Commissioners review changes made to further enforce leash laws, with attention specifically given to the need for outdoor animals being confined to a fenced in area if not leashed. Gage Wilson/for Glasgow News 1
By GAGE WILSON
for Glasgow News 1
Taxes, an amphitheater update, leadership compensation and an exit announcement were all part of the Sept. 2 Park City City Commission meeting.
Park City Mayor Larry Poteet announced that he will not run for reelection for mayor. Poteet ran unopposed for mayor in 2022 and received 171 votes, according to the Kentucky Board of Elections. Mayors are elected for a four-year term, which means the next election for Park City’s mayor will be in 2026.
He tapped city commissioner Mike Burgess as a future mayoral candidate, as the one to continue the work.
“Yes, I am sorry, I will be leaving,” he said. “I will not be running for mayor again, but [Burgess] said he wanted to run and I have no doubt that him and this commission will keep things going.”
Commissioner Donna Scavo, who admitted to seeing “more than one” mayor come and go, praised Poteet’s willingness to listen and support the group. “You’ve been the only one that has let the commission do anything,” she said.
The earliest date to file nomination paperwork is Nov. 5, according to the 2026 Kentucky Election Calendar.
The members heard reports from commissioners. Poteet opened with an update on the city’s amphitheater project, responding to questions raised by residents. “People are saying that drive-in movie theaters are a thing of the past,” he said. “That’s the reason we’re bringing them back.” He added that he and Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd have been in talks with drive-in owners across the state, who painted an optimistic picture.
To further his point, he added that the bathrooms for the facility will be heated to allow year-round viewing. Poteet paused to credit commissioners for their role in the project.
The group then moved to old business, which consisted of the second reading of two tax ordinances. Both passed unanimously with little discussion and will have minimal effect on individual tax bills.
The city’s real and tangible property tax rate was set at 27.4 cents per $100 of assessed value, even as commissioners adopted the four percent increase. This allows the city to collect four percent more revenue from property taxes.
“A lot of people think that when we took the four percent, it meant that we would be adding four percent to their [bills],” Poteet explained. “But we took it on account of new growth.”
The final discussion centered on salaries for the mayor and commissioners. Currently, Park City’s mayor is paid $8,000 a year, with commissioners receiving $25 per meeting. Those numbers have not changed in at least a decade.
Poteet suggested raising the mayor’s salary to $16,000 and commissioner pay to $100 per meeting, which would bring compensation more in line with other municipal governments in Barren County. It was noted that any raises would not take effect until the next term.
Commissioners ultimately voted in favor of Poteet’s recommendation.
The next meeting of the Park City Commission is scheduled for Oct. 6 at City Hall.
Glasgow News 1 Journalist Michael Crimmins contributed to this reporting.
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