My name is Melidy Finklea. I am running in the Special Election December 30, 2025 for a seat on the Latta Town Council. How I came to be in Latta is a bit of a story. I will save it for the end of this essay.
People have asked me, why are you running? What is your platform? When the special election was announced, several people called or came to my house to ask would I consider running. A few who asked, I never imagined would ask me such a question. I made a list and called about a dozen more people. I included people I don’t know well and people I rarely agree with. I heard positive responses from all.
I will list here some aspects of town business that concern me.
The budget and audit process remain timely
Continuity of government – appropriate handoff as council members change every two years
Rebuild our 100 year old sewer and storm drainage system
Continue to upgrade the water system to assure each resident and business has an adequate and safe water supply
Assure that every citizen is welcomed to town hall and town meetings and that every concern is heard, noted, and addressed.
Assure the first people considered are the least of us.
Finally, and most important – I want to hear from you!
To practice open communication, I have established a telephone and text line. Anyone who has business or concerns about the town of Latta may call Melidy’s Latta Line at (854) 221-9599 If you text or leave a voice message, I will call you back during daylight hours Monday through Saturday.
Growing up in an Air Force family means living in many places. I was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1956. I started grade school in Morocco, North Africa, and finished grade school in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Middle school was the Space Coast of Florida. After the Air Force, my family returned to Kentucky. I attended high school and first years of college in Louisville. I moved to rural Kentucky to finish college and begin work as an RN.
Being a military kid in the 1960s, I grew up aware of politics. Because some people in my family have brown skin, we were treated a different way in each place we lived. The civil rights act changed our family’s life.
As a teenager, I worked for several political campaigns. I have served as a poll worker. I have lobbied senators and representatives many times at state capitals and in Washington DC about health care and social issues.
Working as a traveling nurse brought me to the Carolinas in the 1990s. I saw camellias blooming in January and fell in love. My late husband, Lee Finklea, wanted to retire to Latta where he grew up. It was easy to agree!
I moved to Latta in 2017. I live on Zelle Street. It is a pleasure and a privilege to live here. I am grateful to God, my family, my neighbors, and our ancestors for this wonderful place.
Thank you for taking time to read this. Thank you for turning out to vote in the December 30 election.
