Cary residents grill town leaders over spending report: 'It's pathetic'

CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hundreds of Cary residents packed Town Hall to question town leaders about findings from a state auditor's report alleging a culture of excessive spending, as officials also received an independent report that largely echoed the state's conclusions and recommended reforms.

Residents sharply criticized town leadership during the meeting, expressing frustration over spending practices and oversight failures.

"There's a lot more work to do because your taxpayers can't continue to shoulder the burden. We can't," one resident said.

Another resident challenged council members, saying, "You expect us to believe you were just victims of a mastermind town manager. It's pathetic."

The scrutiny stems from an investigation into questionable spending by former Town Manager Sean Stegall.

According to comments made during the meeting, that investigation expanded into a broader review of town spending, including an alleged video budget exceeding $120,000, custom Ray-Ban sunglasses for council members and several high-end meals.

ALSO SEE | Cary council plans oversight after audit findings

One resident accused town leaders of being "Complicit by accepting expensive dinners, car service, travel, tuition, Ray Ban sunglasses and so much more, all of which contradicts the most recent feigned ignorance of excesses as reported by the state auditor."

Residents also raised concerns about council members' vehicle mileage allowances.

"Taxpayers are essentially paying for your car to drive around town; you are actively failing to manage," one speaker said.

Another resident criticized council oversight, saying, "Failing to ask where that money went isn't a lapse in judgment, it's total negligence of duty."

An independent report presented to the council found significant overlap with the state auditor's findings. Among its key conclusions were the elimination of an internal town auditor position, approval of large transactions by the town manager without council approval, and widespread use of town credit cards.

"If there had been increased transparency in those situations. these operational failures would have come to your attention quicker, and you would have been able to deal with them," said John Cooke of Womble Bond Dickinson.

The report recommended several reforms, including requiring council notification before land deals exceeding $300,000 and reinstating the internal auditor position. Some council members pledged to improve oversight.

"Going forward, you definitely have a council full of people here that are gonna stomp their feet and shout from the rooftops," Council Member Carissa Kohn-Johnson said.

After audience boos, Kohn-Johnson added, "And it's also my job to sit here and take the heat."

The council also adopted a new anti-retaliation policy intended to strengthen protections for whistleblowers who report potential misconduct. Officials said the town has created an online dashboard to track progress on implementing the recommended reforms.

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