Cary council largely unchanged as newcomer joins winning incumbents

Incumbent Don Frantz won a third term on the Cary Town Council Tuesday while longtime Cary resident and businessman Ken George lead the race for the open District D seat but faces a runoff, according to unofficial results.

Frantz, 44, defeated challengers Frank Lazzaro and Gabe Talton with 1,238 votes, or 60 percent of the vote for District B, according to unofficial results. Talton had 727 votes, or 35 percent, while Lazzaro had, 82 votes, or 4 percent.

District D, Cary resident Ken George, 57, had 42 percent of the vote, according to unofficial results. He was followed by Maria Cervania, with 28 percent; Nancy Caggia, with 26 percent of the vote; and Gray Rinehart, with 4 percent. Cervania had 724 votes and Caggia had 670 votes, according to unofficial results.

“I’m very humbled by the numbers,” George said. “I don’t take it lightly the trust those 40-something percent put in me. At this point I’ll just wait to see what happens.”

If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote a race, the candidate automatically is the winner. If no one receives a majority, the candidate who receives the most votes shall be declared the winner, unless the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes requests a runoff election.

George said he has a plan for a runoff, should one be called. Cervania said Wednesday she plans to request a runoff once the Board of Elections completes its official vote count.

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht and At-Large Councilwoman Lori Bush were unopposed in their bids for re-election. Each had 95 percent of the vote.

Frantz, owner of Frantz Automotive Center, won, despite negative campaign mailers sent by Talton last week. Talton criticized Frantz and some of the council’s decisions to invest in downtown, which is part of District B. The district also represents northeast Cary. Frantz said some of the allegations were inaccurate.

“We’re just so thankful for the citizens’ trust and support for me to serve another term on the council,” Frantz said. “I think folks know that Cary is moving in a very positive direction and want to keep it moving in that direction.”

Throughout Frantz’s campaign, he cited the Cary Arts Center, The Cary theater and other investments as some of the current board’s major downtown revitalization efforts during his time in office. He also emphasized the need to maintain that momentum to stimulate more economic development and job creation.

George, founder and president of NetSmart Inc., was running to represent parts of central and west Cary. The seat has been vacant since former councilwoman Gale Adcock was elected to the state House last November.

He focused his campaign on balancing spending for newer areas versus older parts of town to ensure that aging neighborhoods are not neglected.

A runoff election would be held on Nov. 3, when other Wake County municipalities hold their elections.

Weinbrecht and Bush said they are looking forward to another four years on the council.

“I’m very excited that people have faith in me and elected me to serve another four years,” Weinbrecht said. “We have a lot of growth-related issues out west (of town), and we have our downtown that we are just starting to see some of the changes we have worked so hard on. Those are some of the things I’m hoping to work on in the next four years.”

Bush said she wants the council to “continue to move Cary in the great direction that we’ll have an exciting and vibrant downtown.”

This story was originally published October 6, 2015 at 5:25 PM with the headline "Cary council largely unchanged as newcomer joins winning incumbents."