Elections: Board of Supervisor
2022 Butler SWCD Supervisor Elections
Election Legal Notice
The Ohio Soil and Water Conservation Commission will cause an election of Supervisors of the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) to be held in accordance with Chapter 940 of the Ohio Revised Code. Individuals who own or occupy land within the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District and are 18 years of age or older may vote for Supervisor.
There are 5 ways an eligible voter can cast a ballot:
1. At the SWCD office, 1802 Princeton Rd., Suite 300, Hamilton, Ohio 45011, from 7/28/2022 until 8/26/2022 during normal business hours; or
2. At the Butler County Fair Livestock Auction, which will take place at 1715 Fairgrove Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45011 on 7/30/2022 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM; or
3. At the Cover Crop Field Day, which will take place at 1802 Princeton Rd, Hamilton, Ohio 45011 on 8/20/2022 from 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM; or
4. At the SWCD Annual Meeting, which will take place at Pohlman Lanes, 954 Pyramid Hill Blvd, Hamilton, Ohio 45013 on 8/23/2022 from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ; or
5. Voting absentee from 7/28/2022 until 8/26/2022, by requesting the ballot application and election ballot from the SWCD office at the following address 1802 Princeton Rd, Suite 300, Hamilton, Ohio 45011, by calling (513) 887-3720, or email butlerswcd@butlercountyohio.org. All absentee ballots must be requested by 8/19/2022.
Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by 8/26/2022 at 1:00 PM.
Two Supervisors will be elected to a three‐year term commencing January 1, 2023 and ending December 31, 2025.
Nominees are:
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Katherine J. Collins
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Nathan E. Gillespie
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Linda Peters
How Do I Vote?
There are three ways eligible voters can cast a ballot:
1.) In person at the Butler SWCD office from July 28 until August 26, 2022, during normal business hours: or
2.) Voting absentee by requesting a ballot from July 28 until August 19, 2022, requests can be made in person by coming to the SWCD office at the following address 1802 Princeton Road, Suite 300, Hamilton, Ohio 45011, by calling 513-887-3720, or emailing butlerswcd@butlercountyohio.org. Absentee ballots must be received by the SWCD office by 1:00 pm on August 26, 2022.
3.) Vote at one of our in-person events listed below:
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Butler County Livestock Sale, Saturday, July 30 from 9 AM to 12 PM
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Cover Crop Field Day, Saturday, August 20 from 8:30 AM to 12 PM
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Butler SWCD Annual Meeting, Tuesday, August 23 from 6 to 8 PM
To be eligible to vote residents must be at least 18 years old and reside within the District. Due to new rules in place we no longer require an affidavit on file with Butler SWCD attesting the eligibility of Firms, corporations, LLCs, trust, and non-residents that own land or occupy lands in Butler County; by signing the ballot you are verifying you legally are 18 years or older and eligible to vote as a non-resident landowner, a representative of the identified firm, corporation, LLC, or trust.
Absentee Ballot Request
Butler County residents or non-residents, Firms, corporations, LLCs, and trusts that own land or occupy lands in Butler County can vote absentee by mail or in person. Absentee ballots and ballot envelopes can be mailed to voters from July 28 until August 19 after being requested by:
1. Mail—1802 Princeton Road, Suite 300, Hamilton, Ohio 45011
2. Phone— Call 513-887-3720
3. Electronically— email at butlerswcd@butlercountyohio.org
4. In Person— 1802 Princeton Road, Suite 300, Hamilton, Ohio 45011
Questions? Contact Butler SWCD by phone at 513-887-3720.
Candidates
Katherine J. Collins
Katherine lives in the city of Hamilton with her husband Tom of 41 years. Katherine also has two children, T.J. and Megan and three grandchildren.
Katherine has been teaching for 45 years, including teaching in Wisconsin and Minnesota. She taught at St. Ann and then at Badin High School. She had a year of retirement and then this year she just finished teaching 6th grade at St. Ann's again.
Katherine enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling. She especially enjoys traveling to presidential sites and hopes to be able to visit most in every state.
Katherine decided to run in our election partly because she was asked, but also because she has been involved with Butler SWCD with the Envirothon program when she taught science at Badin. While at Badin, she also received our Land Lab Grant to create a garden for the school. Katherine has also served on the nominating committee in the past.
When asked what she would like to accomplish if she became a board member, Katherine stated "I believe I bring a unique set of skills to Butler SWCD as I have been an educator for 45 years (1987 - present) in Butler County. I see the county becoming less agricultural, and the need to educate citizens about soil and water conservation is more important now than ever."
Nathan E. Gillespie
Incumbent, Nathan Gillespie is a 4th generation farmer in Milford Township, and has lived in Butler County all his life. He and his wife Angie have three children, Austin, A.J., and Morgan. Nathan is a full time farmer and owns 65 acres which have been in his family for over 100 years. He farms corn, wheat, soybeans, hay, and also does custom farming. Nathan also owns and operates Gillespie Feed and Farm Supply. Nathan enjoys raising registered Herefords and showing them with his family. He also has a cow/calf operation selling freezer beef.
Nathan has installed 4,810 feet of waterways, a 40 x 58’ Dry Stack Animals Waste Facility, a 40 x 96 Waste Storage Facility, and a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan (CNMP) on his farm. 75% of his crop is no-till and the rest is minimum tillage. He and his family have cover crops on 25% of their ground, and also use variable rate fertilizer.
Nathan graduated from Talawanda High School and Hobart Institute of Welding Technology as a combination welder. His family attends the St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Darrtown, Ohio. He is a lifetime Talawanda FFA Alumni member and is a board member of the Butler County Cattlemen's Association. Nathan served on the Milford Township Fire Department for 25 years, and has been on the Butler County Farm Bureau Board.
“After completing my Fourth term I have learned a lot about conservation and how Soil and Water Districts operate and make a positive impact on our County. I have also met some great people not only in our County, but around the State, and even the Nation. I would like to continue serving the county representing rural and urban residents alike. With the current and future environmental issues facing agriculture on the horizon, I feel my knowledge and input can still continue to be a valuable asset to the board.”
Linda Peters
Incumbent, Linda Peters is a 42-year resident of Liberty Township and a lifetime resident of Butler County. She and her husband Frank have two grown daughters, Laura and Sara and two grandchildren.
Now retired from teaching, Linda taught for 25 years first at Middletown City Schools and then at Lakota Local Schools. During her teaching career, she was chair of her department, served on several building and district committees, and helped develop curriculum for the science and social studies departments.
Linda’s community activities included 4 years as PTA president, 30 years with Girl Scouting, where she served as troop leader. Several of their projects centered around pond building and outdoor learning centers within the Lakota Schools. Linda also served as District Manager, and for 9 years she coordinated and ran Girl Scout Day Camps and camporees. Many of the camp activities Linda developed instructed scouts about outdoor education and conservation of the land. Currently, she is actively involved with the Mason Ohio Star Quilting Group, serving as the president.
“I am currently finishing my second term as a member of the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District Board. I have attended trainings and meetings across Ohio, meeting many people who have shared ways to introduce new conservation programs that help future generations understand that our natural resources are important. I hope to continue using my teaching background to enhance the understanding of Butler County residents on how we must intertwine the urban and rural areas of our county to preserve our land and water for future generations. I want to continue expanding the Butler SWCD educational and outreach programs which are utilized by hundreds of Butler County residents each year.”