Black Morn.tain Library
105 If. Lougharty*'Street
Black Mountain, l.C. 28711
Second class postage paid
at Black Mountain. NC 2#7J1
n n
Thursday, October 21. 1982. Volume 30. Number 42
Mem her of the NCPA
25'
* * #
jPo/F /tnfAs
76% opposed
to merger
by Priscilla Hopkins
"For or against: Charter proposed by
Asheville-Buncombe Charter Commis
sion" is the third item that will appear
on the Nov. 2 ballot. This past week, the
News polled the mayor, aldermen and a
number of Black Mountain residents on
how they felt on this issue. In addition
to asking for a response of "for",
"against", or "undecided", each poll
participant was asked to state the
principle reason for his position. A
summary of the responses follows.
Mayor Tom Sobol is opposed because
he sees the number one problem of such
a consolidation as Black Mountain's loss
of community closeness. "Citizens
couldn't pick up the phone and call a
commissioner as they could call me if
something goes wrong or needs to be
talked about."
Alderman Gay Fox is opposed be
cause she feels that since the two most
expensive budget items, education and
law enforcement, would be deleted from
the effects of the merger, "real savings
just would not be realized by the
taxpayer."
Alderman Carl Bartlett is opposed
because he believes that country resi
dents would not benefit as much as
those in Asheville. He thinks the
concept is good, but "just doesn't see a
practical application of it as being
possible."
Alderman Doug Stafford has mixed
feelings about the issue. While he sees
consolidation as a more equitable way of
financing public services and he beli
eves that an eventual reduction in taxes
would be realized, he feels that there
would be a loss of quick response by
local leaders to local needs.
Alderman Michael Begley favors
consolidaiton because he beueves that tt
would be best for the most people. But,
he pointed out, that even if the charter
is passed, residents of Black Mountain
and other townships within Buncombe
County would hold a second election to
decide if the township should join the
newly formed governmental unit. On
that issue, he favors Black Mountain
remaining a self-governing body.
The News was unable to read!
Alderman Steve King for comment.
The results of the "man on the
street" poll was 76 percent opposed, 18
percent undedded as yet and 6 percent
favor of the proposed consolidation.
Those who oppose the merger gave a
variety of reasons, but the three most
frequently cited were the feeling that
Asheville had more to gain than
Buncombe County, a fear of additional
taxes, and a strong opposition to a
larger, more impersonal unit of gov
ernment.
Those who said that they were still
undedded felt that suffident informa
tion was not readily available to voters
so that they could make a thoughtful
decison.
Those who were in favor hoped that
such a merger could eliminate the
"petty bickering" over the control of
small towns and other issues such as
have taken place concerning a dty
county water system. Others believed
that the consolidation would bring about
more effident and economical govern
ment.
The Rev. Edgar Ferrell was appoin
ted by Mayor Sobol to serve on the 21
member AsheviUe-Buncombe Charter
Commission as a representative of the
Town of Black Mountain. The question
concerning consolidation that will ap
pear on the Nov. 2 ballot comes as a
result of 11 months of study and public
hearings held by that group.
^ y^ga exercises Aaoe descrtp(iw names sucA as "tAe dancer, " "tAe
^cohrq" and "tAe /isA. " Ms. Linda 7IgAe demonstrated great serenity and
K%b3#)iRtyin tAe "sAoaider stand" tcAicA is designed to improoe circuiation
KaAii^ strengtAening tAe mascies o/ tAe AacA.
SAartng sunny sntdes aadt a scarecrow are /oar Aappy second graders /rant
Mrs. Begley's c^ass at tAe B^acA Afoan&nn ^tnMry ScAoo/. SAotcn are [J-r]
AcAard Barg^n, Kara Bennet, y4nd B^rt/ett and Monica CAtrA
Black Mtn. gets
award for
excellence
Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr., has
announced in Raleigh that the town of
Black Mountain is a winner of the
Governor's Community of Excellence
Award for the first time. The Governor
will present the award to Mayor Tom
Sobol at a statewide economic develop
ment conference on Wednesday, Nov.
3, in Raleigh.
This award goes to the communities
with under 15,000 people which have
met requirements designed to make
them more attractive to economic
development. Department of Commerce
representatives visited Black Mountain
in Sept, to assure that the standards had
been met.
Also, the community will be given
special promotional attention when the
N.C. Department of Commerce repre
sentatives are working with industries
looking for a plant site in North
Carolina.
