Lengthy Apex (NC) Town Council Meeting Opens With Recognition, Then Shifts to Public Pushback
Teachers of the Year honors, a Peak S.T.A.R. Award, cultural proclamations, and a remembrance resolution preceded resident concerns over transparency and a proposed data center.
Note: The full meeting agenda packet can be found by clicking here
Apex, NC, Feb. 11, 2026 — Last night’s The Apex Town Council’s meeting stretched more than four hours, opening with an extended period of proclamations, recognitions, and a resolution of remembrance that occupied before the Council turned to its regular business.
The opening portion of the meeting included recognition of Teachers of the Year from Apex-based schools, presentation of the Apex Public School Foundation’s Peak S.T.A.R. Award, proclamations marking Black History Month and the town’s first Lunar New Year observance, and a resolution honoring the late Stuart Turner Wagner for his years of volunteer service to Apex transit.
After that extended opening Council moved into the substance of the agenda, which included approval of infrastructure and staffing items under the consent agenda, wide-ranging public comment, multiple annexation requests, and the first public hearing on the FY 2026–27 town operating budget, a sequence that prompted residents to raise questions about affordability, transparency, public health, and the pace of decision-making as the town continues to grow.
Proclamations & Special Presentations
Council first recognized Teachers of the Year from Apex-area schools, honoring educators representing multiple grade levels and campuses across the town. In remarks accompanying the recognition, council members emphasized the role teachers play beyond classroom instruction, noting their influence on student confidence, family stability, and the broader fabric of the community.
Apex-Area Teachers of the Year (2025–26)
(Sorted by school name A–Z; verified against official list)
Apex Elementary — Kellie Grainer
Apex Friendship Elementary — Erin Dunbar
Apex Friendship High — Hillary Kitchen
Apex Friendship Middle — Matin Maani
Apex High — Amy Crump
Apex Middle — Paige Hutto
Baucom Elementary — Marisa McKinney
Felton Grove High — Chad Miller
Laurel Park Elementary — Natalie Sayag
Lufkin Road Middle — Jennifer Lomelino
Middle Creek Elementary — Lisa Woodard
Middle Creek High — Teresa Dwiggins
Oakview Elementary — Jennifer Taylor
Olive Chapel Elementary — Tuyetnga Levesque
Pleasant Plains Elementary — Kinya (Kinney) Bloomer
Salem Elementary — Michelle Gregory
Salem Middle — Sara Roberts
Scotts Ridge Elementary — Stephanie Chase
West Lake Elementary — Tamra Dunstan
West Lake Middle — Melissa Barnhart
White Oak Elementary — Terence “Terry” Lynch
That recognition was followed by presentation of the Apex Public School Foundation’s Quarterly Peak S.T.A.R. Award to Kendra Goggins, assistant principal at Westlake Elementary School. Goggins was recognized for her leadership in creating the school’s Kindergarten Cottage, a purpose-built, play-based learning environment aligned with the North Carolina Kindergarten Course of Study and designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and social-emotional development for early learners.
Council then adopted a Black History Month proclamation, formally recognizing February as a time to reflect on the history, resilience, and contributions of Black Americans, including those who have shaped Apex. The proclamation referenced town-supported events and educational observances planned throughout the month.
Alongside the proclamation, Council also recognized and presented certificates to long-residing Black residents of Apex, acknowledging their decades-long presence in the community and their role in shaping the town’s civic, cultural, and social life.
The meeting next reached a milestone moment for the town with the adoption of its first-ever Lunar New Year proclamation, recognizing 2026 as the Year of the Fire Horse. Community members participating in the presentation spoke about cultural visibility and civic acknowledgment for Apex’s growing Asian American and Pacific Islander population, emphasizing inclusion, intergenerational identity, and the connection between cultural recognition and youth mental health and belonging.
Council also adopted a resolution of remembrance honoring the late Stuart Turner Wagner (obituary), a longtime volunteer and former chair of the Transit Advisory Committee. The resolution recognized Wagner’s years of service advocating for expanded GO Apex routes, door-to-door transit services, and improved accessibility, and reflected on the lasting influence of resident advisory boards on town policy.
The opening portion of the meeting concluded with two informational presentations. An update on the Apex Farmers Market highlighted continued growth in vendor and attendance numbers, expanded SNAP participation, partnerships with local nonprofits such as Meals on Wheels, and efforts to increase community giving while exploring expanded capacity and improved amenities. An annual update to the Town’s Sustainability Action Plan followed, outlining progress over the past year, initiatives underway, and projects scheduled for future phases, with an emphasis on long-term planning rather than new policy actions.
Consent Agenda
Council then approved the consent agenda (document), a set of items typically considered routine and adopted through a single vote unless a council member requests separate discussion. While handled efficiently, the items approved collectively advanced several road, utility, staffing, and administrative actions with near- and long-term implications.
