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2025-11-12 - Town Council Regular Meeting

Summary

Built from the approved minutes (a summary record, not a transcript). No video or agenda packet is on file for this meeting.

  • Regular meeting called to order at 6:01 p.m. by Mayor Cawley. All seven members were present: Mayor Cawley, Mayor Pro Tem Garimella, and Council Members Donna Fender (Fender), Johnson, Steve Rao (Rao), Robotti and Vicki Scroggins-Johnson. Frank Gray was Town Attorney.
  • Agenda adopted 7-0 (Robotti moved, Johnson seconded) with a closed session personnel item added at the Town Manager's request. The consent agenda (one item, the Public Works Facility design-build) passed 7-0 on Johnson's motion, seconded by Robotti; nothing was pulled.
  • Proclamations acknowledged for World Pancreatic Cancer Day (read by Johnson), Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Small Business Saturday. No public comment. The FY2026 first quarter financial and budget administrative report drew no questions.
  • Council comments followed the November 2025 election: members congratulated the incoming and returning members and the Mayor on reelection. Scroggins-Johnson said turnout was 50% higher than in 2023 and that she was honored to be reelected for a fourth term. Fender and Rao spoke about their terms ending (Council Transition After 2025 Election). Town Manager Zuidema reminded Council of advisory committee recruitment, new microphones and the upcoming retreat. Fender encouraged residents to attend Green Day and recycle electronics.

Alternative Transit Study

  • Bret Martin and consultants from VHB presented the final report and recommendations of the Alternative Transit Study; staff stressed funding options that would maximize the Town's contribution. No vote; the item came back for action on November 25.
  • Fender, Robotti and Scroggins-Johnson objected that the proposed fixed routes skip Breckenridge, Kitts Creek and Church Street neighborhoods and do not fix wait times. Fender asked for an advance booking option; consultants said the recommendations already included advance booking and more vehicles. Staff noted that no peer community runs a single microtransit vehicle.
  • Scroggins-Johnson opposed fixed routes, favored more vehicles and nodes, an advance reservation pilot and the new WakeMed medical center as a stop, and said she was not ready to accept the results. Robotti suggested a nominal fare with exceptions for seniors and children. Staff said four current nodes are shared with Cary.
  • Garimella wanted fixed routes through neighborhoods serving commuters and local connections. Mayor Cawley supported fixed routes and faster implementation along with more microtransit vehicles. Johnson supported adding vehicles, nodes and advance booking now and a phased approach.
  • Staff said extra vehicles and nodes could be added under the current agreement, while major changes wait for the next funding application period in late 2026, and that fixed routes need time to meet ADA standards and could be ready by FY2028. The record shows no consensus on starting implementation. See also Smart Shuttle Service Expansion.

FY2025 Annual Financial Report

  • Chief Financial Officer Byron Hayes and Lee Ann Watters of the auditing firm Cherry Bekaert presented the FY2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and fund balance report: a clean (unmodified) opinion and the GFOA Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting, with one audit finding already corrected. The single audit report was delayed by the federal government shutdown. See FY2025 Annual Financial Report.

Annexations

  • Watkins Road Annexation: Shelly Mayo presented the request for 0 Watkins Road. Johnson moved, and Robotti seconded, Resolution 2025-382-0A (sufficiency of the petition) and Resolution 2025-382-0B (setting the public hearing); both carried 7-0.
  • Duke Energy Airport Boulevard Annexation: Rachel Cypher presented the request for 429 Airport Boulevard. Robotti moved, and Johnson seconded, Resolution 2025-341-0A (sufficiency) and Resolution 2025-341-0B (setting the hearing); both carried 7-0.

Airport Boulevard Phase 1 work session

  • Michele Stegall and Mark Spanioli led a discussion of the Airport Boulevard Extension. Scroggins-Johnson asked to pause it, citing child safety near schools, tree canopy and the order of the McCrimmon flyover project. Fender objected to a proposed 45 mph limit and wanted 35 mph and a barrier at the school. Johnson, Rao, Robotti and Garimella backed continuing with safety measures; Mayor Cawley supported continuing while working with NCDOT, and favored 45 mph once Phase 2 is complete.
  • Staff listed the costs of delay, including lost funding opportunities, remaining expenses, lost trust with regional partners and a possible federal repayment. Council reached consensus for staff to pursue a lower speed limit, crossing guards and other school safety measures, and to explore restriping the new section to two lanes until Phase 2.

Public Works Facility

  • The consent agenda approved Resolution and Capital Project Ordinance Amendment 2025-385-0 authorizing Phase 1 design-build for the Public Works Facility Design-Build project.

Closed session

  • On Rao's motion (seconded by Johnson, 7-0) Council entered closed session at 10:27 p.m. under N.C.G.S. 143-318.11(a)(4) (economic development) and (a)(6) (personnel). Robotti moved to return to open session (seconded by Scroggins-Johnson, 7-0) at 10:57 p.m. See Novartis Project Titan and Maple Oak Incentive Agreement for the economic development incentive that came to a public hearing on November 25.
  • Recesses at 8:06 p.m. and 9:20 p.m.; adjourned at 10:59 p.m. on Robotti's motion, seconded by Scroggins-Johnson (7-0).

Issues discussed

Data note: the minutes once call the Mayor "Council Member Cawley"; this page treats those lines as Mayor Cawley.

Sources