At the helm of Cumberland Gap’s intentions to safeguard its rich history and quaint hometown feel while also propelling it to embrace its future is Mayor Neal Pucciarelli. Along with a team of other dedicated officials, he is committed to making sure the quality of life in the town is the best it can possibly be.
Born in Medway, Massachusetts, Pucciarelli eventually made his way down south at the age of 18 to study education at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky. It was there that he met his wife, Kay. Upon graduation, Pucciarelli got his first teaching job at Scott County High School in Georgetown, KY. He enjoyed that role for a little over a decade before he and Kay decided to move back to her hometown to be closer to family. That hometown is Cumberland Gap.
Following the move, Pucciarelli went to work in nearby Middlesboro, teaching social studies and special education, coaching football, tennis, and girls’ basketball, and eventually becoming the assistant principal. After retiring from that role at the age of 50, he quickly decided it wasn’t time to give up teaching just yet. So he went back to work as a special education teacher and football coach for Cumberland Gap High School, which he did for another decade.
Aside from helping shape young minds, Pucciarelli spent much of his free time relishing in the picturesque surroundings he called home, though he confesses was a bit of an adjustment initially.
“At first, I’ll admit I had a hard time being away from a big city,” he said. “But I have really enjoyed falling in love with Cumberland Gap. I walk every single night, and I love being close to the national park, the trails, and just the feel like you have the town all to yourself. To me, it’s such a blessing to be here.”
Pucciarelli’s love for the town eventually grew into an urge for public service, which he recognized early on was often a challenge for a town this size. Thus arose a desire to step up and give back.
“We’re so small, we had trouble finding people to run for city council and for mayor,” he explained. “When the mayor’s position came open, I thought there was another gentleman in town on the Board of Alderman who would have been a perfect candidate. One night, I was out walking with him and he said, ‘I don’t want to be the mayor.’ We needed a mayor, so I volunteered to run. The biggest reason why I did it is that, as a teacher, I always encouraged my students to get involved. As for me, other than always being active in my church, I never really became active in the community. It was high time for me to give back.”
And give back he did. During his tenure as mayor, Pucciarelli has been a part of helping enact many improvements along with his fellow elected officials, most of which were made possible by an improved financial position for the town (which Pucciarelli credits the previous administration for initiating).
“There were streets that hadn’t been paved in many years and other things that hadn’t been done because the money wasn’t there,” he said. “But the thing I’m proudest of is that, even though we may not always agree with each other, we’re all trying to get along for the betterment of the town. That’s one of many things that has been great.”
Mayor Pucciarelli is also very proud of another big accomplishment that has taken place during his term.
“I’ve worked really hard in trying to cultivate the partnership between the town and the national park, which wasn’t always the best relationship,” he said. “I wanted us to be partners because I felt we couldn’t move forward without having that relationship. I’m just always trying to help move the town forward.”
Whether it’s moving forward by increasing town revenue, improving infrastructure, strengthening collaborative relationships, or any other mayoral duty that falls within his wheelhouse, Mayor Pucciarelli says it all boils down to creating the best environment possible for residents and visitors alike.
“All changes we make help everybody – the residents and the people who come in to visit,” he said. “The whole purpose of making the improvements is to improve quality of life for our residents as well as getting people who come into town to say, ‘Boy, I want to come back.’ That’s why I care so much about the changes we make.”
At the end of the day, Pucciarelli became mayor to make a difference. And while he admits it’s not always sunshine and rainbows, he doesn’t take his duty to Cumberland Gap and its people lightly.
“Of course there’s some stress involved, but I really have enjoyed being mayor because I feel like we have made progress. The town is even better than it was when I first came on. I’ve been blessed to work with some really good people who share my love for the town.”
Mayor Pucciarelli says his work is far from being done. He and his fellow office-holders plan on keeping the momentum going and ensuring Cumberland Gap continues to shine like the East Tennessee Gem that it truly is.
“My vision for the town is having an area that is accessible to all ages,” he said. “A place where people can come and conduct business, entertain, and then want to come back again. That’s something that I’ve tried to work toward as mayor, and I’m hoping those things can continue as I live out my years. With the right folks and the right plan, we can make it a destination that people know about and are willing to get off the road and visit. I never want us to be like Gatlinburg, per se, but I want us to be noticed.”
In his free time, Mayor Pucciarelli still enjoys his regular walks and spending time with his wife, daughter, and two grandchildren.