2026 Kentucky General Election

As of September 15, 2026, Bryan Roemer did not have a website or any information online.

Public Services

Housing & Urban Development

Transportation & Infrastructure

Public Safety

Education

At an Independence City Council candidate forum, candidates discussed business attraction and the potential economic impact of the Park 536 industrial development near KY-536. Roemer said: “As long as we continue to do that in a responsible way, we don’t overload one section of the city or another, there’s a lot of opportunity to bring new business here with that addition with how easy it will be to access Independence from the south side of the city,” Roemer said.

Independence City Council candidates discuss city growth, taxes, parks

The incumbents commended what they described as the city’s tight budgetary control, but the two challengers said that it may be worth reexamining the budget to determine if anything needed to be changed or more managed better. “We’d love the opportunity to fine tooth comb the budget,” Roemer said. “Performance based budgeting to help streamline some of that.”

Advocates for managing business development responsibly to avoid putting too much strain on areas of the city.

Advocates for budgeting based on results to make the city budget more efficient.

- Advocates for managing business development responsibly to avoid putting too much strain on areas of the city.
- Advocates for budgeting based on results to make the city budget more efficient.

Economy

Bryan Roemer

As of September 15, 2026, Bryan Roemer’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Advocates for budgeting based on results to make the city budget more efficient.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

# Chris Vogelpohl

Title: Council Member
Phone: 859-750-8249

Chris has been a resident of Independence since the age of 10 and is currently serving his second term on the council. He has been active in the community for over 14 years serving as a youth soccer coach at various levels for the Independence Soccer Club and previously serving on the Site Based Committee at Kenton Elementary.

Staff Directory • Chris Vogelpohl

Chris has been a resident of Independence since the age of 10 and is currently serving his second term on the council. He has been active in the community for over 14 years serving as a youth soccer coach at various levels for the Independence Soccer Club and previously serving on the Site Based Committee at Kenton Elementary.

Chris holds degrees in Nursing and History from NKU. He was a firefighter/paramedic for 20 years. Chris started his career for the Independence Fire District and eventually switched to the City of Covington Fire Department where he retired as a Lieutenant in 2019. Chris is currently employed as an EMS Coordinator for St Elizabeth Healthcare at their training center.

Chris has been married to his wife Shauna for 23 years and they have 2 daughters and is proud to call Independence my home, and he looks forward to further serving the citizens of Independence.

Chris Vogelpohl has lived in Independence since age 10. He holds degrees in nursing and history from Northern Kentucky University. He has been married to Shauna for 23 years, and they have two daughters; he has also coached youth soccer at various levels for the Independence Soccer Club and served on the site-based committee at Kenton Elementary.

Council Members - Independence, KY

Chris Vogelpohl earned degrees in nursing and history from Northern Kentucky University. Chris lives with his wife, Shauna, and their two children in Independence.

Chris started his career for the Independence Fire District and eventually switched to the City of Covington Fire Department where he retired as a Lieutenant in 2019. Chris is currently employed as an EMS Coordinator for St Elizabeth Healthcare at their training center.

He was a firefighter/paramedic for 20 years. Chris started his career for the Independence Fire District and eventually switched to the City of Covington Fire Department where he retired as a Lieutenant in 2019. Chris is currently employed as an EMS Coordinator for St Elizabeth Healthcare at their training center.

Chris currently works as an emergency medical services coordinator. He previously worked as a firefighter and paramedic.

Current Council MembersTom Brinker
Council Member
Email Council Member BrinkerMatthew Fehler
Council Member
Email Council Member FehlerCarol Franzen
Council Member
Email Council Member FranzenGreg Steffen
Council Member
Email Council Member SteffenChris Vogelpohl
Council Member
Email Council Member VogelpohlGreg Waite
Council Member
Email Council Member Waite

Council Members | City of Independence

Chris currently serves as a council member for the City of Independence. He was first elected in 2022 and is in his second term. 

QUESTION (for incumbents): What projects would you like to see accomplished while you are on council?

Chris Vogelpohl: Again, I do not have any “pet” projects, or individual goals to accomplish while serving on council. One thing that I do hope to see continue is money to be well spent in keeping our city streets, infrastructure, and parks among the nicest in the region. We have recently been able to make upgrades to our park system and increase road maintenance projects thanks to an influx of unexpected money from the federal government in the form of “Covid Relief.” I hope to see our strategic plan of maintenance and improvements continue even when the “covid money” is gone.

Candidates for Independence City Council answer questions - LINK nky

Wants more money to be spent on maintaining the quality of streets, infrastructure, and parks.

- Wants more money to be spent on maintaining the quality of streets, infrastructure, and parks.

QUESTION (for incumbents): Where do you see your city in ten years?

Chris Vogelpohl: Our city is on the verge of rapid growth with the 536-road project in full swing. When this road is completed, Independence could explode with growth. The main thing I hear people say is that they like the “small town feel” of Independence. I hope to maintain that small town feel 10 years from now through smart managed growth.

