October 2, 2026 Special Called Council Meeting at 4:00 p.m.

Meeting Overview The Town of Black Mountain Council convened a Special Called Council Meeting on October 2, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. The primary purpose of this session was to address immediate structural engineering needs for the public safety building. Staff provided an update on the status of engineering quotes, noting that while a task order was expected from McGill, the quote had not yet been received. In the interim, staff presented a proposal from Stewart, a firm associated with Ben Cooper, which included a base fee of $5,000.

Key Discussions and Decisions A significant portion of the discussion centered on the legal and procedural requirements for hiring engineering services. Staff clarified that state law mandates that engineers be hired based on qualifications rather than price. However, they noted that the Town’s purchasing policy allows for a waiver of the standard Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process if the estimated cost is under $50,000. Without this waiver, the Town would be required to conduct a full RFQ process for Stewart’s services. One Council Member raised a concern regarding the precedent of changing established policy, noting their hesitation about waiving a policy that has been in place for some time, but clarified that this waiver would apply only to this specific project.

Following this discussion, the Council adopted a resolution to waive the Town’s purchasing policy requirements for the public safety building project. This decision allowed the Council to accept Stewart’s $5,000 proposal without initiating a full RFQ process. The motion was made and seconded, and the resolution was approved by the Council.

Community Input and Follow-ups There were no public comments or community input presented during this special called meeting. Regarding next steps, staff indicated they are still awaiting a response from McGill regarding their quote or task order. Staff stated that if McGill does not provide information by Monday or Tuesday, the Council will move forward with the approved Stewart proposal. Additionally, a Council Member reported having met with a utility construction company to obtain a rough estimate on moving a utility line under the building; the company was expected to provide figures to the Council at a later time.

Impact on Residents This meeting addressed the administrative and legal framework necessary to proceed with structural engineering work on the public safety building. By waiving the standard purchasing policy for this specific project, the Council enabled the Town to potentially engage Stewart’s services more quickly, provided McGill does not submit their quote by the early part of the following week. This action ensures that the Town can proceed with necessary structural assessments or repairs without being delayed by a lengthy procurement process, should the alternative quote not materialize.