Montreat turns to Black Mountain Town Hall for new town manager

Savannah Parrish accepts position as neighboring town’s lead administrator

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
August 15, 2023

Black Mountain Town Clerk Savannah Parrish will step into a new role as the town manager of Montreat, Aug. 16. Photo by Fred McCormick

New administrative leadership will come to the Town of Montreat, Wednesday, Aug. 16, as Savannah Parrish moves out of the Black Mountain Town Hall into the role of town manager for the neighboring municipality.

Parrish, who holds a masters degree in public administration from Western Carolina University, began her career in local government as the town clerk, public information officer and assistant to the town manager for Black Mountain in 2020. She will fill a vacancy left by Jason Burrell, who served as the first Montreat town manager for five weeks, from March 27 through May 4.

Montreat, which was incorporated in 1967 and has a current population of around 900 permanent residents, adopted a council-manager form of government in 2022. The leadership structure is utilized by all six municipalities within Buncombe County and allows elected officials to appoint a town manager, who oversees day-to-day operations.

Her experience within a council-manager system in Black Mountain, which boasts approximately 8,500 residents, has helped prepare her for her new role, according to Parrish.

“Black Mountain is a great place to work. I was not looking to leave my current position, but this job kind of fell into my lap, in the best way,” she said. “Because it’s a small town, working in Black Mountain has given me an opportunity to have my hands in every department since I started, and obviously that has provided a lot of insight into so many aspects of local government services.”

Parrish credits Black Mountain Town Manager Josh Harrold for expanding her knowledge in the field.

“He gave me responsibilities and projects that fell outside of my job description,” she said. “He had me work on these things and supported me when I needed it, and that was really an opportunity to better understand each department.”

In her role as town clerk, Parrish was responsible for maintaining public records and communicating with the public, while often serving as the first point of contact for people in the the community.

“I learned that everyone has something valuable to add, whether it’s citizens or staff,” she said. “One of my biggest takeaways during my time here has been to listen more than I talk.”

It’s an approach she plans to take into the Montreat Town Hall, Parrish added.

“The first thing I want to do there is get to know the staff and the people,” she said. “I also want to learn what’s needed, and what the folks who live there see as the vision for their town. It’s also important for me, as the town manager, to implement the comprehensive plan.”

Parrish views her relationship with Black Mountain as a resource for the Town of Montreat.

“We have a mutually beneficial relationship,” she said. “Because Black Mountain is bigger, they can offer services Montreat can’t provide. But, Montreat has the college, and the college is a big economic benefit for Black Mountain. So, I believe there are a lot of opportunities for the towns to continue to work together.”