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Larry Fraley has always had an interest in serving his community, and after 42 years in law enforcement, he’ll be doing that as a Decherd alderman.

After recently retiring from the Winchester Police Department, Fraley became, so to speak, a free man, and now he’s been selected by the Decherd Board of Mayor and Aldermen to fill a vacancy due to Vice Mayor Richard Gulley’s resignation.

Fraley gave his oath of office Monday to General Sessions Judge David Stewart, and his first meeting as a new alderman was scheduled for Tuesday.

Fraley said he welcomes the opportunity to serve his community.

“The first thing we need to do is hire some people,” he said, referring to several vacancies in key city positions.

Gulley’s resignation followed Eric Bradford’s back-to-back resignations, first as interim city administrator — a position he simultaneously held while serving as water/wastewater superintendent — then from the latter position where he completely left employment with the city.

Bradford had been serving as the interim city administrator in the place of Rex Clark, who had been fired from the position in June 2022.

Fraley said it is a priority to fill the vacant positions.

Gulley resigned two weeks ago, citing an inability to make a personally desired difference in Decherd’s city government operations.

Gulley submitted a letter of resignation to Mayor Mary Nell Hess stating he was stepping down from his Board of Mayor and Aldermen seat, effective March 31.

“When I ran three years ago, I had hoped I could make a difference,” Gulley said in the letter. “I don’t feel I have.

“I thank the people of Decherd who voted for me, and I appreciate the support and kindness shown to me by the city employees.”

Gulley said that no particular instance swayed him into stepping down — it involved continual differences where board members could not get along, and they maintained caustic stances toward each other on a variety of issues.

“There’s been three-and-a-half years of drama and turmoil,” he said, adding that the stress personally had become too much to bear to remain on the board, and it was taking a toll on his family life and threatening his health.

Gulley explained he had run for office with a goal to make Decherd a better place, but that didn’t happen.

“I reached a point where I didn’t see staying on five more months would make any difference,” he said, referring to serving out the remainder of his term. “There was just too much drama.”

Fraley said Decherd has had its instances where its leaders have not been able to get along, but his intent is to work with his fellow board members toward the betterment of the city.

“We all need to work together,” he said.

Hess said she’s glad Fraley was able to join the board.

“I’m very, very happy that he accepted,” she said, agreeing with Fraley that filling the vacant positions is a top priority.

Fraley is a 1977 Franklin County High School graduate. He was with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for 34 years and had worked for the Winchester Police Department for eight years.

He and wife Phyllis have two daughters — 35-year-old Lauryn Fraley and 29-year-old Leah Fraley.