Five candidates are running for four Kenton County Soil and Water Conservation District Board seats. The board is responsible for ensuring sound land use activities, preventing soil erosion, protecting water quality, and managing Kenton County’s natural resources.
The board works closely with the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Kentucky Cabinet for Environmental and Public Protection.
The five soil and water conservation district supervisor candidates are listed in the order they filed for election below. Voters will cast votes for four of them in November.
Click on the candidate’s names to learn more about them:
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson currently serves as the vice chairman of the Kenton County Soil and Water Conservation Board.
Professionally, Johnson has led programs for various federal government entities, including the Departments of State, Energy, and Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency. Locally, Johnson worked on projects such as the Fernald Environmental Management Project for the Ohio EPA.
In an email interview with LINK nky, Johnson described himself as an avid outdoorsman that is “eager to help advance and promote” the conservation district’s programs and initiatives.
Johnson said he’s focused on preserving natural environments in Kenton County, specifically in its southern areas, where declining agricultural production and future development threaten to alter its rural character. Furthermore, Johnson believes the county should strive to balance current and future development with sustainable approaches for conserving natural resources and conservation areas.
One of Johnson’s goals is to enhance outreach to Kenton County’s urban and suburban residents, who could benefit from more information about the district’s programs.
Gailen Bridges
Gailen Bridges is a Covington-based attorney, cattle farmer, and Kenton County Soil & Water Conservation Board chair – a role he’s held since 2015.
Before that, he served as its vice chair. He was first elected to the board in 2008. As a farmer, Bridges said he’s always been interested in conservation and community volunteer work.
When he was first elected, Bridges described the board as underfunded and barely functioning in an email interview with LINK nky. Since then, he said the board has grown into a viable governmental organization that contributes to the well-being of Kenton County citizens. During his tenure, the board has moved into its own office, hired full-time staff, and increased funding.
Due to Kenton County’s continued development, Bridges said the board should preserve greenspace, continue reforestation efforts, responsibly manage stormwater, and support the county’s agricultural community.
Nicole Clements
Nicole Clements has worked in environmental protection and restoration for municipalities and public utility companies for over twenty years. In 2015, she began working for the Banklick Watershed Council on reducing pollution, restoring creeks, and preserving green spaces.
Currently, she’s the nonprofit’s watershed coordinator, where she works to secure grant funding and oversee projects like building wetlands, establishing nature preserves, and helping homeowners fix their failing septic systems. She also serves as the City of Fort Mitchell’s Tree Board chair.
In an email interview with LINK nky, Clements said Kenton County faces the difficult task of striking a balance between the needs of economic growth, development pressures, agricultural producers, and ecological function.
Clements said her experience in environmental regulations, conservation funding, and project implementation, coupled with her experience working with local, state, and nonprofit agencies on conservation and environmental issues, makes her a good candidate for the board’s supervisor role.
Mark Nienaber
Mark Nienaber is an environmental researcher at Northern Kentucky University. Prior to that, he worked as a senior research associate for Procter & Gamble. He’s also an avid gardener, collecting and identifying plants for various institutions.
Throughout his career, Nienaber has organized and educated local lake owners on monitoring their lakes and communicating their concerns.
In an email interview with LINK nky, Nienaber said he decided to run for board supervisor because, as a biologist, he felt he could contribute to the conservation and education mission of Kenton County Soil and Water Conservation District Supervisor.
From his perspective, the community’s most critical issues are information and education regarding conservation. His career focuses on making information accessible, which he says will be a transferable skill to the role of board supervisor. In addition, Nienaber said he also has a background in customer service and other advisory roles.
Chris Kaeff
Chris Kaeff has served on the Kenton County Soil & Water Conservation Board since 2012, serving as its treasurer. He has over 20 years of experience working in the public and private sectors, with expertise in ecological restoration, water resources, regulatory compliance, and asset management.
Kaeff is a regional manager for Williams Creek Management, a construction firm based in Cincinnati. In his role, Kaeff specializes in natural resources, green infrastructure, mitigation, restoration, stormwater pollution prevention, and native landscaping.
In addition, Kaeff has served as treasurer of the Northern Kentucky Urban and Community Forestry Council since 2017 along with being involved with the Banklick Watershed Council and the Kenton County Conservancy.
In an email interview with LINK nky, Kaeff said human activity tremendously affects Kenton County’s soil and waterways. From his perspective, the board’s most pressing challenges are managing flooding and erosion from atypical rain events and unwise land use practices. Kaeff said the board must adopt adaptive and resilient resource management goals to combat these challenges.
