Black Mountain Appoints Interim Town Manager to Ensure Service Continuity

The Black Mountain Town Council on Jan. 5 voted 4-0 to hire Richard Hicks as interim town manager, filling a leadership gap left after Town Manager Josh Harrold announced his resignation on Dec. 10, 2025. Vice Mayor Archie Pertiller Jr. was out of town for the special called meeting; the remaining council members approved Hicks’s appointment, and he will assume the temporary role on Jan. 20, 2026.

Hicks is a retired municipal manager with a long career in local government. His résumé includes service as manager for several small municipal administrations, multiple interim assignments, and a 21-year tenure as manager of the Town of Farmville. The council cited the need for experienced, steady management as it navigates the transition and proceeds with a formal search for a permanent town manager.

Harrold’s Dec. 10 announcement ended a seven-year tenure and followed mentions of policy differences with elected officials. Since that announcement the council has convened a series of special meetings to address interim staffing and to plan next steps for recruitment. The appointment of an interim manager is designed to preserve continuity in day-to-day operations while the council finalizes its criteria and process for selecting Harrold’s successor.

For Black Mountain residents, the change matters most in practical services and ongoing local projects. An interim manager will oversee routine municipal functions such as public works, permitting, and budgeting, and will play a central role in advancing recovery and resilience projects still underway after Hurricane Helene. Continuity in town management can be particularly important for grant timelines, contract administration, and coordination with county and state agencies involved in reconstruction and mitigation efforts.

The council’s decision also seeks to balance the need for administrative stability with the political process of choosing a long-term leader. Interim managers typically focus on maintaining operations and preparing an incoming permanent manager with up-to-date information on finances, staffing, and project status. Residents can expect the council to announce details of the permanent search and any opportunities for public input in the coming weeks.

Richard Hicks’s start date of Jan. 20 sets a clear handoff point for town staff and contractors. As the council moves forward with recruitment, the interim period will be closely watched by community members who want steady municipal services and progress on recovery initiatives in the post-Helene environment.