Others planning to accompany Mayor
Soboi to Raieigh for the ceremony
indude all five Aidermen, Chamber of
Commerce President Bill White, Jr.,
Chamber Executive Secretary Andy
Andrews, W ended and Vickie Begiey,
George Ventureila and Bob and Ciaudia
Watts.
Susan Gariand, President-elect of the
Chamber, said that she is enthusiastic
about the award and thinks that the
co-operation among representatives of
local government, industry and the
Economic Depelopment Committee of
the Chamber that has culminated in the
community's winning this award has
been "the best thing that has happened
to Black Mountain in many years."
As a winning community, Blade
Mountain will receive highway signs
designating it as a winner. The signs
will be placed at the town limits.
Yoga; /or bo^/t a?M% ^o^y
by Priscilla Hopkins
The Black Mountain Recreation and
Parks Department is sponsoring an
informal Yoga workshop, "Yoga for
Well Being," from 1-4 p.m. on Satur
day, Oct. 23. It will be held in the
Education Room of the Blade Mountain
Public Library. Anyone 13 and older is
welcome to attend. There is no charge.
The workshop will be led by Linda
Tighe, a certified Yoga instructor, and
Dr. Murray Greenspan, a chiropractor
whose office is located near Swannanoa.
Ms. Tighe will give an informal talk
Lea/
The Town of Black Mountain will
begin picking up bagged leaves by
following the same schedule as the
garbage pick-up. The leaves should be
placed on the curb, apart from the
garbage.
The vacuum truck will be in operation
in approximately two weeks to pick up
loose leaves raked along the curbs. It is
important that these leaves are free
from twigs, branches or any other
debris so that the vacuuming equipment
will not be damaged. The Town street
crew will now follow any schedule for
leaf vacuuming, but will go from one
end of town to another systematically.
Unless you feel that your leaves have
been overlooked by the crews, there will
be no need to call City Hall to have your
leaves picked up.
about what Yoga is and Dr. Greenspan
will speak on the correlation of Yoga
and the tare of the spine.
The third part of the workshop will be
an abbreviated Yoga session with a final
relaxation. It is suggested that partici
pants wear loose, comfortable clothing
and bring a towel or floor blanket to use
as a mat.
Ms. Tighe said that she first became
intetested in Yoga nine years ago when
she was living in San Diego. Until then
she had been "the world's greatest
skeptic," but she began by reading, got
interested and was fortunate to have
some good teachers.
Yoga, she explained, is a Sanscrit
word that means "union" and Yoga's
principle purpose is to make possible
the union of mind and body. Yoga'3
intention is to keep the spine flexible
and healthy so that the energy that
flows through it can affect all the parts
of the body positively.
Yoga is a series of slow, gentle
exercises, she stressed, that are de
signed to stretch, then relax.
There are numerous benefits: Yoga
tones the entire body, improves cir
culation, release tension and improves
co-ordination and posture.
By helping to focus the mind, Yoga
improves both concentration and mem
ory.
Ms. Tighe said that it also "enables
one to become a more peaceful person,
to be at one with self."
Yoga is a system whereby the mind
controls the body so that one becomes
more aware of one's spirituality. How
ever, she said, that Yoga is neither a
TYetrspaper carriers
are sa/nfec^ SafMrc^ay
by Priscilla Hopkins
Saturday, Oct. 16 was International
Newspaper Carrier Day and the Biack
Mountain News wouid iike to acknow
ledge the hard work of ail those who sell
our community paper "hot off the
press."
One of the most recent News carrier
is Hugh Thomas who started selling
50-75 papers weekly about the time this
school year began last August. He sells
In the central business of Black Moun
tain on foot, but favors a stop at the post
office as a place where sales are brisk.
Hugh is saving his money to buy an
Atari home video game and already has
made about half of the money he will
need to do that.He is twelve years old
and in Miss Reeves' sixth grade class at
the Black Mountain Middle School. His
parents are Mr. and Mrs. Hugh B.
Thomas of Black Mountain.
religion nor does it involve religious
practices as some people have been led
to believe.
Two sessions of classes will be taught
by Ms. Tighe. Each will last for six
weeks. The morning session will meet
on Tuesdays from 9-11 a m. beginning
on Oct. 26. The evening session will
meet Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. begin
ning on Oct. 28. Tuition is $20 a session.
Call 669-2052 to register.
There will be a called meeting of
Black Mountain Aldermen on
Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. in City
public hearing will be on
amendment to the
zoning ordinance which
mobile home park in an R-20
Ocf. 76 teas Tnieraaiioaai /Newspaper Carrier fby. HagA TAomas, one
o/ iAe aeaes^ carriers o/ 7Ae RiacA ATbaniain /Vea's.