Independence council votes to place medical cannabis on ballot

Advocates for smart managed growth to keep a "small town feel" for the city of Independence.

- Advocates for smart managed growth to keep a "small town feel" for the city of Independence.
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As of September 15, 2026, Chris Vogelpohl did not have a website or any information online.

QUESTION (for incumbents): What do you see are the main issues facing your city?

Chris Vogelpohl: The main issue affecting our city right now is like many others. That is the ability to attract and retain highly qualified police officers. I will always back our outstanding police department 100%. Currently I am part of a work group designed to focus on this issue. In the budget that we just passed we were able to give our police department significant raises to bring them in line with other departments in our region.

Chris Vogelpohl: The main issue affecting our city right now is like many others. That is the ability to attract and retain highly qualified police officers. I will always back our outstanding police department 100%. Currently I am part of a work group designed to focus on this issue. In the budget that we just passed we were able to give our police department significant raises to bring them in line with other departments in our region. The raises are a starting point towards retention, as we probe deeper into other outlying issues to retention of officers.

Supports police officer retention by increasing pay and doing additional work on retention issues.

Supports greater police officer retention by increasing police pay and implementing additional retention strategies.

- Supports greater police officer retention by increasing police pay and implementing additional retention strategies.

Facebook

Chris Vogelpohl

- Advocates for smart managed growth to keep a "small town feel" for the city of Independence.
- .

- Advocates for smart managed growth to keep a "small town feel" for the city of Independence.

Chris Vogelpohl is from Independence, Kentucky. He earned degrees in nursing and history from Northern Kentucky University. Chris lives with his wife, Shauna, and their two daughters in Independence.

Chris currently works as an emergency medical services coordinator. He previously worked as a firefighter and paramedic for 20 years.

Chris currently has served as a council member for the City of Independence since 2022.

Chris is employed as an EMS Coordinator for St Elizabeth Healthcare at their training center and has been a firefighter/paramedic for 20 years.

Chris is currently a council member in Independence.

- Wants money to be spent on maintaining the quality of streets, infrastructure, and parks.

- Advocates for smart managed growth to keep a "small town feel."

- Supports police officer retention by increasing pay and doing additional work on retention issues.

As of September 15, 2026, Chris Vogelpohl’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Isaac Brickman

As of September 15, 2026, David Cooper did not have a website or any information online.

David Cooper

As of September 15, 2026, David Cooper’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As of September 15, 2026, Giuseppe Bentivegna did not have a website or any information online.

Giuseppe Bentivegna

Greg Waite was born and raised in Northeastern Ohio before making his way to Kentucky in 1990 to be a firefighter with the Independence Fire District. After he graduated high school, Waite served four years in the United States Navy. Waite retired as a Lieutenant after 34 years as firefighter. He is currently on the Independence City Council and served on the Kenton County Code Enforcement Board.

Kenton County Races - NKyTribune

Greg Waite is originally from Northeastern Ohio.

News roundup from Independence, Edgewood, Erlanger, Taylor Mill

Greg Waite retired as a lieutenant after 34 years as a firefighter with the Independence Fire District. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years.

Greg retired as a lieutenant after 34 years as a firefighter with the Independence Fire District. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years.

Greg Waite: I bring a lot of knowledge to this council, having served 6 years to date. I also served on the code enforcement board for 2 years, I have finished the first level of trading and nearly finished with the next of the KLC trading program. I love my community; I am heavily involved in this City, and I would be honored to serve again.

Greg served on the Independence City Council for six years as of 2022.

As of September 15, 2026, Greg Waite did not have a website or any information online.

Most of the Independence candidates this year are incumbents: Tom Brinker, Carol Franzen, Dave Shafer, Greg Steffen, Chris Vogelpohl and Greg Waite. The challengers are Chris Barbour, Matt Fehler and Bryan Roemer.
...
There were a handful of recurring themes in LINK nky’s correspondence with the candidates, namely development, public safety and infrastructure.
...
At any rate, most candidates were cautiously optimistic about development in the city.

Waite, a former firefighter, stated that the city needs to focus on “smart development. We cannot stop everything that’s proposed, but we can be smart on how things are developed.”

Independence City Council election: Candidates, issues and priorities - LINK nky

“Growth is inevitable for one thing,” Waite said, “but it’s how you maintain that growth. We have to do it in a smart way.”

Independence City Council candidates discuss city growth, taxes, parks at forum - LINK nky

When discussion flagged, Mayor Reinersman reopened the council meeting and asked for a motion on the second reading of the ordinance that changed the zoning to permit the map amendment and concept development plan.

The silence was deafening.

Finally, Councilmember Greg Steffen made a motion to deny the development. Council member Carol Franzen seconded the motion. In addition to Steffen and Franzen, Matthew Fehler, and Chris Vogelpohl voted yes to deny, while Tom Brinker and Greg Waite voted no. It was a difficult vote for the members, and a few admitted they were torn about it.

