Cary residents demand transparency in aftermath of town manager resignation

Calls for transparency and pleas for answers about town spending were top priorities for Cary residents who spoke at Thursday’s Town Council meeting.

The meeting was the first time residents could publicly address the council since leaders forced Town Manager Sean Stegall to resign in December over concerns of questionable spending and what Mayor Harold Weinbrecht called the creation of an “unhealthy” work environment.

And emotions were high. Speaker after speaker expressed feelings of disrespect and being left out of the loop when it comes to how their taxpayer money is being spent.

Over a dozen residents spoke, with most condemning Stegall’s spending and how the town addressed it. Several more residents submitted written complaints.

At least one person Thursday praised the council for how it’s trying move forward.

And while some criticized Stegall, others focused on the Town Council, some of whose members may have known about issues within the manager’s office.

“What censure have these council members received? And what justice is there for the town of Cary and its citizens?” asked Rene Miller, who unsuccessfully ran for Town Council in November. “The citizens deserve swift investigations and integrity in their public officials.”

Since Stegall was placed on administrative leave in November, The News & Observer has reported on allegations of misspent money, including payments to fund Mayor pro tem Lori Bush’s Northwestern master’s degree, which was paid back; an over $1 million land deal that was made without the full council’s knowledge; and over $150,000 spent on a book lauding Stegall’s leadership.

Thursday’s meeting was sometimes contentious. When applause erupted from the audience, Weinbrecht reminded attendees more than once that they were attending a “business meeting.” He threatened to adjourn until he had control if the audience kept applauding after spirited comments from their neighbors.

Not everyone in the audience was in favor of the mayor trying to quiet the council chambers.

“You seem to be more content with keeping control of us as citizens than controlling what’s going on in your own chambers, in your own offices,” said Emanuela Prister, who pushed back on Weinbrecht’s calls for decorum.

“You’ve seemed to have forgotten that you, all of you, each one of you, are civil servants; that’s the job you took voluntarily. We are the sovereigns.”

Prister said town leaders tried to keep Cary residents in the dark and followed up by asking each member of the council — and the longtime mayor — to resign. She wasn’t alone in that call.

“The most honorable thing to do is to just simply just step down,” Hanif J. Williams said during the meeting. “Stand before the people and say, ‘A mistake was made, I apologize and because I love the town of Cary, I’m going to step down’ and people are left whether to forgive you or to hold you accountable.”

Town leaders review policies

In a council work session before the full meeting, Council Member Sarika Bansal voiced concerns about town policies. Bansal moved to direct staff to review policies related to the town manager’s spending authority, money spent on employee professional development and council review of purchases.

Bansal said she wants a review of senior staff travel and other expenses and directed staff to conduct a “deep dive” into the town’s finances with the council.

“This request is solely focused on governance, transparency and ensuring that our policies remain strong here and align with best practices,” Bansal said during the work session.

Council member Carissa Kohn-Johnson and Bush also prepared a similar motion. It overlapped with Bansal’s motion with one key difference, adding the two elected officials would like a policy discussion around when council should approve land acquisitions.

Cary has hired Womble Bond Dickinson Law Firm to investigate the situation. Meanwhile, the State Auditor’s Office is also conducting a review. Town officials have said they’re cooperating with the auditor’s office.

This story was originally published January 8, 2026 at 9:41 PM.

Nathan Collins

The News & Observer

Nathan Collins is an investigative reporter at The News & Observer. He started his career in public radio where he earned statewide recognition for his accountability reporting in Dallas, Texas. Collins is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and a former professional musician.