Cary residents demand transparency and investigations after revelations about former town manager

Dozens of Cary residents used the council’s public comment period on Jan. 8 to press elected leaders for transparency and possible personnel accountability after recent disclosures about the former town manager’s actions.

Several speakers cited public-records reporting and written submissions alleging excessive spending, questionable land purchases and tuition reimbursements. The clerk read 18 written comments that raised allegations including a roughly $1,580,000 land purchase, unexplained tuition reimbursements, and concerns about consulting relationships and internal controls. The clerk’s summary asked for audits and increased transparency.

“Now that we have been made aware, we will be watching you more closely,” said Christine Channer, a Cary resident. Caroline Gibson asked the council to examine whether the town’s tuition-reimbursement ordinance applies to council members, noting that “the tuition reimbursement provided to the council member was 10 times the amount available to employees.”

Several speakers recited specific figures and questioned approvals. Joanna Lehi said the former town manager and others used discretionary funds for land purchases and other expenses, citing a $1,064,000 downtown land purchase and saying the manager’s severance totaled $215,000. Kimberly Stonebreaker read public-record figures for specific parcels and said taxpayers paid “more than double the assessed value” for the purchases, which she said were funded using money originally budgeted for smart parking technology.

“Who authorized paying more than twice the assessed value?” Stonebreaker asked, calling for public identification of council members who directed or encouraged the acquisitions and a transparent plan for the land’s disposition.

Not all speakers demanded resignations. Rev. Wesley Spears Newsome urged a third‑party investigation while also defending council programs such as Stable Homes Cary and urging a politics of “good faith.” Jennifer Robinson, who said she previously held elected office, listed policy reforms she recommended to prevent future misuse, including requiring manager expenses to be submitted within 60 days, dual review of manager P-card expenses by the mayor and clerk, limits on delegated contract authority, annual ethics training for council members and expanding the records definition to include text messages.

Interim Town Manager Russ Overton told the council and public that state auditors were on site this week and are reviewing “hundreds of thousands of financial transactions, emails and other records,” and he urged patience until the auditors complete their work. Overton also noted the town is updating a public “Get the Facts” webpage and the public‑records portal to make related documents available.

The meeting record shows a range of resident demands — from immediate resignations to narrow policy fixes — and repeated calls for an independent, timely investigation. The council later voted to go into closed session to consult with counsel and consider personnel and legal matters, citing state statutes governing privileged attorney‑client communications and personnel deliberations.