Early Wednesday morning, about 150 Cary business leaders and politicians gathered in the Prestonwood Country Club’s Grand Ballroom to network over a light breakfast and hear mayor Harold Weinbrecht’s annual State of Cary address.
Weinbrecht reported that Cary is doing well—financially strong and ranked among the best places to live and do business in the country—despite the blemish of former town manager Sean Stegall’s resignation and the ongoing investigations into his spending and workplace conduct.
The mayor likened the Stegall fallout to an “oil spill,” and said the town council and staff are committed to cleaning it up. Here are a few more highlights from Weinbrecht’s speech:
- Cary’s growth has slowed to just 1% annually—down from 16% between 2014 and 2024—which also means sales tax and property tax revenues are flattening.
- Cary’s parks, sports venues, and Koka Booth Amphitheater continue to bring in visitors and revenue. Downtown Cary Park alone generates about $16 million in economic impact each year by raising nearby property values and driving traffic to local businesses.
- Less than 14% of Cary is undeveloped and that land is in high demand. There are a few big developments proposed or underway around town.
- The Town of Cary has 7 staff members per 1,000 residents, which is a very low ratio compared to other Wake County towns. The mayor called it “not even close to sustainable.”
The tax revenue and staffing challenges the mayor mentioned will more than likely resurface during Cary’s annual budget process, which begins in March. Weinbrecht said this budget cycle will be the town’s most transparent and thorough ever, because “trust takes years to create and a second to destroy, and we realize that trust has been destroyed, and so we’re trying to rebuild that.”
“I believe in our council, I believe in our staff, but more importantly, I believe in you,” Weinbrecht addressed the audience. “At the end of this, we will emerge stronger.”
His message seemed to land. Attendees gave Weinbrecht a standing ovation and, during the Q&A period, adulated him with quotes from Roosevelt and Eisenhower about leadership in trying times.