video inspections of the underground utilities, including sewer and storm systems. This work is expected to take 2 – 3 weeks as we continue to develop options for the road diet project expected to begin construction later this summer. Additional information can be found on our project website.

Walnut Street Parking Deck Maintenance

Cary will be conducting maintenance on the Walnut Street Parking Deck from April 29 to May 11. The deck will remain open, but the work will have an impact on parking and traffic flow on all levels. Traffic control staff will be on hand to assist drivers throughout the duration of the project. Drivers are asked to use extra caution in the deck during this time and plan for possible delays during busier hours. Visitors to Downtown Cary can find more parking options on our Downtown Parking Map. Cary thanks its partners at The Walker and Wake County Public Library for working collaboratively to develop this schedule.

Harrison Avenue In-Road Warning Lights Complete

Pedestrian safety enhancements were completed this week and are now fully operational at the existing crosswalk of Harrison Avenue at Hillsboro Street (Cary Depot). The combination of in-road warning lights, LED-enhanced signs and accessible (audible) pedestrian push buttons are expected to improve mobility for pedestrians crossing to and from the depot. Transportation, Public Works and Construction and Field Services staff were all on-hand to observe various stages of the installation in anticipation of this system continuing to be in Cary’s toolbox of pedestrian and traffic safety devices. A similar installation is planned for Walnut Street this summer.

Earth Day in Cary

Earth Day was celebrated this week with a variety of environmental programs and events. Cary’s March Into Earth Day campaign was recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association  for its excellence in environmental outreach and equity. Thanks to our dedicated community members, the Spruce program hosted 195 volunteers who collected more than 3,000 pounds of litter town-wide, with additional environmental events at Good Hope Farm and Hemlock Bluffs. A birding class explored urban forests in Bond Park, while the Cary Teen Council, The Cary Theatre, and Environment staff hosted an Earth Day film screening and panel discussion on youth sustainability. Throughout April, social media promoted discounted compost bins and rain barrels, and two Cary It Green pop-up booths offered resources downtown. About 30 participants joined our free online lunch-and-learn about residential solar. The week concludes with Earth Day Lane at Spring Daze.

Wastewater Collection System Smoke Testing to Begin Next Week

Beginning Monday, April 29th, Public Works staff will begin introducing non-toxic detection smoke into select sewer lines. Crews will test approximately 600 manholes and more than 20 miles of sewer lines over the next two weeks. In support of Cary’s commitment to efficient and environmentally sustainable infrastructure, we annually perform smoke testing in the sanitary sewer system to identify locations where storm water and other surface waters are entering Cary’s collection system and to also reveal sources of sewer odors. This testing helps eliminate the unnecessary cost of treating ground water by minimizing the inflow and infiltration of clean water sent on to treatment plants. All properties affected are sent a notification letter with all pertinent information and a point of contact for any questions. Testing will take place around the Oakwood Heights neighborhood near downtown, and the Vandiver.  

Staff Attends State Energy Conference at NC State

This week, staff attended this year’s State Energy Conference of North Carolina at NC State University and met with Steven Kalland, Director of the NC Clean Energy Technology Center. Attendees were updated on tools and techniques to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and learned about funding opportunities across the state.

West Point Leadership Program Graduates

On April 23, Sergeant Joel Pyland and Corporal Justin Millard graduated from the 36th cohort of the West Point Leadership Program (WPLP). Developed by Methodist University’s Center for Excellence in Justice Administration, WPLP is a 16-week leadership course aimed at inspiring leaders to adopt an informed, systematic, and dynamic approach to leadership in police organizations. Adapted from the third-year course PL300 Military Leadership at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, WPLP is designed to cultivate leadership skills. We are incredibly proud of Sergeant Pyland and Corporal Millard for their dedication and hard work throughout this program.

VFW Honors Fire and Police Personnel

Police Detective Matt Cullen and Fire Captain Allen Monds were celebrated by the Cary Franklin-Sloan VFW Post 7383 on Saturday at its annual First Responders Banquet awards ceremony. Detective Cullen, a veteran of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, was recognized for his service as a task force officer on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. He has built successful partnerships with local, state, and federal entities toward the successful disruption and prosecution of drug trafficking organizations. Captain Monds, who is set to retire April 29 with over 28 years of service, was selected as his recruit academy’s top recruit in 1996, developed future firefighters throughout his career as a shift training officer and recruit academy instructor, commanded the department’s Honor Guard for much of his career, and more recently served on the ground floor of both the Town of Cary’s interdepartmental drone team and the Cary-Apex-Morrisville fire departments’ Pipe and Drums team. Police and Fire are incredibly proud of Detective Cullen and Captain Monds, honored by their recognition, and grateful for the continued service of the men and women of the Cary Franklin-Sloan VFW Post 7383.

