Black Mountain seeks applicants to fill council vacancy after King resigns

Black Mountain has opened the door to a rapid political handoff after Council Member Pam King’s resignation took effect April 24, creating a vacancy that could shape town decisions through the rest of spring and summer before voters settle the seat in November 2026.

The town said it is accepting applications from residents who want to be appointed to the Town Council, with the appointment vote set for the regular monthly council meeting on May 11. That puts a tight timetable on anyone hoping to step into one of the town’s most visible elected posts at a moment when Black Mountain is still managing post-Helene recovery, infrastructure demands and routine municipal services.

Applicants must be registered voters in Buncombe County, live within Black Mountain’s municipal limits and be at least 21 years old. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 6, and the town said they may be submitted in person, by email or by USPS. The person chosen by council will not serve a full term. Instead, the appointment will last only until voters fill the unexpired term in November 2026.

King’s departure closes a council tenure that began in 2020. In announcing the vacancy, the town noted that she was only the 12th female council member in Black Mountain history since incorporation in 1893, underscoring how long the town’s elected leadership has remained comparatively small and how closely watched each council opening can be.

The immediate consequence is practical as much as political: the next council member will join ongoing decisions on town recovery, capital needs and daily operations, then face the judgment of voters later this year. For Black Mountain residents, the vacancy is not just a procedural opening. It is a chance to influence who helps steer town government through a year when local decisions carry outsized weight.