Apex town manager calls it quits. What we know.
Two years ago, Catherine “Katy” Crosby made Apex history as the town’s first woman and African American manager.
Last week, she quit.
The Apex Town Council accepted Crosby’s resignation by a 4-1 vote during an emergency town meeting on Thursday.
Councilman Brett Gantt, who was elected in 2021, cast the dissenting vote but said he could not explain why.
“I did not support the Council’s action regarding Manager Crosby,” he said in a statement. “I respect the council-manager form of local government that we have in Apex and many other municipalities across North Carolina.”
After the vote, Shawn Purvis, the deputy town manager, was selected to serve as interim town manager.
The council will discuss the next steps in selecting a new town manager at its next meeting on Aug. 8.
“In the interim, town operations will continue on, following the goals defined in the town’s recently completed Strategic Plan,” according to a statement provided by the town’s spokesperson, Allen Coleman, Monday evening.
What we know about Crosby’s departure
Crosby did not respond to The News & Observer’s requests for comment Monday.
According to an automated email reply, she was no longer serving Apex as of Friday, the day after the vote.
Crosby oversaw the budget and daily operations of the growing western Wake County town of over 75,000 people.
Before coming to Apex, she was chief of staff to Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz in Toledo, Ohio. She was unanimously voted in as town manager in Apex.
In an interview with Cary Magazine in 2021, Crosby said her priorities included affordable housing, school capacity, and the town’s infrastructure.
Her hire came months after the release of a report detailing racism in the Apex Police Department. “Racial bias and blind spots appear to be deeply entrenched into the culture,” it stated.
The town also hired its first Black police chief, Jason Armstrong, in 2021. Crosby, who appointed him, said the community wanted a “candidate who could build trust, provide equitable treatment of all residents to ensure they feel safe in their town, and foster a positive internal culture.”
The N&O will continue trying to reach Crosby and has requested a copy of her contract and any severance package.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published August 1, 2023 at 5:30 AM.