Youth Leadership Cary

Last Tuesday, the Youth Leadership Cary program, sponsored by the Cary Chamber of Commerce, partnered with the Herb Young Community Center to give back to the Cary community. Local high school teens volunteered to assist those in need, working together to assemble bedroom furniture, home decor, and other items for children living in foster care.

2024 ACC Tennis Championships

The Atlantic Coast Conference Tennis Championships took place at the Cary Tennis Park from April 17 to 21. The Florida State Seminoles, seeded 6th, claimed victory in the Men’s division, upsetting NC State, Wake Forest, and the nation’s top-ranked team, Virginia. On the Women’s side, the 1st-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels defeated Virginia in the Finals. With over 3,000 spectators, this year’s event marked the highest attendance in ACC Tennis Championships history at the Cary Tennis Park.

Upcoming Meetings

Senior Advisory Board
Wednesday, May 1
12:00 p.m.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting
Wednesday, May 1
6:30 p.m.

Council Quarterly Meeting
Thursday, May 2
1:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A complaint about sidewalks in Taylor Pond.
• Invitations to several events.
• A request to not have a median on Walnut Street.
• Thank you for our commitment to affordable housing.
• A request for a job in town government.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a welcome taping for TST (The Soccer Tournament), and a council quarterly meeting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, May 5^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Wake County Mayors Association

Monday evening the Wake County Mayors Association met in Cary. In attendance were mayors from Cary, Garner, Holly Springs, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon. The meeting started with a presentation from the Homebuilders Association on the economic impacts of residential housing construction in the triangle. Here are a few of my takeaways from that presentation:

• The gap between the number of housing starts versus the population is growing.
• Single family starts are expected to decline this year but will trend higher in coming years.
• Wake County population grew faster than national and state rates.
• The typical new home size is trending lower and is currently just over 2200 square feet.
• The Raleigh MSA (Metropolitan Service Area’s) home price grew by 53% since COVID. The nation grew by 43%.
• Across the nation insufficient resale inventory is supporting demand for new construction.
• 64% of Raleigh MSA can’t afford a median price house.

The remainder of the meeting was spent talking mostly about municipal budgets. Based on the comments, no municipality in Wake County is planning on revenue neutral. Of course, we are all just beginning our budget process.

Town Manager One-On-One

Tuesday I talked briefly with the town manager for our weekly one-on-one. Our conversation was about the budget. Staff will make their first presentation at a council work session on April 25^th.

Sister Cities Student Reception

Tuesday night I joined council members Smith, Bansal, Craig, and the Sister Cities Commission to welcome culinary students from Le Touquet, France. I spent time talking with the eight students who were all visiting the United States for the first time. The relationship with Le Touquet has been going on for decades. My wife and I hosted students for years in the early 2000s and still stay in contact with some of them. What a great program for Cary.

Condensed Video Version of State of Cary

An updated condensed video of the State of Cary was posted on Tuesday. You can watch it here. It is a little under 11 minutes whereas the full version is over 30 minutes.

Economic Development Committee Meeting

The Economic Development Committee met Wednesday evening and discussed four items.

The committee provided feedback on the Kildaire Farm Road Corridor Concept Plan. The committee agreed on the option to add bike lanes and 10-foot sidewalks with medians. Members stated that the initial focus should be from Maynard to downtown. The concept also calls for connecting businesses along Kildaire so that trips between businesses can be done without getting on and off Kildaire. Once the corridor is close to completion the committee recommended a trolley or shuttle bus to connect to downtown. These ideas and more will be brought to the council in a work session sometime in the winter of next year.

A development update for Quarter 3 (January through March) was provided by the Director of Development. There are currently 32 rezoning cases in process and 3 were approved in Q3. Only 59 detached unit permits were issued in the quarter as these continue to decline. There are 43 development plans under review.

In the town manager’s remarks, he noted that sales revenues have dropped dramatically. Expenses have also risen significantly above revenues, which is not sustainable. The council will have to choose between cutting services or not being revenue neutral. The first budget work session with the council will be on April 25^th.

The President of the Chamber of Commerce presented a summary of Economic Development. Here are some of the notable items:

• 33 active projects with a potential of 7169 jobs and $3.43 billion in investment.
• The park overlook development plan of 162,000 square feet has been approved.
• Vacancy rates for R&D are about 8.2% and for Manufacturing about 17%.
• Deutsche Bank is getting ready to hire about 200.
• Hybrid trends look to be permanent with an average of 2 days in the office.
• Baker Roofing purchased 3500 Regency Parkway and is moving 300 employees to Cary.

