Since my last update in June the Cary Town Council has been busy with several items. Two significant items are our town’s economic health as it relates to growth and the pending retirement of our town manager. In addition, the council has been receiving several questions from citizens. These include a little insight as to why the town is removing an old water tower and why the town requires irrigation system inspections.

The U.S. Census Bureau recently reported that Cary is the fifth fastest growing city in the nation with a rate of over 7 percent. What is important to note about that ranking is that it was done between July 2006 and July 2007 and based on estimates rather than actual counts. So their estimates are not a true reflection of current growth in Cary. By our calculations Cary’s population is over 131,500 as of Aug. 1. This means our population has grown by about 4,000 people in the first seven months of 2008, but even this information is not meaningful by itself.

To get a better understanding of Cary’s growth and how Cary will grow in the future one needs to look at application information. That data shows that 647 single-family permits were submitted during the first six months of 2007 as compared to 209 for the first six months of this year, which reflects the economic slowdown. This will translate to a slowing population growth rate within the next few months. Although Cary’s growth rate may be slower in the next few months, it remains healthy.

Cary continues to grow in residential and nonresidential developments even during the nationwide economic slowdown, which is important since a healthy growth rate (our target is 3-4 percent measured over a five-year rolling average) helps us keep your taxes low — now the lowest in Wake County.

On a sad note, Cary’s town manager, Bill Coleman, will retire as of Oct. 17. Bill has been Cary’s town manager since 1994 and has helped transform Cary from a small suburb of Raleigh into the seventh largest municipality in North Carolina that is one of the most desirable places to live in the country. His departure will leave a large void that will be difficult to fill. The task of finding his replacement falls to the Cary Town Council. This may be the single biggest decision this council will make.

The new town manager will more than likely be here long after this council is gone. The town manager’s position is extremely important to the town and the town’s future. While the town council determines the vision for our community and sets policy, it’s the town manager who implements that vision and policy by hiring and directing the work of more than 1,200 employees. To ensure that Cary has the very best person possible for town manager, the council will likely conduct a search with hopes that existing town staff will apply. Be assured that your town council will do our due diligence in hiring the next town manager of Cary.

One question that we’ve heard from citizens during the last few weeks was why the town was removing the water tower on Kildaire Farm Road across from Cary Elementary. That particular water tower was the first in Cary and is over 50 years old. The integrity of the metal is now in question, its location is no longer ideal, and its storage capacity of 300,000 gallons is much lower than newer water towers, which are in excess of 750,000 gallons. We also already have a replacement water tank in service on Field Street. Some people have suggested using the old tower to store water for future droughts, but that’s not practical because potable water has a shelf life. No longer serving our community, it’s time for the tower to come down, which we expect to happen during the next year.

One other question that generated a lot of interest from citizens was our requirement for irrigation system inspections. These inspections are done to make sure our irrigation systems are operating correctly so that our drinking water doesn’t become accidentally contaminated. Cary’s ordinance was in response to state and federal regulations requiring secure water systems. Specifically, our ordinance was developed to meet the requirements of Rules Governing Water Systems of the N.C. Departmental and Environmental Resources. Simply put, we are required to have an inspection program to keep us safe. While we realize this requirement may be a burden to some, we hope that everyone understands our need and desire for our water supply to remain safe and secure.

Please visit the town’s Web site at townofcary.org and watch our council’s monthly TV show, “Cary Matters,” for more items that are important to you. And as always, thanks for making Cary your home.