Independence City Council overturns planning commission’s recommendation on 336-apartment complex development - NKyTribune

Advocates for managing development and city growth in a “smart” way.

Voted against a motion to deny a zoning change that would permit a development.

- Advocates for managing development and city growth in a “smart” way.
- Voted against a motion to deny a zoning change that would permit a development.

Greg Waite: I think we face the same issues as most cities, affordable housing, park vandalism, and getting better streets. We have experienced rapid growth and with that comes the need for services to be met. I don’t want retention in our departments to feel like a revolving door. We have worked on keeping our staff competitive with other cities as far as pay. We need to offer more money training opportunities for all departments.

We would all benefit from a well experienced Police Force and our great Public Works department.

Advocates for competitive pay and additional training opportunities for city departments to improve employee retention.

- Advocates for competitive pay and additional training opportunities for city departments to improve employee retention.

“If we can get a grasp of what the values are going up and adjust that down to where we lower the tax rate where you’re not paying anymore, that might be something to really look at,” Waite said.

Greg Waite: We have been able the last 2 years to reduce taxes.

Said the city had reduced taxes and should consider lowering tax rates as property values rise to avoid higher tax payments.

- Said the city had reduced taxes and should consider lowering tax rates as property values rise to avoid higher tax payments.

Greg Waite

As of September 15, 2026, Greg Waite’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As of September 15, 2026, Jantzen J. Wittrock did not have a website or any information online.

LinkedIn

Jantzen J. Wittrock

Hi, I am Matthew Fehler. I'm a retired police officer who loves to serve and help people achieve their goals. I love going to the gym to keep my body healthy. I'm a proud father and husband. I love spending time with my family and friends. I have God in my life and heart. I believe random acts of kindness can move mountains. I'm kind hearted, trustworthy and I truly listen to other's needs.

Staff Directory - Matthew Fehler

Matthew Fehler - Staff Directory - Independence, KY

Council Member Matthew Fehler

Background

Matthew Fehler, elected in 2024, is the newest council member, replacing Dave Shafer.

Role and Contributions

Fehler brings fresh perspectives to legislative tasks, potentially focusing on economic development.

Mayor and City Council - Independence, KY

Welcome City Council
Congratulations to our council members who kicked off their two-year terms in January. As the legislative body for Independence, council enacts city ordinances, appropriates and manages city funds, and provides policy direction to city departments. Incumbents Tom Brinker, Carol Franzen, Greg Steffen, Chris Vogelpohl and Greg Waite were re-elected, as was newcomer Matt Fehler.

Official Newsletter APRIL 2025 – JUNE 2025 (PDF)

Matt was elected to the Independence City Council in 2024. He began a two-year term in January.

As of September 15, 2026, Matt Fehler did not have a website or any information online.

Matt Fehler

As of September 15, 2026, Matt Fehler’s website did not contain information on this issue.

## Tom Brinker

Tom Brinker has been an Independence resident for 15 years. He has served five terms as an Independence City Council member. He has served as president of the Independence Citizens Police Academy and chairman of the Independence Parks and Recreation Board. He is a service manager at Kenmarc Electric.

Thomas Brinker has served as president of the Independence Citizens Police Academy and chairman of the Independence Parks and Recreation Board.

Kenton County Races - Northern Kentucky Tribune

Thomas Brinker works as a service manager at Kenmarc Electric.

Thomas works as a service manager at Kenmarc Electric.

Thomas has served five terms as an Independence City Council member.

As of September 15, 2026, Thomas Brinker did not have a website or any information online.

No action was taken by the council, but after several asks from the crowd, one council member took a clear position on Flock. “And I can tell you right now, I’m opposed to them," said Tom Brinker to a round of applause.

Residents voice opposition to city’s Flock cameras

Opposes Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras.

- Opposes Flock Safety's automated license plate reader cameras.

Tom Brinker, who’s been on the council for 16 years, said “the challenge is being fiscally responsible when it comes to funding new projects,” adding that the current council has done a good job of thinking about how to efficiently spend tax dollars. He added he wanted to “continue to provide a budget that meets the needs of the city without increasing taxes.”

Plans to develop city budgets that meet municipal needs without increasing taxes.

- Plans to develop city budgets that meet municipal needs without increasing taxes.

Thomas Brinker

As of September 15, 2026, Thomas Brinker’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- City council members make up the legislative body of the city's government and are responsible for the public's health, safety, and welfare. Its legislative duties include enacting ordinances, levying taxes, and adopting a budget. 
- The city council has the authority to investigate all activities of the city government and its employees. 
- City councils in Kentucky typically have between 6 and 12 council members. They serve two-year terms except in Louisville and Lexington where some members serve four-year terms. 
- Council members can be elected to represent a single district or the city at-large. Elections take place in even-numbered years. 

Passes laws and regulations for your city.

Independence City Council Member

Candidates (8)