The meeting ended after a few remarks from its members. The next scheduled meeting is July 31.

Cary Matters Taping

Thursday afternoon I joined council member Jack Smith for a taping of a Cary Matters episode. This episode was about a food waste program.

In Cary 27% of our residential waste is food waste. If compostables are included that number jumps to 44%. Cary held a pilot program for drop off food waste at Dixon Avenue last year. Over 200,000 pounds of food waste was collected. 20,000 pounds of compost created from the waste was used at Good Hope Farm, an urban farm that supports the local food system through events, workshops, farm-grown produce, and resources for new farmers. Cary has a new food waste recycling drop-off at Mills Park.

Elected Officials Reception

I joined council members Smith, Bush, Kohn-Johnson, Bansal, and Craig at the Cary Chamber’s Elected Officials Reception. The title sponsor provided remarks and then I provided remarks on behalf of the town. In my remarks I thanked the local, state, and federal elected officials for all they have done and will do to keep Cary the best of the best, or as we say, the Top of the Arc.

Town Manager’s Report

Dan’s Message

Spring has sprung and once again great things are happening in Cary. I’m so proud to work with such an amazing council and staff as we move important initiatives forward.
On a personal note; I’ve spent most of this week moving. It’s a humbling activity that made me grateful for the support of friends and colleagues who together make something that is hard as easy as possible.
Have a great weekend, I’m looking forward to seeing you all soon.
Happy Friday!
Dan

Grand Opening of USA Baseball Training Center

On April 13, Cary and USA Baseball announced the grand opening of the Training Center and USA Baseball’s Executive Offices at the National Training Complex at Thomas Brooks Park. Mayor Weinbrecht, Councilmember Sarika Bansal, PRCR Director John Collins, USA Baseball’s President John Gall, and CEO Paul Seiler spoke at the ceremony. The grand opening coincides with a 20-year agreement that was signed by Cary and USA Baseball, solidifying Cary, North Carolina, as the permanent governing body for baseball in the United States. To cap the weekend’s event, Mayor Weinbrecht threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the National High School Invitational alongside USA Baseball President John Gall. A special thank you to the Cary Council for their support of this addition to the already amazing National Training Complex.

Cary’s French Connection

Eight culinary students are visiting from Cary’s Sister City, Le Touquet, France as part of a cultural and culinary exchange with Cary Sister Cities and Wake Tech, where they will spend five weeks working and learning at Heron’s, Peck & Plume, and Maximillian’s. Mayor Weinbrecht and Councilmembers Smith, Bansal, and Craig enjoyed a reception hosted by Cary Sister Cities on Tuesday evening at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center to welcome the students.
Councilmember Smith also introduced the students at last night’s Elected Officials reception at the Umstead Hotel and Spa where he was joined by Mayor Weinbrecht and Councilmembers Craig, Bush, and Kohn-Johnson. The students will also be recognized at next week’s Council meeting.  

In-Road Warning Light System Installed

In-road warning lights were installed and successfully tested this week on Harrison Avenue at the Hillsboro Street crosswalk. These fourteen LED light “pucks” supplement the poles and equipment installed last week and will be paired with LED-enhanced warning signs to complete this first-in-Cary pedestrian warning device, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of next week.

This same system is planned to also be installed this summer on Walnut Street at the existing crosswalk near R.S. Dunham Park. An educational video showing this system is available on Cary’s website.

Staff Attends 2024 SDITE Conference

Sammy Wood presented at the 2024 Southern District Institute of Transportation Engineers (SDITE) conference in Wilmington, NC. Sammy shared how the Reedy Creek Road project connected with our citizens by promoting safety, health, and welfare, protecting the environment, and promoting quality of life. Luana Deans and Rob Myers attended the conference as well and enjoyed collaborating and learning about trends in the transportation industry from NC and several other states in the surrounding southeast region.

NCDOT QMS Asphalt Program

Cary staff members John Holland, Shane Atkins, Pat Goldman, and Bruce Clark earned their Quality Management Systems (QMS) Asphalt Roadway Technician Certification at the Spring 2024 NCDOT QMS Asphalt Training in Charlotte. This accreditation developed by NCDOT is designed to support technicians, engineers, and project managers who wish to enhance their skill set in roadway and street asphalt paving practices.

