Russ Overton Sworn In as Cary Town Manager, Ending 11-Month Interim Stint

Russ Overton was officially sworn in Thursday as Cary's town manager, bringing an end to roughly 11 months in an interim role. He took over the post last December after former Town Manager Sean Stegall resigned.

Overton drew a round of applause at the ceremony. "I'm incredibly proud of what we all continue to accomplish together. I believe our best days are ahead of us," he said.

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht said Overton's knowledge of the town and his track record made him the right pick. Describing the past 11 months as difficult for an organization he called strong, Weinbrecht said Cary needed "somebody that knows Cary very, very well," with the experience and knowledge to keep it "one of the best communities in the nation."

Stegall's departure came after he was placed on leave, amid financial problems and concerns about a culture of excessive spending. Overton stepped in as the town faced later audits and investigations.

Councilmember Carissa Kohn-Johnson said that left him little room to maneuver. "As interim town manager, Russ Overton had absolutely no wiggle room," she said.

Council members chose not to run a national search for the job, opting instead for someone already familiar with Cary. Kohn-Johnson acknowledged that some people believed the town should have started from scratch, but defended the decision. She said longevity and continuity are what Cary needs "to keep our town stable and to keep delivering the services that our residents have come to expect."

Overton has also been part of the team working to put in place recommendations that came out of an audit. Measures discussed at Thursday's ceremony included reviewing town credit card purchases, reinstating an internal auditor position and strengthening oversight of town finances.

Kohn-Johnson said residents should expect closer scrutiny of spending and policy. "They're also going to see that there's going to be absolute concerted effort for us to question every spend, to look at every single policy we have, and make sure that our staff behavior, our council behavior, matches the policies that we have in place," she said.

Overton's contract took effect Thursday, immediately after the council's vote. He will be paid $344,000 a year.