Behind the scenes, leading the pack: Draughn makes impact as county clerk, animal advocate

You can learn a lot about Kay Draughn by listening to her recount the story of how Shelby the dog became a permanent part of the family.

It was a few Thanksgivings ago and the Burke Animal Shelter was filled to capacity with homeless pets, including a scruffy, emaciated pit bull mix who had recently given birth to a litter of puppies.

Someone at the shelter sent Draughn — the longtime clerk to the Burke County Board of Commissioners and president of the Burke Animal Services Foundation (ASFI) — a photo of the pitiful pooch.

The cheerful smile that reflects Draughn’s quirky sense of humor and typically sunny disposition faded and tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. “I couldn’t unsee it,” she said.

“I told my husband David, I can’t go through Thanksgiving, with all the abundance and all the trimmings and all the excess, knowing this momma dog is there. Can we foster her?”

The Draughns promptly drove to the shelter.

Shelby — the name animal services personnel had given her — stood up and wagged her tail when the Draughns walked in, as if she had been waiting for them all her life.

“My daddy’s name was Shelby,” Draughn said, her smile returning. “It was a sign.”

There wasn’t even the hint of a tear for the remainder of the story about 6-year-old Shelby.

The couple nursed her back to health, feeding her only a quarter-cup of food at a time to keep from overwhelming her empty stomach.

They let her bed down on their heated back porch. David stayed out there with her, and in the morning, he pronounced to Kay, “This dog isn’t going anywhere.”

Neither are rescue kitten Stowie, now 14, nor fellow rescue dog Sophie, 5.

“Another failed foster,” Draughn laughed.

A caring heart for animals and a keen mind for public service. That’s Kay Draughn.

A 1984 graduate of East Burke, Draughn has worked for local governments since 1996, first for public works here and then for Cabarrus County in Matthews with stints along the way in various departments like planning and zoning, community development, and water and sewer.

After reconnecting with David, her high school sweetheart, she returned to Burke County and has worked for the board since 2013.

Draughn is responsible for a number of duties, including preparing the board’s often voluminous meeting agendas and coordinating nearly three dozen committees, some of which have 20 or more members.

The job requires meticulous attention to detail and superior organizational skills.

Draughn handles it all with grace and lightheartedness.

“The most accurate description I can say of her is that if she’s involved, she’s going to give you everything she’s got, and it’s going to be done well,” County Manager Brian Epley said.

“A lot of times, the work of professional staff, especially that of the clerk, is behind the scenes. Folks don’t always see the energy, the effort, the hours that it takes. But don’t make any mistake about it, we’re all very blessed to have Kay in Burke County.”

Draughn, who is quick to deflect praise and laud the contributions of deputy clerk Kat Wright, said she’s blessed to be a part of the county’s team.

“It’s interesting to know what’s going on in all areas,” Draughn said. “I love the people I work with and those relationships.”

“It’s demanding, it’s challenging. I think my deputy and I do a good job at documenting history. We try to include a lot of photos in our minutes so people can look back at them and maybe see a relative or loved one. It’s a personal touch.”

Draughn especially enjoys the role she plays arranging the board’s monthly meetings. She insists on a certain level of decorum but tries to keep things fun.

“It’s all business, but there needs to be something cool and interesting, something dynamic that’s unique to each meeting,” Draughn said.

One such feature Draughn introduced is Pet of the Month, where shelter staffers bring in a dog in need of a home. The canines often elicit a welcome moment of spontaneous smiles amidst all the gravitas and occasional contention of public meetings.

For Draughn, it seems everything eventually comes back around to her lifelong love of animals.

“That’s my passion,” she said. “I’ll talk about animals all day long, any day of the week. And I will beg shamelessly for animals.”

The begging has produced results.

When the county broke ground on its new Animal Services building last fall, Draughn and ASFI vice president Alan Wood presented commissioners a check for $50,000 the foundation had raised in support of the project.

The donation was the culmination of several years of dedicated efforts on the part of the foundation — a labor of love for Draughn. “When I’m working on that, it’s a joy,” she said. “We’re making a difference.”

More joy is on the way. The long-awaited shelter is expected to be finished in early 2026. When that happens, Draughn said it’s going to be party time.

“We’re going to have a celebration, and it’s going to be a big one,” she grinned.

Shelby, Sophie, and Stowie plan to be there, too.