Sergeant Dusting Wright Graduates AOMP

Cary Police Sergeant Dustin Wright graduated from the 98th Session of the Administrative Officer’s Management Program (AOMP) on Thursday, April 11. Hosted by North Carolina State University’s School of Public and International Affairs, AOMP is a unique educational course of study for public safety professionals seeking career advancement. AOMP convenes a class of 25 students from agencies across the nation who embark on an intensive 12-week academic program during which they earn 15 undergraduate and graduate-level college credits and a certificate of completion. Please join us in congratulating Sergeant Wright on achieving this milestone in his leadership journey.

Police and Sheriff’s Attorney Conference

Deputy Town Attorney Nick Yates presented on the topic of law enforcement agency interactions with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Department of Labor at the North Carolina Association of Police and Sheriffs’ Attorneys Conference in Wilmington, NC. Nick is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association.

Upcoming Meetings

Cultural Arts Committee
Wednesday, April 24
5:00 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday, April 25
4:45 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Regular)
Thursday, April 25
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• Complaints about the tax rate for the next current fiscal year (The council has not begun to review the budget. Our choice will be to cut or maintain services. The latter will mean we will not be revenue neutral).
• A complaint about pro-Hamas demonstrations in Cary.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, private meetings with council members, a ribbon cutting at Glenaire, a council-staff work session, and a council meeting.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, April 28^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Council Meeting Prep

Monday I attempted to contact all council members to hear of any questions or concerns they may have had about the agenda for the regular meeting later in the week. More than one council member expressed a concern with the rezoning proposal for the Carpenter Fire Station at Highcroft PDD. Later in the day I met with Mayor Pro-Tem Bryson-Robinson and staff to go over the agenda. Our meeting lasted about fifteen minutes.

Town Manager One-On-One

After the council prep meeting I had my weekly one-on-one with the town manager. Topics included council relationships, the PPA tournament the previous week, the budget, and the future South Hills project.

Cary Tennis Classic Board Meeting

Monday night I joined the meeting of the Cary Tennis Classic Board (formerly the Atlantic Tire Championships). Our topics included feedback from a recent event, an Anthony Blackman Scholars update, a review of the PPA event at the Cary Tennis Park, sponsors and donations, future Cary Tennis Park events, and future board meeting dates.

Council Work Session Cancelled

Tuesday morning the council was notified that the work session scheduled for Thursday was cancelled. Staff had hope to present additional information about the Center at South Hills but was not ready. Here are the work sessions and quarterly meetings scheduled through June and their planned topics:

April 25: The Center, Bond Referendum, and Elections follow-up

May 2: Quarterly Meeting, Initial presentation of proposed budget

May 23: Budget

June 10: Budget

June 27: Town Hall Redevelopment with RFQ plans, budget

Council Meeting

Thursday night the council held its first regular scheduled meeting of April. The agenda included recognition of scouts, two consent items, one public hearing, and one discussion item.

The public hearing was for an Amendment to the Fenton Development Agreement. In October 2018, Cary entered into a development agreement with the Master Developer of the Fenton development that provides reimbursement to the developer for construction of public infrastructure based on achievement of certain development milestones. The agreement was amended in August 2020 to accommodate additional financial partners and changes due to construction financing. The developer has subsequently constructed the first phase of the development and completed public improvements associated with this phase of the development agreement. However, due to an anchor tenant (Wegmans) declining to build, the development agreement does not permit the developer to be reimbursed for any of the public infrastructure they have constructed. The proposed amendment recognizes that significant private development has occurred, and key elements of the desired public infrastructure have been constructed. This change allows for reimbursement for these improvements while retaining the spirit and intent of the agreement for future phases of the development. After the public hearing the council approved this amendment unanimously.

The discussion item was for a rezoning 22-REZ-14 Carpenter Fire Station at Highcroft PDD. The proposed rezoning of 19.53 acres. Conditions and standards for the proposed rezoning as detailed in the PDD and include: limiting uses to a maximum of 325 multifamily dwellings, 25 townhouses, and 3,000 to 5,000 square feet of commercial uses; providing 15,000 square feet of community gathering area; constructing a pool and clubhouse; reserving 10% of the multifamily units for renters at or below 80% of Area Median Income; preserving three champion trees; providing 10 electric vehicle charging stations; increasing the buffer and the multifamily building setback on the western property line; and completing recommended transportation improvements. The applicant asked that this item be removed to give them more time. It will likely be on the June 10^th agenda.

East Cary Career Day

Friday morning I was a special guest at East Cary Middle School for their career day. I gave welcoming remarks to three different groups of students. I was also at a table answering their questions. My visit lasted one and a half hours.

