Ten apply for vacant Black Mountain Town Council seat

Unexpired term to be filled through December of 2028

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 11, 2026

Ten citizens will be considered for appointment, July 13, when the Black Mountain Town Council selects an applicant to fill a vacancy on the governing body. Photo by Fred McCormick

Ten citizens submitted applications to fill a vacancy on the Black Mountain Town Council, prior to the July 10 deadline. 

A new member of the municipality’s governing body will be appointed, beginning at 6 p.m., Monday, July 13, during the regular monthly meeting of the town council. The term, relinquished June 30, following the resignation of Doug Hay, will expire in December of 2028. 

Hay became the second sitting councilmember to step down from the board since April, when Pam King moved out of the state. Both former officials were first elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024. 

Hay and elected officials Archie Pertiller, Jr., Ryan Stone and Alice Berry appointed former mayor and town council member Larry Harris to fill the seat previously occupied by King through the general election, which will be held Nov. 3. The town charter requires appointments to fulfill the remaining term when vacancies occur within 135 days of the next general election. They current vacancy occurred 126 days before election day.

Six of the eight applicants in May, including Shane Lunsford, Lawrence Lytle, Debra Norman, John Richardson, Michael Roberts and Sharon Tabor, formally expressed interest in filling the latest unoccupied seat. Paul Haynes, Cheryl Milton, Lisa Raleigh and Brittany Williams submitted applications to be considered as candidates to complete the remainder of the term. 

The town announced the current vacancy the day of Hay’s resignation, inviting registered Buncombe County voters, who are over the age of 21 and residents of the Town of Black Mountain, to apply. Applications contain five questions, ranging from the candidate’s motivation for serving in the position to identifying key elements of developing a municipal budget. Sitting council members are tasked with reviewing the submissions and voting by ballot. The individual who receives the majority of the votes is considered as the nominee for the appointment. 

If present during the July meeting, the applicant selected to fill the term will take the oath of office and join the council, as a full voting member, for the remainder of the meeting.