Cary, North Carolina, U.S.A. – After a former town manager spent more than $1 million in taxpayer funds on perks for himself and city councilors – including chauffeurs, Ray-Ban sunglasses and a $120 ribeye steak – the town of Cary is struggling to rebuild trust with citizens.
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Sean Stegall was serving as town manager in 2025 when the purchases – outlined in a state audit – took place. He resigned in December 2025 with a nearly $200,000 severance package after his actions came to light.
North Carolina’s state auditor recently released a report on the town of Cary’s spending that detailed the purchases.
In addition to the steak and sunglasses, Stegall also splurged on a hotel stay and tuition fees for a city councilor, according to the state audit, which is published on the town website.
The money for these purchases came directly from taxpayer dollars and public town funds.
Cary residents criticized the actions of the town government, furious with how their money was spent. They also pushed for transparency.
Sharon Tobias, a Cary resident, spoke up at a July council meeting.
“Your taxpayers can’t continue to shoulder the burden,” regarding the extensive expenses, Tobias said.
For Cary, bridging the gap between the people and the government remains one of the town’s top priorities.
“Two-way, consistent, and complete communication as well as a track record of keeping promises are keys to building and maintaining trust,” said Susan Moran, Cary’s chief strategy officer, in an interview with Youth Journalism International.
Maintaining trust is important, and the initiatives being taken in Cary, like ‘Tone at the Top,’ give hope to a restoration of confidence in the government, according to Moran.
Moran said the town’s Biennial Resident Satisfaction Survey showed that “Cary residents trust town government more than county, state or federal” government.
At the July council meeting, Councilwoman Carissa Kohn-Johnson addressed the spending, and expressed her opinions on what the government should have done instead.
“We’ve got a lot of policies in place. They were, in a lot of circumstances, violated,” Kohn-Johnson said, adding, “… what I believe is true transparency to get us out of this mess is to really make sure that information is public.”
Kohn-Johnson said she could not say that she had no culpability in the situation, and that she should have been “stomping her feet” when the expenses were being made.
Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht declined an interview request. He directed a reporter to find his comments on his own weekly blog, where he said he welcomed civic engagement, but added that respectful dialogue is of utmost importance.
“Every resident has the right to express concerns, ask difficult questions, and disagree with decisions made by their elected officials,” he wrote in a late summer entry. “What no one has is the right to silence others, intimidate speakers, or create an atmosphere where respectful dialogue becomes impossible.”
Hiring a communications director, which will occur in early 2027, and reestablishing a communications department will help, said Moran.
Riona Richard is a Reporter with Youth Journalism International.