USA Baseball Training Facility Opening

Saturday I joined five council members, NC Senator Adcock, NC House Representative Cervania, Wake County Commissioner Adamson, USA Baseball President Gall, USA Baseball CEO Seiler, and about one hundred guests at the opening of the indoor facility at USA Baseball National Training Complex. The new facility is a training center with a 150 X 150-foot field, meeting rooms, staff offices, and executive offices. I was the emcee for the event. The following is a segment of my opening remarks:

“… I would like to take a moment to reflect on the history of this remarkable facility. Since its inception in 2007, the National Training Complex has been a beacon of excellence, hosting over 300 major events between USA Baseball and the Town of Cary. Each year, more than 100,000 people visit this site. They are drawn here by our reputation as one of the world’s premier baseball facilities—a status recognized locally, nationally, and even internationally. One notable highlight was in 2015 when we hosted an international tournament which brought together talent and spectators from all over the world. …

Our achievements here are a testament to the power of partnership. Over the past 18 years, our alliance with USA Baseball has been foundational and I am looking forward to our continued collaboration in the coming years.

We are also extremely grateful to Wake County for their significant contribution of $3.25 million through hotel occupancy funding, allowing us to build this impressive expansion. Thanks to their support, the National Training Complex now has a 150×150’ artificial turf field, enhanced staff office and meeting spaces, and the sleek new executive offices for USA Baseball. These upgrades will provide our athletes, our staff, and our visitors with top-tier facilities, and solidify our status as the hub for baseball excellence. …”

Other speakers included Cary Council District D Bansal, Cary Parks Director Collins, USA Baseball President Gall, and USA Baseball CEO Seiler.

After the speeches the council and USA Baseball executives lined up and cut the ribbon with the audience behind us.

Next I joined USA Baseball President Gall, a former player, to throw out the first pitch at the championship game for the National High School Invitational.

The USA Baseball facility is an incredible venue that provides competition from all over the world, top tier entertainment, and an annual economic benefit of over a million dollars.

Town Manager’s Report

Russ’ Message

It looks like the weather’s shaping up nicely for a weekend packed with fun things to do in Cary. Downtown will be bustling tomorrow with people attending the Pimento Cheese Festival. With its new location in the Downtown Cary Park, visitors will enjoy more activities and a larger event footprint, allowing for more vendors. This means more pimento cheese for everyone to enjoy!

Also on Saturday, just further west of downtown, we’re celebrating the grand opening of the training center and executive offices at the USA Baseball National Training Complex with the championship game of the 11th National High School Invitational. I hope to see you there!
Have a great weekend.
Russ

Celebrating Trees and Forests

Cary celebrated trees and forests on Saturday with our My Tree, Our Tree distribution and a community Arbor Day event. The event was focused on engaging guests with important topics relating to proper tree care, soil health, composting, native plants, wildlife, and more. My Tree, Our Tree participants received 1,000 native trees to help increase our urban forest canopy. Councilmember Michelle Craig helped kick off the special occasion with the reading of our Arbor Day proclamation, followed by our 41st Tree City USA designation ceremony with the NC Forest Service. Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson then joined in to honor Hometown Spirit Award winner Peggy Van Scoyoc with her commemorative Arbor Day Tree Plaque, which will be installed with ‘her’ river birch at McDonald Woods Park. Guests of all ages enjoyed chatting with environmental experts, exploring nature-themed play areas, and learning more about how they can play a vital role in Cary’s commitment to sustainability.

Honoring National Child Abuse Prevention Month

In honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson presented a proclamation at the Western Health & Human Services Center’s Pinwheel Planting Ceremony. She spoke about the significance of the month and ways to get involved during last night’s ceremonial opening. The month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. The public is invited to attend a Pinwheel Planting Ceremony with the Cary Police Department, scheduled to be held in the Downtown Cary Park. More details will be announced in the Town’s calendar.

Presenting to HOA Presidents and Board Members

Councilmember Sarika Bansal welcomed and presented to a group of HOA presidents and board members at Fire Station 8. She, along with Planning Director Scot Berry, discussed developments and transportation projects in the area near Carpenter Fire Station Road and Morrisville Parkway. Click here to view the slides that were presented.

Upcoming Neighborhood Public Safety Meeting

Due to the recent break-ins in the areas of Districts D & A, the Cary Police Department will be available on Monday, April 15, at the Northwest YMCA at 7 p.m. to meet with citizens and answer any questions. Chief Terry Sult, Councilmember Sarika Bansal, Councilmember Jennifer Bryson Robinson, and other police representatives will be in attendance.

Walnut Creek Greenway/Stormwater Project

We are excited to share that thanks to Congresswoman Deborah Ross and Congressman Wiley Nickel, Cary has been awarded $1,919,504 in federal funds to benefit the Walnut Creek Greenway/Stormwater Management Project. These funds will assist with stormwater and flooding management in the areas where the future greenway will be located. This summer there will be an official presentation of these funds with our elected officials. More information will be shared as it is available.  

