Black Mountain leaders select interim town manager

Richard Hicks to begin temporary administrative role, Jan. 20

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
January 5, 2026

The Black Mountain Town Council holds a special called meeting, Jan. 5, voting, 4-0, to appoint Richard Hicks interim town manager. Photo by Fred McCormick

The search for an interim town manager for the Town of Black Mountain ended, Jan. 5, following a unanimous vote by elected officials. 

Richard Hicks, who has held temporary administrative positions for nearly a dozen municipalities since retiring from the Town of Farmville after serving as its manager for 21 years, will step into the role for Black Mountain, Jan. 20. 

The 4-0 vote, with Vice Mayor Archie Pertiller, Jr. out of town, came as the town council held its fifth special called meeting since current manager, Josh Harrold, announced, Dec. 10, he was stepping down from the position after seven years. Harrold’s resignation, which cited values that no longer align with those of elected officials, is effective, Jan. 27. 

Elected officials, on Dec. 23, conducted interviews with two potential candidates in closed sessions, pursuant to N.C. General Statute 143-318.11.  

The extensive professional background of Hicks, who will bring more than four decades of experience in local government administration to the position, proved to be the deciding factor, according to Councilmember Ryan Stone. 

“Not only does he have experience serving as interim manager, but he spent more than 20 years in one community, dealing with various issues” Stone said. “He was also highly recommended by colleagues and other folks in the N.C. City and County Management Association, as well as the (N.C.) League of Municipalities and School of Government.”

Hicks, who retired as the town manager of Farmville in 2010, most recently held the interim role in Waxhaw from November of 2024 through August of 2025. His previous tenures as interim town, city or county manager include time in Mayodan, Sylva, Angier, Elizabeth City and other municipalities. He has requested an overlap of a few days with the current manager.

Councilmember Doug Hay expects the temporary administrator to support the day-to-day operations of the town and assist the community through the transition, as the board searches for a permanent manager. 

“He’s served multiple times as interim town manager, so he has the ability to step in, from day one, and hit the ground running,” Hay said. “It’s important to me that no services are impacted during this process, so he’s not simply filling a seat, he’s actively serving as town manager during this time.”

Hicks, who oversaw major infrastructure, utility and downtown revitalization projects during his career in Farmville, will bring experience in emergency management and disaster recovery to the office, according to a press release from the Town. 

“He served as a regional liaison for hurricane relief with the N.C. Division of Emergency Management and has worked closely with state and federal partners, including FEMA, to support communities responding to natural disasters and recovery efforts,” the statement said. 

While the interim manager’s experience, leadership style and familiarity with municipal governments throughout the state will allow him to effectively serve Black Mountain during his time in the office, Stone also views his upcoming arrival as an "opportunity to turn the page.”

“This is a fresh start for folks, and I’m looking for someone to open up town hall, so people can come in and address whatever grievances they may have,” he said. “I would like him to take a holistic approach at viewing the organization. I’m hoping we can look at what we’re doing, find out what we can do better and what we can do more efficiently.”

The council member believes Hicks can be a partner and sounding board as the board moves ahead with its search for a permanent town manager. 

Officials and personnel attorney Susan Russo Klein discussed options for executive search firms to assist in identifying candidates, following the announcement of an interim. The board was given seven options to review, including Piedmont Triad Regional Council and Florida-based MGT. 

While the cost of the majority of the services was around $25,000, according to Hay, the Piedmont Regional Council offered a cost-effective alternative. Hay, Mayor Michael Sobol, Councilmembers Alice Berry and Pam King each expressed support for the available resources of the larger firms, but Stone advocated for the consideration of the regional council’s service. 

“Personally, my preference would be to go with Piedmont Triad,” he said. “I think, for the additional services you get, they will provide you with all the basic services of what these others are going to do.”

Although larger firms offer various assessments and vetting resources, the ultimate decision remains up to elected officials, he added. 

“Whoever sits in these seats has to look at these (candidates) and determine what they want in that capacity,” Stone said. “I trust myself to look at the resumes of folks who come in and who can do this job and who can’t. Once we reach a number of finalists, whatever that may be, I think we can schedule interviews and do background checks in a more cost effective way.”

The council member, who served during a similar transition process in 2018, would support whatever the board decided, he continued. 

“What Black Mountain has going for it, and Mike (Sobol) can attest to this too, because he’s done manager searches as well, is that this is an attractive opportunity for folks,” Stone said. “Whether using a search firm or the League of Municipalities or City County Managers Association postings, you’re going to get qualified applicants from across the country. It’s just a matter of looking at those.”

That process can require significant time from elected officials, according to Sobol.

“You need to keep that in mind, because you guys will be the ones to decide how to divvy up the different functions,” he said. “That’s why I would recommend going with a firm, even though it will be approximately $20,000 more.”

The board requested the attorney acquire recorded audio or video presentations from MGT and the Piedmont Regional Council before its upcoming special called meeting at 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 8.

“If we have that by Thursday, at the meeting that day, we can have this discussion and request follow-up questions if we need to,” Hay said. “Otherwise, if we can have this discussion added to the agenda meeting, maybe we could vote on Thursday.”