Lawrence Lytle appointed to fill Black Mountain Town Council vacancy

Board holds a pair of votes to till remainder of term

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 13, 2026

Lawrence Lytle recites the oath of office, July 13, as the Black Mountain Town Council voted, 3-1, to appoint him to a vacant seat on the board. Photo by Fred McCormick

Lawrence Lytle joined the Black Mountain Town Council, July 13, following a pair of votes by four members of the municipality’s governing body.

Lytle, one of 10 residents who applied to fill the vacancy created by the June 30 resignation of Doug Hay, was selected in a 3-1 vote.

The organizational meeting that marked the beginning of the regular monthly meeting of the town council allowed sitting members of the board to write the name of an applicant on anonymous ballots. The first tally included one vote each for Lytle, Lisa Raleigh, Cheryl Milton and Brittany Williams. The council was advised by the town attorney to vote again.

No further discussion of the candidates occurred before new ballots were cast, with three council members voting for Lytle and one for Raleigh.

The town clerk administered the oath of office to Lytle, who was appointed to serve as the council’s primary representative on the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce Executive Board, an alternate delegate on the Land of Sky Regional Council Board of Directors and an alternate delegate on the Friends of Fonta Flora State Trail Board of Directors.

Lytle, who holds a master’s degree in public administration and completed the 2025 Black Mountain Citizens Academy, will fulfill the remainder of the term, which expires in December of 2028. He joined the rest of the board of the remainder of the regular meeting.