New Drinking Water Regulations for PFAs Announced

The EPA announced a new PFAS regulation for drinking water on April 10. Overall, the new regulation is nearly identical to the draft regulation announced in 2023 however, there is an important update in these regulations. Beginning in 2027, water utilities throughout the nation will be required to provide regular monitoring and reporting of PFAS in their  Consumer Confidence Reports. In Cary, we’ve already been providing this information to our citizens for several years. The quality of our drinking water is excellent, and we’re already in compliance with the new regulations. We’re also continuing to study and test the newest innovative technologies for even more enhanced water treatment systems in the future. Cary’s  web pages and fact sheets have been updated to provide the most recent information to our citizens.

2024 Cary 101

On Wednesday April 10, a group of 22 citizens met for the first session of this year’s Cary 101 program. This annual program serves as an opportunity for citizens to connect with Cary in a meaningful and educational way. Participants will spend the next several weeks engaging in an array of presentations, hands-on activities, and facility tours so they can gain insight into Cary’s structure, operations, and services.

GoCary App Now Available

The GoCary app has officially launched in the App Store and on Google Play. Now, users are able to track their bus in real-time, as well as access several other features helpful for riders. Users can customize their riding experience by creating favorite routes and stops for quick reference or by utilizing the trip planning feature. The GoCary app is free to download and free to use.

Portions of Black Creek Greenway Temporarily Closed

On Wednesday, April 17, a production crew with PUMA, the athletic shoe company, will be filming a commercial at Old Reedy Creek Trailhead. The commercial will feature several Olympic marathon runners who train locally. To accommodate filming, portions of Black Greek Greenway, Old Reedy Creek Road, and the trailhead parking lot will be closed intermittently throughout the day. Cary is excited and honored to have been selected as the location for this international promotion for PUMA.

Virtual Neighborhood Rezoning Meeting – May 1

The following Neighborhood Meetings will be held virtually on Webex from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., on Wednesday, May 1:

Upcoming Meetings

• 24-REZ-06 Regency Multifamily
• 24-REZ-07 Greenwood Forest Baptist Church 

Athletic Committee
Monday, April 15
6:00 p.m.

Planning and Zoning Board
Monday, April 15
6:30 p.m.

Public Art Advisory Board
Wednesday
April 17, 5:00 p.m.

Economic Development Committee
Wednesday
April 17, 5:15 p.m.

Greenway Committee
Thursday, April 18
6:00 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• A request to meet about a private investment.
• A complaint about pedestrian safety downtown.
• A complaint about noise: “Be a leader. Do the job people expect…Your police have done nothing for a year.”
• A request for a tobacco free community.
• A thank you for opening the season for the Farmers Market.
• A complaint about Sharon Harris sirens.
• A complaint that a perfectly good house is being torn down (it is in a flood plain and the foundation floods which makes it unsafe).
• A complaint about Duke Energy issues: “Flex your leadership and influence with the project to bring Duke… to settle our damages”.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, a Wake County Mayors Association meeting, a reception for visiting Sister Cities French students, a CAMPO Executive Board meeting, an Economic Development meeting, and an Elected Officials Reception.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, April 21^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.

Town Manager One-On-One

Monday afternoon I held my weekly one-on-one with the town manager. Our topics included a Human Resource issue, the South Hills development, the Downtown Cary Park, and speaking with the media.

Pickleball Interview

Tuesday morning, I did a welcome interview at the Cary Tennis Park for the PPA professional pickleball tournament. This event is the only North Carolina stop on the PPA Tour this year. Interesting note, the owner of the PPA is Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon. The recorded interview was with the PPA’s media team and to welcome everyone to the Cary Tennis Park and share what makes Cary special. They shared my message on their Instagram to their 100,000 followers. My understanding is that my statements will be included in the post-event news release touting the event’s inaugural success here.

HRID Meeting

Tuesday night I joined in a meeting of the Human Relations, Inclusion, & Diversity Advisory Board meeting. This was their first meeting since the council voted to make them a permanent advisory board. The agenda included a presentation by former Cary Council member Marla Dorrel on the accessibility of Kids Together Park, information on becoming an advisory board, Spring Daze preparation, and Pride Month planning.

There was a great deal of discussion on how to handle potential confrontation at Spring Daze.

State of Cary at Cary MacGregor Rotary

Wednesday I was honored to present my State of Cary address to the Cary MacGregor Rotary. It was a 30-minute, updated version of the one I presented earlier this year. There were about three dozen in attendance.

