Cary Town Council meets Tuesday night. Will it discuss town manager’s paid leave?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Cary council reconvenes after Sean Stegall placed on paid leave; town offers no reason.
- Town fails to respond to public records requests; 2023 pay for Stegall was $359,073.
- Meeting agenda lists council policy discussions amid transparency demands.
The Cary Town Council meets Tuesday night, nearly three weeks since Town Manager Sean Stegall was placed on paid administrative leave.
The town has provided no explanation or details about the move, and Town Council members have mostly declined to talk about it.
Last week, The News & Observer reported the town had paid $37,397 to cover the tuition costs for Town Council member Lori Bush to pursue a master’s degree through Northwestern University’s Public Policy program. Bush said she paid the money back in recent weeks after concerns were raised by a public-records request.
But Bush and council member Carissa Kohn-Johnson said the tuition payment was not why the manager was put on leave.
“That’s all I am comfortable saying, is that there isn’t some salacious discovery on the horizon,” Kohn-Johnson said.
Wake County GOP calls for transparency
In a weekend statement, the Wake County Republican Party said the Cary Town Council “has been embroiled in scandal.’
“While council members are routinely afforded paid professional development, we hardly think nearly $40,000 for a Masters Degree qualifies as such — this is a handout which had no public vote,” according to the GOP statement. “Every member of the council owes it to their constituents to call for the resignation of everyone involved in this abuse of power. We also demand to know immediately the reason for the Town Manager’s suspension.”
The town of Cary has not responded to The N&O’s questions about the manager, nor responded to multiple public records requests, including for a copy of Stegall’s contract. The town aims to respond to public records request within 10 business days, according to its website. That would be this week.
Stegall was hired in 2016 from Elgin, Illinois. In addition to his contract, The N&O has asked for his current salary, his spending records and when he was officially placed on leave. In 2023, his total compensation was $359,073, which included a $20,000 bonus.
Stegall has not responded to multiple requests for comment, including a note The N&O left at his home.
Two items on Town Council’s agenda
The agenda for Tuesday’s Town Council meeting is short.
It lists two items: “discussion on council priorities items: town council policies” and a closed session. The policies are not listed on the agenda, but Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht wrote in his weekly blog post that the following would be potentially discussed:
- Rules of procedure for the Cary Town Council
- Boards and Commissions General Rules of Order
- Ethics Policy for Town Council
- Conflicts of Interest and Gift Policy for Federal Procurement
However, the town would not clarify Monday night whether this is a routine meeting for new council members or prompted by something else like the town manager’s paid leave.
The work session begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkerson Ave.
This story was originally published December 9, 2025 at 8:09 AM.
