North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek said Tuesday his team is reviewing more town credit card statements and internal emails from Cary officials as his office's probe of the town's financial practices remains open.
Boliek met with the Cary Rotary Club on Tuesday to discuss the state's findings on the town's financial status.
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Boliek addressed his office's recent 2,600-page report on Cary's financial mismanagement and questionable spending practices. He previously described the town's situation as "a culture of extravagant spending of tax dollars by elected officials and the staff."
Boliek said his team worked on auditing just under two years of spending records and that his group is expected to comb through more. He added that the town recently raised property taxes to pay for public safety and fire services.
Among the most noteworthy items in the report, the town issued 828 procurement cards, which is 62% of its employee base. The report noted that 10% of employees possess the same card in Charlotte, the largest city in the state.
"I think it's a reasonable question to ask," Boliek said to an audience at MacGregor Downs Country Club. "Is that a proper use of taxpayer dollars?"
Among its findings were $121,314 on video production for a retreat in Wilmington and $65,653 for a ghostwriter to write a book about Sean Stegall's management style. Stegall resigned in December 2025.
"The one thing I looked for in the video was the one line that I didn't hear and that one line was how this event and this effort would somehow do something to help the people of Cary," Boliek said.
The State Auditor's office has said the spending went largely unquestioned by Cary's elected officials. After Stegall's resignation in late 2025, town officials say they've already begun to make changes.
Cary has launched an online dashboard where the public can track the town's progress in implementing nearly 40 recommendations that officials say will boost oversight and transparency.
A Cary spokesperson did not immediately respond to WRAL's request for comment on the auditor's remarks and ongoing probe.