2020 Water Main Replacement Project

This quarter, the annual water main replacement project shifted to Washington Street. While staff worked, area residents identified stormwater issues along the low section of the street. Through teamwork and coordination, Cary incorporated some minor stormwater improvements in addition to completing the water line replacement. 

Swift Creek Pump Station 

To allow for a smoother and more efficient pumping operation, Cary installed an additional pump and electrical controls at the Swift Creek Pump Station in October. The pump station, originally built in 1989, is located off Holly Springs Road and serves portions of downtown and southern Cary.

Cary Recognized at the N.C. American Water Works Association Conference

In November, the N.C. American Water Works Association recognized Cary as having top performing large wastewater collection and water distribution systems at its annual conference. This is the second year running that Cary has been named number one in the state for these awards. Staff continue to do amazing work in managing and maintaining Cary’s infrastructure and are proud to receive this recognition once again. Equally noteworthy, the association also awarded Peter Wetterling, a senior mechanic/operator at the South Cary Water Reclamation Facility, the Safe Water Maintenance Technologist of the Year Excellence Award, which recognizes the individual who contributed much to the successful operation and maintenance of wastewater facilities. 

Fire Department Awarded Class I ISO Rating

The Fire Department learned in October that Cary’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification will remain a Class I. In fact, the overall community score improved since 2015. By classifying their ability to suppress fires, ISO helps communities evaluate their public fire-protection services, and by securing lower fire insurance premiums for communities with better public protection, the program provides incentives and rewards for communities that choose to improve their public fire protection capabilities. Notable areas in which Cary earned higher scores are in the Emergency Communications Center due to enhancements in operational resilience and in the Fire Department for its collaborative deployment model with Apex and Morrisville fire departments and a more comprehensive training program.

Fire Department Gets COVID-19 Vaccine

Fire Department employees began receiving their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine December 30. Fire Chief Mike Cooper, Deputy Chief Michael Martin, and Assistant Chief Matt Jacoby joined A-Shift staff the first day. Wake County Human Services and Wake County Fire Services coordinated an extensive effort to provide vaccinations to all county fire and EMS staff due to occupational exposure risks and as part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services vaccine deployment plan for high-risk healthcare workers and first responders. The Fire Department recognizes the tremendous importance of the vaccine to help ensure it remains resilient to respond to the needs of the community. The Fire Department also joined other county departments in producing a video encouraging the practice of the 3Ws: wear, wait, and wash.

Fire Station Energy Savings

As part of the new Fire Station 9 project, staff participated in Duke Energy’s Smart $aver Incentives New Construction Energy Efficiency Design Assistance program. The program assists in evaluating potential energy conservation strategies for new building projects during the design and construction phases. By participating in this program, Fire Station 9 will save an estimated $7,539 per year, or 31% energy consumption cost savings. Duke Energy also provided a one-time $9,255 rebate for completing the program. In addition to the energy savings at Fire Station 9, Cary has further benefited from the program by applying the rebate to convert all exterior lighting at Fire Station 7 to LED. The LED conversion at Fire Station 7 reduces energy usage by 73% and will save an estimated $3,104 per year. 

Work Continues on President Obama’s Police Reform Pledge

The internal Initial Review Team continued meeting weekly to discuss current police department programs, services, policies, and policing standards. The 21st Century Policing document provided a framework for the group’s assessment. After reviewing each of the eight pillars, the team tapped subject matter experts on recruitment, training, and records retention to answer questions around Cary’s current practices. To align with the Mayor’s Pledge initiative, members of this team have been representing Cary in a statewide cohort study that is analyzing calls for service data in Cary. The information gained from the analysis will help us better understand Cary’s needs and identify possible alternative responses with available resources. This information will be helpful as the group moves into collaborative review and engagement sessions.

Winter Wonderland Mobile Edition

Every year, the Cary Police Department’s Project PHOENIX partners with several nonprofit and faith-based organizations, including Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Covenant Christian Church, U.S. Veterans Corps., and the Cary Citizens Assisting Police (CAP) team to provide Christmas for children throughout Cary. On December 12, PHOENIX officers delivered donated toys and gifts to families to help make their holiday special.

Home Security Seminar

On November 24, nearly two dozen citizens joined an online presentation on home security presented by Officer Patrick Fox. These quarterly seminars will replace the in-person, residential/commercial security assessments Cary previously conducted. 

Early voting for the 2020 general election was held at two Cary locations, Herb Young Community Center and the Cary Senior Center, from October 15–31. During this period, 47,763 Wake County residents voted in Cary. More details surrounding daily turnout can be found on the Wake County Board of Elections website.

Fall marks the one-year anniversary of the Cary Collects app. With additional outreach campaigns, 67% of households are now using the web tool or mobile app to access their solid waste collection schedule, an increase from 57% last quarter. Ongoing marketing efforts also boosted adoption, reaching 10,000 mobile app downloads in November.

Celebrating Chris Simpson  

After more than 20 years of service to Cary, including serving as town attorney for 15 years, Chris Simpson retired December 16. Chris leaves behind a remarkable legacy, having worked on all of the major projects of the last 20 years that made Cary Cary. In addition to serving Cary, she served the legal profession in many ways and was recognized for that in 2019 when she received the Grainger Barrett award for excellence, which honors outstanding government and public sector attorneys. Mayor Harold Weinbrecht summed it up best when he said, “While we will certainly miss her in a legal capacity, we will miss her more as a friend. There isn’t a kinder and gentler person than Chris Simpson.”