Town of Cary
Home MenuCary's Form of Government
Cary is governed by a council-manager form of government, similar to many other cities in the United States including Raleigh, Charlotte, and Greensboro. In this form of government, the people elect a mayor and councilmembers who set policies and pass laws. These elected officials also hire a professional manager to run the operations of the town.
Background
Authorized by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1871, the Town of Cary is a municipal corporation of the state of North Carolina and is governed by a council-manager form of administration as provided for in North Carolina general statutes (see NC Chapter 160A).
Born out of the U.S. progressive reform movement at the turn of the 20th century, the council-manager form of administration was created to help combat corruption and unethical activity within local government. Reformers wanted local governments to be more transparent, accountable, and ethical, so they developed a system that separates policy decisions from the management of daily operations.
NC Models of Government
In the council-manager model, voters elect a board — in Cary, that is a Mayor and six Councilmembers — which represents the community, sets policies, passes laws, and guides the town’s overall priorities. The board also hires a professionally trained manager who they entrust with overseeing operations and directing staff. By design, Council is disconnected from the day-to-day affairs of staff.
This is similar to the structure used by many corporations, in which the board of directors hires an experienced CEO, who is granted broad, executive authority to run the organization. While these boards establish the company’s overall policy direction, the CEO oversees implementation of that policy.
The council-manager model differs from more the commonly known mayor-council model, or “strong mayor,” which is typically implemented in very large cities and very small towns. In a mayor-council system, voters elect a mayor to lead the community, hire staff, and oversee all day-to-day operations and services.
This International City Manager Association (ICMA) video discusses the benefits of the council-manager structure:
Today in Cary
In Cary, the council-manager administrative structure emphasizes professional administration and provides a clear separation between policymaking and operations. Cary Councilmembers serve on a part-time basis and directly appoint three staff members — the town attorney, the town clerk, and the town manager. While Council conducts annual performance evaluations of these staff members, they do not approve individual spending or oversee their day-to-day work.
As the chief executive officer of the government, the town manager implements the Council’s policies and oversees all government operations. The manager advises the Council on all issues, proposes the annual budget, and coordinates the work of all professional staff not appointed by Council. Cary’s staff develops and implements projects, programs, and services in support of Council’s vision and is responsible for day-to-day operations. Currently Cary employs over 1,300 staff to serve in more than 460 unique positions, according to the following organizational structure.
View a more detailed version (PDF) of this organization chart.
Through the council-manager form of government, our Town maintains a strong foundation for thoughtful, less political decision-making and effective long-term planning. This structure supports Cary’s commitment to innovation, transparency, and community engagement, helping ensure we remain well-positioned to meet future challenges while preserving the high quality of life residents value and expect.
Additional Resources & Learning
UNC School of Government: About City and County Managers