Raleigh-Cary Top 30 Most Dynamic Metropolitans

On Thursday I was notified that fFor the fifth year in a row, Raleigh-Cary, NC has been named one of the top 30 Most Dynamic Metropolitans by Heartland Forward in their annual rankings. You can find the full report here.

Cary Founded Ribbon Cutting

Friday afternoon I joined council members Bush and Kohn-Johnson at the ribbon cutting for Cary Founded. This is a coworking community located in downtown Cary in the Rogers building. The owners also have a Founded Community in Raleigh. I joined the Cary Chamber President in making a few remarks which was followed by remarks from one of the owners. Then the owners and the building owner did the honor of cutting the ribbon.

Cary Visitor Center Ribbon Cutting

Friday evening, I joined council members Bush and Kohn-Johnson at the ribbon cutting for the Cary Visitors Center which is run by The City Doctor Productions. It is located in the front part of the Douglas Reality Group building next to the old Ashworth’s Drugs. Inside you will find many artifacts from Cary’s past and present including some memorabilia from Ashworth’s Drugs.

Programming for the Visitors Center will include downtown walking tours, programs, events, history displays, a small research library, and free resources for visitors.

Farmers Market Grand Opening for Summer Season

Saturday morning, I joined council members Bryson-Robinson, Bush, Kohn-Johnson, and Craig at the seasonal opening of the Cary Farmers Market at Downtown Cary Park. I read a proclamation celebrating the opening, the 30-year anniversary, and the permanent location of the market which has been moved several times over the years. The market is along Park Street and opens at 8 AM. It is a great place to find fresh produce and goods supporting small family farms.

Founder’s Event

Saturday around 11:30 I was part of a celebration of Cary’s founding date (April 3, 1871). I dressed as Frank Page in a skit where I announced the incorporation of the Town of Cary. I was joined by several others in costume. It was a lot of fun and a great way to bring awareness of our founding date to the public.

Pickleball Champions

Sunday I attended the PPA pickleball championships at the Cary Tennis Park. This was our first professional pickleball championship and I am sure it won’t be the last. Ben Johns and Anna Leigh Waters both won their doubles, singles, and mixed doubles together solidifying their status as #1 in the world. I had the honor of presenting the North Carolina Cup for the men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles. It was a milestone day for #1 ranked Waters who won her 98^th, 99^th, and 100^th titles. She said “I’m just super happy that I could get my 100^th title here in Cary. This is where I grew up. This is where it all started.” We are glad she won her 100^th here in Cary also.

It was a great week for pickleball, and the talent was incredible. What a great event for Cary!

NC Senator Adcock Event

Sunday afternoon I attended a fundraiser for NC Senator Gale Adcock who was a former Mayor Pro-Tem on the Cary council. Since she is unopposed, she used the opportunity to have Rachel Hunt, who is running for Lt. Governor to speak. Her message focused on teachers, education, and funding of education especially in the poorer counties.

Town Manager’s Report

Sean’s Message

This week, staff, along with the consultants retained by South Hills, were hard at work developing a new option for The Centre, borne out of discussions at the Council/Staff Retreat. The image above captures the creative thinking of the team that developed the new option, which will be presented to the Council at the April 25 work session.
Enjoy your weekend.
Sean

Cary Hosts PPA North Carolina Cup

Mayor Weinbrecht joins Collin Shick, a pro pickleball player and former Wolfpack tennis star, at the PPA North Carolina Cup (Professional Pickleball Tournament), which is currently being hosted at the Cary Tennis Park. Both the top-ranked female player, Anna Leigh Waters, and the top-ranked male player, Ben Johns, are participating. The Semi-Finals will take place this Saturday, April 6, and the Finals on Sunday, April 7. Check out the tournament website for more details.

Council Member Bansal Visits UNC

Councilmember Sarika Bansal spoke at an UNC Chapel Hill event centered around South Asians in Politics: Impacts and Challenges. She addressed a diverse audience alongside esteemed elected officials and advocates. 

Cary’s New Program Manager for Seniors & Aging

Michelle Barrett started her role in mid-March and has hit the ground running. Just this week, she visited Dorcas Ministries and met with CEO André Anthony, the Associate State Director of the AARP, and participated in her first meeting with the Senior Advisory Board. She looks forward to continuing her work with the board to ensure seniors’ concerns remain at the forefront of Cary’s focus.

Academy Street Parking Deck

Construction continues on the Academy Street Parking Deck, located between Academy Street and S. Harrison Avenue, as part of the Meridian Cary development. Vertical construction has begun with the installation of precast concrete panels. The parking deck will include 478 spaces (225 public, 253 private for the multi-family building), smart parking technology, gates, and EV charging stations. The parking deck is expected to open to the public in 2026 as part of the overall development. 

