Kyle Montgomery was recently re-elected to the board of the Fayette Soil & Water Conservation District (FSWCD) during a special election.
Montgomery will retain a seat as supervisor for a three-year term commencing on Jan. 1, 2021.
“This was definitely an unusual year,” said FSWCD Director Chet Murphy. “We had to cancel our normal annual meeting and supervisor election due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead we held an election using only absentee ballots.”
Residents and owners or renters of land in Fayette County had the opportunity to vote in this election from Sept. 28 until Nov. 10. Oversight of the election was performed by the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission.
This will be Montgomery’s third term on the board. He was opposed by Austin Fitzpatrick of Jasper Township.
Montgomery has served as a supervisor since 2015. He lives in Concord Township where he is a part owner/operator of a grain farm with his grandparents, father, and brother.
He is a 2010 graduate of Miami Trace High School and a 2013 graduate of Wilmington College with a bachelor of science degree in Ag Business. His farming operation uses minimum till to grow corn and No-Till to raise soybeans. Montgomery is a big proponent of drainage tile and believes water quality will continue to be a big issue facing agriculture in the coming years.
Both candidates were nominated by the district’s nominating committee. This committee works throughout the year looking for people who are interested in the conservation and protection of natural resources within Fayette County. There were no petition candidates.
The board is composed of five supervisors. The duties of the board include being familiar with and understanding the land and water conditions within the entire district; developing and implementing a strategic plan and an annual plan of work for the conservation and development of natural resources of the district; and establishing sound policies and priorities concerning the work to be accomplished in conservation education and technical assistance on the land.
Fayette Soil & Water Conservation District is operating by appointment only during the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on any program offered by Fayette SWCD, call 740-636-0279. The district office is located in the Fayette Agricultural Center, 1415 US 22 SW, Suite 500, Washington Court House, OH, 43160.
