The Line: The Next Chapter

Welcome to The Line, a newsletter for Cary and Western Wake from The Assembly Network. The Line connects the dots for local life with timely info, relevant news, interesting people and expert guides. 

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Off the Top: The North Carolina State Auditor’s Office said Monday that an initial investigation into the Town of Cary’s former town manager “indicates potential criminal activity.”

🔎 “The data included a procurement card analysis of several transactions that are potentially indicative of fraud,” the release said.

🚉 Arriving Now

1. What the former town manager’s book says–and cost 
2. The next 2026 resolution
3. Downtown Cary gets juiced
4. Can you guess this coffee shop?

–Sarah Day

What Sean Stegall’s Book Says About His Leadership—And What It Cost the Town of Cary

By Chloe Courtney Bohl

When I interviewed Cary mayor Harold Weinbrecht last week, I asked him what he thinks motivated recently departed former town manager Sean Stegall to purchase land without town council approval, lie about violating Cary’s fund balance policy, foster a negative workplace culture, and in Weinbrecht’s words, “manipulate a lot of people” in town government. 

The mayor said he didn’t know. Investigations by the state auditor’s office and the law firm Womble Bond Dickinson may reveal more in time. An initial analysis by the state auditor’s office “indicates potential criminal activity by the former Town Manager,” per a Monday press release; the auditor is working with the Wake County District Attorney’s office and the State Bureau of Investigation on the matter. 

Absent other details, for now, the closest we can come to reading Stegall’s mind is to read his book, The Top of the Arc.

The News & Observer first reported that Cary paid upwards of $100,000 to ghostwrite, publish, and market The Top of the Arc, which came out last August. The book charts Stegall’s accomplishments and his approach to municipal government leadership. Post-resignation, some passages don’t really hold up. 

In the preface, Stegall shared that he worked with a ghostwriter—identified in public records released to the INDY as Seth Kaufman—who conducted “hours of interviews” with town leaders to learn more about Stegall.

“My collaborator has discussed me behind my back, with my blessing,” Stegall wrote. “He asked people for criticism on or off the record. He didn’t get as much as either of us hoped. Apparently, I’m not very controversial in Cary. The lack of controversy may prove bad for book sales, but it gives me confidence about my performance as town manager.”

I asked Kaufman how much of the book he wrote and whether his interviews revealed any inkling of Stegall’s misconduct. He declined to comment.   

In a chapter titled “How to Be a Good Town Manager,” Stegall described going above and beyond to develop good relationships with each town council member.

“I was being empathetic. But I was also being strategic,” he wrote. “I was keeping a potential opponent to [the project he was working on] close. In this light, good people skills are good political skills.”

That strategy worked for Stegall until it didn’t. Last week, Weinbrecht told me he believed Stegall was his friend and probably overlooked some red flags.

According to the public records, Cary paid Kaufman $50,000 for his work, plus up to $5,000 for expenses. The town also paid about $37,000 to Radius Book Group, an independent publisher, and spent $7,000 on a two-page advertisement in Public Management magazine, among other marketing expenses. As of mid-December, Cary had sold 117 copies for $21.99 each and given away 228 more. 

I asked Cary marketing staff who approved the spending on Stegall’s book and how the ghostwriting and publishing costs compare to other town marketing expenses. They did not respond by our deadline. 

At last week’s town council meeting, a series of public commenters sharply criticized Cary leaders’ insufficient oversight of Stegall.

“The total amount of my and fellow taxpayers’ hard-earned [money] that has been questionably spent or worse is being tabulated as we speak,” Cary resident Elliot Tardif said. “The lack of oversight, communication, leadership, and accountability by this town’s elected leaders is stunning. Regardless of whose duties are whose … the buck is supposed to stop with you all. But the record has shown that under your watch, the bucks are free-range.”

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2026 Community Resolutions

To kick off 2026, The Line asked a few leaders in Cary, Apex, and Morrisville to share their community-wide resolutions. 

We want to convene forward-thinking conversations in this community, so we asked them a simple question: What would you like to see the community embrace to make Western Wake County a better place? Next up to share a resolution is Sue Mu, a town councilmember in Apex. 

Mu: Prioritize Community Mental Health in 2026

Mental health touches every household and every community in some way. In a growing town like Apex, families are juggling work, school pressures, social challenges, financial strain, and sometimes crisis. Too often, families don’t know where to turn, or they wait until stress becomes overwhelming. 

My resolution for 2026 is that we treat mental health with the same urgency and openness as any other part of public health. Keep reading…

💬 Share your thoughts: Reply to this newsletter or drop a note to line@theassemblync.com to tell us what you think of this community resolution. 

🗓️ Share a resolution for The Line: Attend our January 28 event where we will create an interactive community vision board! RSVP here.

In Brief | What I’d Tell You Over Green Jolly Juice

The Refreshery opens in Downtown Cary: For Stephen and Jessica McNulty, it started with a passion for Downtown Cary and a desire for something “good to sip on” that wouldn’t slow them down on early mornings with three young kids. Now two years of planning led to last Friday’s opening of The Refreshery in the new Meridian East Chatham building. 

🥤 With a large community table, bar seating, and its proximity to Downtown Cary Park and the new Mega fitness studio, The Refreshery adds a new gathering space and healthy offerings to the town’s center.

🥤What you’ll find: Cold-press juices, cold brew coffee, draft matcha and tea, and a market full of nutritious snacks. Keep reading for more details and drink recommendations.

📣 Protests took place across the Triangle this weekend, including in Cary, after an immigration agent shot and killed Minneapolis woman Renee Nicole Good last week, INDY reports.

⚽ The NC Courage signed Olympic gold medalist and Canadian national team goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan to a two-year contract. 

Guess the Coffee Shop

I’m out in Western Wake County talking over coffee and reporting for The Line. Can you guess where I am? 

Reply to this email or send your guess to line@theassemblync.com. The prize? Bragging rights, and maybe a shoutout in The Line!