Meet The Candidate: Kay Friedly
This U. S. Air Force Veteran is making her first bid for public office
Today, we highlight another candidate for Troy City Council that will appear on next month’s Republican primary ballot. Kay Friedly is a U. S. Air Force Veteran and also a retired nurse. She is making her first bid for public office running for city council on the at-large ballot.
What inspired you to run for city council, and how do you believe your background and experience make you a strong candidate?
I was inspired to run for City Council when I saw younger people becoming involved and truly concerned about what is happening in not only our city, but our country as well. They had the energy of their convictions to the point that they were running for offices, attending meetings and speaking up and serving in various capacities, often as volunteers. That was encouraging enough for me to want to join and supplement their efforts.
Although I am retired from a 40-year career in healthcare as a registered nurse, I am also a U.S. Air Force Veteran. I have lived on three different continents and have seen a number of different forms of government in operation. I have been interested in both local and world news and politics since I was quite young. I am fully convinced that, second only to the Bible, the United States Constitution is one of the greatest documents ever written. It remains, by God's grace, the highest law in our land and must be upheld. This background and life experience along with a firm trust in the God Who created all, make me a strong candidate for this position.
What do you believe is the role of city council in the city's decision making process?
The role of the city council is essential in the city's decision making process. Along with the mayor and a few other officials, the city council addresses most of the issues that come up in local community life. They are responsible for researching the best answers and methods to take care of the needs of the city's residents. They are constitutionally responsible to maintain limited government, wise and conservative fiscal management and promote the peace and prosperity of our community.
What is your vision for Troy's future, and how do you plan to achieve it?
My vision for Troy is to see it grow steadily, in a relatively logical manner, with the best forethought and current research available in our decision making as a community. I plan to achieve this by listening to the citizens of Troy at every opportunity as to what they would like to see happen here. With Troy being located near the intersection of two interstate highways, I believe growth is inevitable. What we want to achieve is growth that is enjoyable rather than painful. I plan to utilize the research skills of those who have already proven themselves to me in obtaining quality information to present to the council and the citizens regarding the various areas of concern, interest and need.
What do you see as the most pressing issues facing Troy today, and how would you address them? For ward candidates, what are the most pressing issues facing your ward?
As a City Council Member at Large candidate, representing all of the citizens of Troy, I set priorities by way of basic needs first. The God that I serve and the Lord Jesus Christ value life. Human life itself is the first and most basic need for any community. We need to support life by supporting initiatives that eliminate perceived need for abortion (other than in the rare situation in which it is required to save the life of the mother, which our current laws agree to) in this community.
Secondly, we need to support initiatives that tackle the spiritual and mental health needs underlying drug addictions. As an emergency room nurse for almost 5 years in our community, I saw more than one young adult die due to alcoholism or drug overdose. One such death was one too many. The protection and promotion of human life in our city is the most pressing issue facing it.
For incumbent candidates, is there a decision or initiative that you took a leadership role that you believe has made a positive impact in our community?
I currently serve as a Republican precinct representative on the Central Committee. I attended Board of Election meetings to encourage a high level of integrity in our local elections and encouraged participation before, during and after recent elections. I believe the 2024 election saw a much higher level of integrity than what was seen in 2020 largely because of citizen participation in the process. I applaud all who served as poll workers and poll observers. Their presence at local election polling sites was crucial.
For new/challenging candidates, what are the leadership qualities that you believe make you unique and will make you a positive member of City Council?
As a challenging candidate for Troy City Council Member at large, I bring integrity, perception and a wide range of life and leadership experience to this role.
Serving in the Active duty Air Force, I reached the rank of E-5, Staff Sgt. In the Air Force Reserves, I attained E-6, Technical Sgt. and led the administrative staff of the Safety Office at Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, AL.
Following this, I began a career as a registered nurse, during which I served as a Charge Nurse on various hospital units, as well as night shift Charge Nurse at a local nursing home overseeing 30-35 staff.
I later ran my own business as an independent home care provider for 6 years overseeing and regularly updating doctor's orders for up to 30 licensed practical nurses in the care of numerous patients. I specialized in pediatric nursing during this time.
As a nursing instructor for Fortis College in Centerville, OH for over 7 years, I provided clinical instruction of up to 10 licensed practical and registered nursing students every term, as well as teaching in the classroom and in the lab, including a robotic simulation lab.
In 2021, I retired from a position as a Care Manager at Upper Valley Medical Center. For the majority of this time, I researched best care practices and interacted with insurance companies, patients, family members, doctors, bedside care nurses, and various types of care facilities in the coordination of patient care from the Emergency Department to another hospital unit, the home or to another facility.
In all of these roles, I handled numerous leadership responsibilities. As a member of the City Council, I would bring compassion for individuals as well as concern for the needs of the greater community to this role.
How would you foster greater community engagement and participation in local decision-making processes?
I would lead in and encourage Council members to make themselves available to the community for informal question and answer forums at places in which the community already gathers, such as booths at the Strawberry Festival and the County Fair. I believe the exchange of information could be useful to all.
What actions should be taken to keep residents informed about key issues and policies?
Online newsletters are useful, but don't reach as many community members as we would hope. People are often overwhelmed with the sheer volume of online information. A brief, high quality, hard-copy newsletter updating the community would be useful. It could be done quarterly and could provide sources for further information.
If you were awarded a $1 million grant for Troy, how would you allocate the funds to address the city's most pressing needs?
I would begin by researching which drug and alcohol rehabilitation methods, processes and facilities actually have the best results in terms of putting people back into useful roles in the community for relatively long terms. This would be one avenue to invest in the community with results that could benefit everyone. I would also allocate some of the funds to support the successful, currently operating local facilities and programs that are providing beneficial results. I would consider some therapies for addictions, homelessness, juvenile offenders that are less mainstream, such as a Therapy Petting Zoo. Zootherapy is outside the box, but is showing promising results in helping people cope with emotional, psychological and even physical challenges. Troy has a wonderful, caring Christian community base, but we have people who are hurting for various reasons. Finding ways to turn these individual's lives around will head off many worse issues in the future.
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