Apex’s new town manager, Katy Crosby, has spent most of her career in Ohio, but when the experienced municipal leader visited North Carolina, she knew Apex was for her.
“I looked at the town; it’s beautiful. I love being outdoors,” she said. “I researched the council, and they seemed like a great group of individuals to work with. I researched more about the community when I came to visit, and I met the leadership team. I was committed then.”
The gregarious Crosby started work in July, and one of her first priorities was meeting town staff and community leaders. And like many other new residents, she soon discovered the charm of Apex’s green spaces, walkable streets, and its independent downtown shops.
Amber Keister, senior editor of Cary Magazine, and Nick Bryant, with Peak City Podcast, recently spoke with Katy Crosby about getting to know Apex and a few more of her professional priorities.
A: Apex has grappled over the years with balancing growth and keeping its small-town identity. Can Apex have both?
K: There’s ways that you can have elements of both. I think it’s going to be really hard not to have the growth aspect of it, because we’ve grown so fast.
To maintain that (small-town) element it’s really about the aesthetics of the community. One of the things that the council has committed to is maintaining the downtown. … And then just the leadership, how the leadership interacts with the community and making sure that they’re touching base with the residents, and that the residents feel that the town is accessible.
A: You’ve been really out in the community, meeting with people.
K: I think it also helps that I’m in a walkable community, so I’ve been able to meet some of my neighbors, talk to them and they’ve been able to introduce me to people. I always tell folks, “Please, if you see me out, introduce yourself. Say hello!” I’m more than happy to meet folks for coffee or tea, because I want to get to know the community that I’m working for.
N: How are you as town manager addressing the need for diversity and inclusivity in town government?
K: We’re in the process of creating a diversity, equity and inclusion position. …The other thing that we’re planning for is a community engagement person. We’re looking at how we’re reaching out to our neighborhoods, and that individual will be responsible for getting to know our residents, understanding the different populations that are represented in our community, and making sure that we’re celebrating the culture of and the value that those cultures bring to our community.
A: What are some other top priorities?
Housing affordability is something that’s a huge priority for (the) council. If you watch the council meetings, you’ll hear them talk about the developments that are coming along. There’s a lot of discussion about affordability, and how we make sure that we have different types of housing for the individuals that are coming here, and making sure that that aligns with our economic development strategy.
And then I’m sure you are aware of the school situation and school capacity, so continuing to work with our partners to address the need for school capacity. It’s very important that we work with our partners on that, because the schools are a function of the county. We have a great relationship now, and so continuing that relationship and keeping those lines of communication open about our needs.
The same thing with infrastructure and roads and making sure that people have access in and out. That’s not something that we directly have control over, but continuing to work with our partners to make sure that we keep those lines of communication open about our needs.
A: Anything else to follow up with?
K: I am so excited to be here. …Everyone has been so friendly and welcoming. The team that I work with has been awesome. It’s a really talented group of individuals, and I’m just looking forward to learning more about the community.
Listen to the full interview on Peak City Podcast! Peak City Podcast is your resource for everything Apex, building bridges in the community to support strong, vibrant and engaged citizens! Listen to this and other episodes at peakcitypodcast.com.
