Cary council says farewell to longtime council member, swears in political newcomer

Twenty-five years ago, Ed Yerha came back from his lunch break to see a stack of papers waiting on his desk. Gazing through the pile, he realized it was an application for Cary’s Planning and Zoning Board.

“Maybe I’d be pretty good at this town stuff,” Yerha recalled thinking at the time.

Submitting this application opened the door to a lifetime of service to the Town of Cary, which came to a close Thursday night.

After a decade on Cary’s Town Council and another 15 years on various boards and committees, Yerha was unseated this spring by political newcomer Carissa Johnson. She was sworn in Thursday as the newest at-large council member.

Yerha said he was saddened to turn over his seat, and his colleagues on the council praised his accomplishments and years of service. They spoke of Yerha’s deep dedication to the city and his lasting impact in preserving Cary’s history.

Yerha shared a handful of favorite stories from his lengthy career. At his first meeting as a council member, Yerha became the deciding vote on an unusual agenda item: the allowance of backyard chickens in Cary.

“This is just what I needed,” he said with a chuckle. “I got to decide the chicken vote”

He clarified that he weighed the options and was decidedly pro-chicken during the vote.

“My first meeting, I made angry three of my newfound colleagues,” Yerha said.

Last month, the council voted unanimously to rename White Oak Park on Jenks Carpenter Road Ed Yerha Park.

Upon his final moments in the council chamber, Yerha was given a standing ovation.

After he left the chamber, Johnson, his successor, was sworn in by fellow councilwoman Lori Bush.

Don Frantz was named mayor pro tem following the swearing in. He was elected to the council in 2007 to represent District B and is in his fourth term.

New sidewalks approved

The council also unanimously approved funding three sites for new sidewalks. This is the latest in a long effort to make Cary more walkable for residents.

These new stretches of sidewalk were designed to connect neighborhoods on West Chatham Street, Lake Pine Drive and Ryan Road to local shopping centers and parks.

The West Chatham Street segment is 4,100 feet from Cary Parkway to Fallsworth Drive North. The Lake Pine Drive sidwak is about 2,850 feet from SW Cary Parkway to Mainsail Drive. The Ryan Road sidwalk is about 350 feet near SECU Bank.

The council approved spending $2.2 million from this year’s budget.

The full design, approval and construction process takes roughly two to three years, according to Cary’s website.

This story was originally published August 30, 2022 at 6:15 AM.