Fostering Community Impact through Integrity-Driven Leadership

Josh Harrold has served as Town Manager of Black Mountain since 2018, leading with vision and collaboration to strengthen community services and long-term growth. Overseeing operations from public safety to infrastructure, he drives strategic initiatives, builds vital partnerships and fosters a high-performing municipal team. He ensures the town thrives while navigating challenges like storm recovery and community development.

Through this article, Harrold highlights how effective town leadership combines team cohesion, strategic initiatives and community engagement to deliver tangible results. He emphasizes integrity, presence and patience as core principles that drive both internal teamwork and public trust.

AT A GLANCE:

• Strengthening Municipal Teams – Initiatives like lunch-and-learns, team exercises and cross-department engagement build cohesion, skill development and forward-focused performance.

• Community-Centered Infrastructure – Projects including stormwater utility, greenways, sidewalks and Montreat College partnership support sustainable growth and improve quality of life.

• Enhanced Public Services – Bringing sanitation in-house, achieving police accreditation and expanding parks, recreation and event programs deliver measurable community impact.

Leading Cohesive Teams: Delivering Tangible Community Results

One of the most significant was bringing sanitation services in-house. Previously managed by a private firm, costs had become unsustainable. Establishing our own sanitation department created long-term efficiency, greater accountability and stronger cost control. The program has now been operating successfully for four years.

“We invest in team development through initiatives like lunch-and-learns and collaborative exercises that strengthen connection and motivation. For me, the real priority is ensuring the team stays resilient and forward-focused, because long-term success depends on a foundation of trust.”

Public safety has also advanced with the accreditation of our police department. For a town of just 8,500 residents, achieving both state and national accreditation reflects the professionalism of our officers and leadership, and it sets a high standard for service in our community.

We also implemented a stormwater utility to support critical infrastructure needs. As a federally designated MS4 community, Black Mountain is required to meet EPA stormwater guidelines. By creating this utility three years ago, we established a reliable revenue stream that allows us to maintain compliance while funding long-term capital improvements.

We are partnering with Montreat College as it develops a cybersecurity campus in Black Mountain that will eventually house 600 students. Paired with the construction of a new Interstate 40 interchange, this initiative represents a transformative opportunity for growth, bringing together education, infrastructure and economic development.

Challenges in Town Projects: Staffing, Funding, Communication

Being a small town comes with its own set of challenges. Black Mountain has a population of about 8,500 and roughly 110 full- time employees. One of our greatest hurdles is staffing. The demand for high-quality services is constant, yet the resources to deliver them depend directly on the number of people we have in place. That connection between staffing levels and service expectations is not always fully understood by the public.

Funding is another persistent challenge. Like many communities, we often face difficulty in securing the resources needed for projects. A recent example is our ongoing work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster recovery reimbursements following last September’s storm. The process has been lengthy, despite ongoing recovery efforts that continue to strain our limited resources. Our staffing has not increased, yet the workload has effectively doubled or tripled.

Communication remains an ongoing priority. Explaining to citizens what we are doing and why, especially in the fast-moving landscape of social media, requires constant attention. Ensuring people understand the reasoning behind our actions is one of the most important and most challenging aspects of local government today.

Achieving Measurable Outcomes: Strengthening Teams and Community

Since I arrived, one of my top priorities has been strengthening teamwork. While collaboration existed before, I’ve focused on building a cohesive, skilled team, helping people grow in their roles and ensuring they have the tools and knowledge to succeed. I think some of the teamwork we’ve built has really paid off, especially during our response to Hurricane Helene last September. Having a team that is engaged, respects one another and can overcome almost any challenge has been invaluable.

Much of the work takes place behind the scenes. We invest in team development through initiatives such as lunch-and-learns and collaborative exercises that strengthen connections and motivation. For me, the real priority is ensuring the team stays resilient and forward-focused, because long-term success depends on a foundation of trust.

That focus on teamwork has been one of our biggest successes in Black Mountain. Beyond that, we’ve had other achievements. The town has been featured in Southern Living magazine on a few occasions, highlighting the numerous programs and activities we offer for both residents and visitors.

The parks and recreation system continues to grow. Before the storm, it was in great shape, and now we’ve added even more options. We run soccer programs twice a year, created a series during COVID-19 to keep people active, and offer guided hikes, stream and street cleanups and other events that didn’t exist before.

Our concert series has also evolved. We recently refreshed it and brought it downtown, and it was very well-received this past year. Overall, our goal is to provide a variety of activities and opportunities, allowing people in Black Mountain to engage, connect and enjoy the community in more ways.

Guiding Future Town Leaders: Show Up, Lead with Integrity

The real secret is doing what you say you’re going to do, leading with integrity. In a role such as running a town’s operations, one must be a leader who shows up for employees and remains strong in the face of challenges. Keeping morale high, spending time with your team and showing genuine care are essential.

For me, that means being present every day. I visit departments across the town, including police, fire, parks and recreation and public services. I’m not the type to stay behind a desk. By putting in the time, your team sees that you are engaged, that you care and that your goal is to make the team better. Leadership comes from showing up, acting with integrity and following through.

Patience is critical. You cannot sweat the small stuff; you must focus on what truly matters. In this role, you answer to multiple elected officials and understanding each of their priorities takes time and effort. It also requires investing in relationships with your counsel, being accessible and helping them see the daily realities of the job.

Honesty is equally important. If you don’t know the answer, say so. Follow through on your promises, and people will respect you. Integrity, presence, patience and honesty together are what make this job work.