First night of Cary 101 last night was so informative. It used to be called the School of Government and it did not disappoint. I learned so much at this “citizen’s college” while reinforcing things I already gathered from attending NCSU’s political science program.
I worked for engineering firms here in NC for 20 years and reviewed procurement documents, submitted proposals, researched budgets and capital planning documents, and met with municipal staff for debriefs and relationship building. Cary’s staff and CEO are some of the most forward-thinking in the state. Their documents like quarterly reports and budgets are the VERY best I’ve seen. They incorporate story-telling into their documents so folks have an understanding of WHY we are spending money on certain priorities.
Some cool things…
- Cary has 1,200 full time employees, and around 300 contract employees
- April 3, 1871 the NC General Assembly created the charter for Cary
- Some words Cary uses when describing their culture: evolving, nimble, encourage new ideas, tolerable of questioning, legacy of professionalism, dare to think different
- Values – People First, Evolution, Anyone Can Lead, Working Smart, Adaptive Leadereship
- Cary has residents in Chatham, Wake, and Durham counties
- We have Dillon rule in North Carolina (if there is a reasonable doubt whether a power has been conferred to a local government, then the power has not been conferred.)
- If four council members are together and talking Cary business, that is a public meeting, even Reply All emails can be considered a public meeting.
- We have a council-manager form of government with elected members including four district council members, two at-large council members, plus the mayor. These seven council members hire a town manager who is the CEO of the town.
Presenters included…
| Speaker | Topic |
| Renee Poole, Chief Human Resources Officer | Cary’s Culture |
| Lisa Glover, Town Attorney | Origins of Cary |
| Kerry Harville, Director of Special Projects | Local Government Basics |
| Stacey Teachey, Financial Strategy Manager Kimberly Branch, Assistant Finance Director | Finance & Budget |
If you are interested in learning more, or participating in the program, check out more information here. Or if you want to chat, fill out my Contact Me form. I would love to grab coffee with you!
Elect Amanda Murphy 