Black Mountain – Having been a steady and strong community leader for many years, Mike Sobol, the recently re-elected mayor, decided he wanted to return to being Mayor of Black Mountain. Some significant objectives, in his perspective, appeared to be slipping through the cracks. Over the years, Black Mountain has appealed to those looking for small-town sanity with big-town conveniences. Located just 15 minutes east of Asheville and nestled in the scenic Black Mountain range, it has a population of close to 9,000, but this number increases greatly with the tourist population, who visit the area often coming to the many conventions that surround the town.
The Sobol family has been a part of this community for generations. Chester Sobol, Sr., was involved with Morgan Manufacturing Company and American Particle Board. The family owned Sobol House of Furnishings, and Chester Sobol III now has Town & Country Furniture Market. Other family members, including Tom and Woody, are involved in real estate, appraisals, and mobile home parks.
Mike Sobol decided to run again for Mayor as he felt strongly that he wanted his town to get back on track and that he wanted to help build a caring, cohesive community—-a place where people care about one another. So he threw in his hat with a somewhat unconventional campaign. He posted 4’ x 4’ signs with pointed messages to the town’s residents, like “A Greenway in Front of the Post Office?” or “What are we getting for $72—(a new stormwater tax)?” The messages were understood by those voting, and thus Mike Sobol was elected Mayor once again.
In chatting with him, one quickly realizes that Mike Sobol is a people person. He connects with people. He answers the phone and wants others in city government to have the courtesy of answering the phone. He totally rejects the idea of endless answering machine messages and phone tag. City Hall is there for the town and for the people. It is just common courtesy to answer the phone. The technology so prevalent today needs to be set aside and let the human voice prevail. Communication is very important in today’s world.
Rehabilitations and Employment Options for Former Women Inmates
One of his current goals involves the Swannanoa Correctional Center for Women. This is a minimum-custody prison that houses 366 female offenders. Sobol feels strongly that a rehabilitation program needs to be implemented there so that when a person is finally able to leave the facility, they will have an employable skill and can make a decent living. The plan is to give classes with a chef—perhaps from a local restaurant or even a nearby culinary college such as A-B Tech together with Ingles—to create this rehabilitation program. It might be a 13-week course, but it would guarantee upon release that the person leaving the facility could be easily gainfully employed.
Tackling Recycling Efficiencies
Another area of concern involves garbage recycling, which is currently receiving a lot of complaints from residents in Black Mountain. Improvements to the system need to be made to help cut down on plastic waste. Why does all the garbage that is already in a can need to be in a plastic bag to be picked up? Apparently, the garbage will not be picked up unless it is in a plastic bag. In his opinion, this is not a sustainable solution and needs to change.
The Greenway’s Completion
The Greenway needs to get finished. Mike is an avid runner and biker. He said, “I still want to see this Greenway span our town, adding accessibility and activity while preserving green space for future generations.” This project is one of the main reasons I’m returning to politics. Recently, a lot of money has been spent to look into options to expand the Greenway, but with no tangible progress. There hasn’t been a drive to get it done. “Projects like this need a catalyst and creative problem-solving to bring them to fruition, and I will do everything I can to finally get this finished.”
Mike gives a lot of praise for his Chief of Police, Steve Parker, who stays on top of difficult situations and finds solutions. Just last week, there was a drive-by shooting, and the investigation is still ongoing. Of course, Black Mountain has many of the same problems as other cities elsewhere, such as homelessness and drugs, but here again, he sees that the community has stepped up to the plate. Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry is a team of committed churches and denominations, with staff and volunteers working within the Black Mountain community to provide vital services for neighbors in need. This ranges from a food pantry to gas vouchers, turkeys at Thanksgiving, and presents at Christmas. One of the yearly fundraisers for the Ministry Fuel Fund is Deck the Trees. Beautifully decorated Christmas trees are placed throughout the area, and by donating with cash, check, or online, you can vote for your favorite tree. An article about this year’s event was published in the Tribune.
In addition, Mike gives many congratulations to the Charles D. Owen High School men’s cross country and soccer teams. They had phenomenal fall seasons! Both teams rode a wave of victories to end their season as 2A state champions! Both teams were recognized at a Black Mountain Town Council Meeting, and a proclamation was made in their honor for these historic wins. For more information,see the Dec. 8 article in the Tribune.
These are a few of the ideas and programs that the new Mayor has in mind for the future. He is hoping that many of the retired folks who have just moved to Western North Carolina will become involved in the community. He is well aware of what some of these talented and knowledgeable people can add to the town of Black Mountain. He hopes they will. Most of all, however, he wants to hear from his constituents and know their thoughts. His goal is to build a better community.