Black Mountain mayor resigns

Don Collins steps down three years into term

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 10, 2020

Nearly three years into his first term in office, Black Mountain Mayor Don Collins is stepping down. 

Collins, who was elected mayor in 2017, announced his resignation near the end of the Aug. 10 board of aldermen regular monthly meeting. 

“It’s been my honor and privilege to serve you these past nine years,” Collins said. “And, with that, I offer my resignation, effective immediately.”

Collins was first elected to the board of aldermen in 2011 and re-elected in 2015. Midway through his second term as alderman, he launched a successful mayoral campaign to unseat his predecessor, Mike Sobol. 

Though terms of elected officials in Black Mountain are typically four years, aldermen voted 3-1 in 2018 to request future elections be held exclusively on even years. The move, approved last year by the General Assembly, pushed both the 2019 and 2021 elections back one year, and resulted in an additional year on the terms of each current elected official. Collins would have not been required to seek re-election until 2022. 

“I’ve done everything I’ve promised to do,” he said after highlighting accomplishments during his service on the board and as mayor. “I’m proud of everything we’ve done as a town.”

Collins handed the gavel to mayor pro tem Maggie Tuttle before exiting the board room. The town’s charter dictates that any vacancy in the office of mayor or alderman be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by the board. 

Tuttle nominated Larry Harris to replace Collins as mayor.

The board voted 4-1 to appoint Harris to the position of mayor. Ryan Stone expressed a desire to appoint a mayor in the September meeting and left abruptly after voting against appointing Harris to the seat.

“I can’t believe you all would do this again without public input,” Stone said. “I’m done with this meeting tonight.”

Harris will serve as mayor until the 2022 election.

Jennifer Willet moved to appoint Archie Pertiller, Jr. to the seat left vacant by Harris.

“Mr. Pertiller is a lifelong resident of Black Mountain and has served on various boards in the community,” she said. “He is community- and civic-minded and has a willingness to build lasting relationships between the community and the board. I can’t say enough good things about Mr. Pertiller.”

Three members of the board voted to appoint Pertiller to the seat. Stone’s vote was counted as affirmative due to his exit prior to the end of the meeting.