Cary, NC – This week’s primary activity was the Cary Chamber Planning conference in Pinehurst.

The week started on Tuesday with an inquiry from a Triangle Business Journal reporter. They wanted to know about economic development investments in Cary.

Wednesday – Opioid Pilot Program

Wednesday I met briefly with a group working on Bloomberg Opioid pilot program. Visiting were coaches from Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Dean of Public Health from John Hopkins with two associates. This was a working meeting to help with the next grant application from Bloomberg. Read more

Cary, NC – This week’s entry will be short since there wasn’t much going on.

Monday – Local Dentist Office

Monday started with my one-on-one with the town manager. We talked about a downtown business, the paid speakers at the public hearing at our last council meeting, the future downtown park, and a business near the mall site. Our conversation was very brief.

Monday afternoon I participated in a business contest at a dentist office. This is a contest with local dental-related practices hosted by Nu Image Surgical and Dental Implants. The contest involves participating staffs taking a creative photos using a Nu Image towel. I joined the staff at the office of TMJ & Sleep Therapy Center for a photo. Hopefully the image the staff with the towel and me holding ribbon cutting scissors will help them win the contest.  Read more

Cary, NC – This week was a holiday week so there were very few activities.

Monday – Craigslist Speakers

Monday I met with the town manager for my weekly one-on-one. We talked about several topics including a downtown business and an incident at the last council meeting where someone allegedly paid speakers to advocate for their project.

After talking with the town manager and others here is my understanding incident of the paid speakers. On the evening of the last council meeting someone posted on Craig’s list that they would pay $50 for speakers. During the council meeting this information was being passed around amongst council members but I was not informed.

There were three public hearings but only one had speakers. One can only speculate that the paid speakers were for the public hearing with speakers. That public hearing was a proposal for a hotel with twice the allowed height, no sidewalks, and reduction in streetscape and buffers. (The applicant and the applicant’s representative later both denied anything to do with paying speakers and said it was someone trying to sabotage the proposal.) I was made aware of the incident after the meeting. Read more