Cedar Street Parking Deck

Construction on the Cedar Street Parking Deck will begin next week. The parking deck, located between Cedar Street and Chatham Street and across from the Cary Theater, will include 297 parking spaces and retail space fronting Chatham Street. The parking deck will be open to the public and include smart parking technology, gates, EV Charging, and roof top PV/solar. This project is expected to be complete in Fall 2025.

Higgins Greenway – Phase III Construction

Starting April 9, contractors will begin construction of Higgins Greenway – Phase III. The existing greenway will be extended approximately 0.86 miles from its current terminus at Union Street and continue eastward to Kildaire Farm Road. This work will fill a gap in the greenway network and increase connectivity between downtown Cary and the surrounding neighborhoods. The project is anticipated to continue through Summer 2025.

Harrison Avenue In-Road Warning Light System

Cary’s first in-road warning light system is scheduled to begin installation next week. Located at the existing crosswalk of Harrison Avenue at Hillsboro Street, the system pairs LED-enhanced roadside signs with in-road “pucks” to increase the visibility of pedestrians using the crosswalk. The entire system will be pedestrian-activated using accessible push buttons. Installation of signs and other roadside equipment is scheduled for next week, and the in-road installation is scheduled for the week of April 15.

Neighborhood Traffic Calming Construction

A new traffic calming project will bring a series of speed humps to both Olde Weatherstone Way, adjacent to the Glenkirk community, and Preston Village Way between Morrisville Parkway and Circle on the Green. Additionally, this project includes a single speed hump requested by the Whitford Place community, off of Green Level Church Road in western Cary. Work will begin in mid-April, weather permitting, and flagger operations will be in place during construction activities. The work hours for this project have been adjusted to avoid the drop-off and pick-up times for Olde Weatherstone Elementary School.

Ederlee Drive Sidewalk Complete

Final touches are being completed on the new sidewalk along Ederlee Drive. This project installed over 1,200 ft of sidewalk which include ADA compliant curb ramps between Richelieu Drive and Avenue of the Estates. Cary’s sidewalk network is now complete along Ederlee Drive between Penny Road and Regency Parkway. Conduit was also installed along the project to accommodate future expansion of Cary’s signal infrastructure. The final clean-up is expected to be complete next week.

NCWRF Completes Project

The North Cary Water Reclamation Facility (NCWRF) has successfully completed a $1.2 million capital project to replace two band screens, compactor equipment, and flow control gates at the facility’s headworks. These units play a vital role in removing small debris from the flow stream at the front of the facility, ensuring downstream treatment processes can be performed without clogging. This project is just one example of the ongoing effort to replace aging equipment to maintain a high level of nutrient removal and overall facility efficiency.

Cary Teen Council Committee

Last week, the Cary Teen Council hosted their monthly meeting at the Cary Senior Center. The teen leaders planned and hosted an event including several exhibits designed to educate their peers about the significant role that teenagers play in various town committees. The young representatives put together engaging and informative presentations for their booths, offering valuable insights into teen representation. The meeting was a resounding success, with around 200 teens attending and leaving feeling enthusiastic about the upcoming leadership application period for the 2024-2025 Cary Teen Council. 

Upcoming Meetings

PRCR Advisory Board
Monday, April 8
5:15 p.m.

Information Services Advisory Board
Monday, April 8
6:00 p.m.

Zoning Board of Adjustment
Monday, April 8
6:30 p.m.

Environmental Advisory Board
Tuesday, April 9
6:00 p.m.

Historic Preservation Commission
April 10, 6:30 p.m.

Town Council Meeting (Work Session)
Thursday, April 11
4:45 p.m.

Council Meeting
Thursday, April 11
6:30 p.m.

Mayor’s Mailbox

• An email campaign of complaints about the quarry next to Umstead Park (The Cary Council is not a decision maker).
• A request to extend bus route #5.
• A thank you to Cary Animal Services.
• A complaint about a missed recycling pickup (it was resolved before they woke the next morning).
• A concern about gun control.
• A concern about affordable housing at the Grove at Cary Park.
• A concern about the abandoned hotel next to Lifetime Fitness.

Next Week

Next week’s activities include staff meetings, the Cary Tennis Class board meeting, a Cary Chamber event, a council work session, the first council meeting of April, and the opening of USA Baseball Training facility.

Well, that is all for this week. My next post will be on Sunday, April 14^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@townofcary.org and email personal comments to augustanat@mindspring.com.