The largest item authorized an agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation related to the Apex Peakway North widening project, covering the stretch between Center Street and Old Raleigh Road. The agreement allows the Town of Apex to move forward with engineering design and right-of-way acquisition for a future four-lane roadway that would include sidewalks, a side path, and traffic signal improvements. Under the agreement, the town assumes responsibility for all upfront engineering and property acquisition costs, with any reimbursement contingent on future federal funding that has not yet been secured. The agreement does not authorize construction but advances the project to the next phase.
Council also approved a $40,000 contract for a 250-drone light show planned for July 3, 2026, as part of the town’s Independence Day celebrations, reflecting rising demand and limited availability for such events nationwide.
Several consent items focused on infrastructure work already underway. Council approved nearly $576,000 for Duke Energy utility relocation associated with Jessie Drive Phase 1, a prerequisite to advancing roadway construction, and approved a construction contract for the town’s 2026 road rehabilitation program, which funds annual resurfacing and maintenance across multiple streets.
Utility system work advanced through approval of a master services agreement and ordinance amendment tied to completion of the town’s water meter system upgrade, a multi-year effort to modernize metering infrastructure. Additional technical actions included abandoning a waterline easement on Vision Drive that is no longer needed and correcting documentation related to a previously approved road closure on Walden Road.
Administrative items included approval of prior Town Council meeting minutes and authorization to add four new staff positions across the Planning, Parks and Recreation, Water Resources, and Stormwater departments, expanding capacity as development and service demands continue to grow. Council also received the December 2025 tax report, providing an end-of-year snapshot of tax collections.
Public Comment
Residents used the public comment portion of the meeting to raise substantive concerns on issues not scheduled for public hearings, focusing on transparency, housing affordability, public health related to large-scale energy infrastructure, and the growing cost pressures facing households.
Several comments centered on access to information, with residents describing difficulty locating staff reports, work-session materials, transportation studies, and development documents without filing public records requests. Speakers contrasted Apex’s approach with nearby municipalities that post such information in centralized, searchable locations, arguing that limited access prevents residents from understanding projects before decisions are made and increases distrust in the process.
Housing affordability emerged as one of the most detailed and personal topics. Residents described Apex as increasingly out of reach for teachers, first responders, and service workers, warning that rising home prices and rents are already affecting workforce stability. Speakers urged the town to expand housing investment tools, preserve existing affordable housing, and support home-preservation efforts.
Multiple speakers raised concerns about a proposed large-scale data center, focusing on public health, environmental impact, and the communication of technical risks. Comments cited emissions from on-site backup generators, potential air-quality impacts near neighborhoods and schools, and questioned whether developer-provided information gives residents enough clarity to evaluate long-term health and emergency-response risks.
As the town begins its next budget cycle, residents also spoke about cost-of-living pressures, particularly for retirees and those on fixed incomes. Speakers described rising property taxes, insurance, utilities, and basic necessities, noting that while incomes remain fixed, expenses continue to rise.
Across topics, residents returned to a common concern: decisions with long-term consequences are advancing faster than the public’s ability to fully understand them.
Public Hearings
Council then moved into formal public hearings (documents), which included annexation requests, the first public hearing on the Fiscal Year 2026–27 town operating budget, and hearings on utility rate and development ordinance changes.
Annexation Requests
Council considered several annexation requests involving individual properties seeking to come into the town’s corporate limits, typically to gain access to municipal services or advance approved development plans. Requests included properties along Roberts Road, Olive Chapel Road, Old U.S. 1 Highway, Apex Peakway, and Secluded Acres, many of which are adjacent to or surrounded by existing town limits.
One annexation tied to a church property drew extended comment related to a proposed septic spray field, with residents raising concerns about groundwater and air-quality impacts. Staff noted that annexation brings property into town limits but does not impose land-use or operational conditions, which are addressed through separate regulatory processes. All annexations were recommended for approval by staff.
FY 2026–27 Operating Budget — First Public Hearing
Council held the first of two required public hearings on the Fiscal Year 2026–27 town operating budget, marking the earliest formal step in the annual budget process. Staff emphasized that the hearing occurs before a proposed budget is drafted and is intended to gather resident priorities early. No tax rates, fee changes, or funding levels were presented for approval.
Staff outlined the upcoming timeline, which includes departmental requests, council work sessions, a second public hearing later in the spring, and final budget adoption anticipated in June. Public input echoed concerns raised earlier in the evening about affordability and spending growth.
Utility Rates and Development Rules
Council also held a public hearing on proposed amendments to commercial electric time-of-use rates, intended to close a policy gap that allowed customers with constant usage to benefit from discounted rates designed to encourage shifting demand away from peak periods. Residential customers are not affected.
The final hearings addressed a rezoning request at 0 Smith Road and a series of Unified Development Ordinance amendments, which govern zoning standards and development requirements across Apex. These hearings were procedural steps in ongoing reviews rather than final adoption.
Note: The full meeting agenda packet can be found by clicking here
Contact
Apex Town Council member contact information can be found by clicking here.