Chris Reinersman, who currently serves as the mayor of Independence, announced Thursday that he would not seek reelection to the mayoral seat in 2026. Instead, he will run for the position of Kenton County property valuation administrator.
“My 35 years in real estate appraisal work along with the insights gained from serving as mayor and leadership positions on county and regional boards have prepared me well for the responsibilities of PVA,” Reinersman said in a press release. “I have spent the last 15 years focused on efficient, effective and ethical government and look forward to using those principles to continue serving Kenton County in this new capacity.”
As indicated in his statement, Reinersman works professionally as a commercial real estate appraiser. County property administrators are responsible for assessing the values of property in the county, figures that are then used for calculating property taxes. Kenton County’s current Property Valuation Administrator is Darlene Plummer, who has served in the position since 2014. Plummer announced her run for reelection in October.
Additionally, Reinersman endorsed Carol Franzen, a current city council member for Independence, as his successor in his announcement.
“Knowing that Carol Franzen—someone with deep experience, dedication, and a genuine passion for this community—is stepping forward to run for mayor gives me great confidence,” Reinersman stated. “I am fully supportive of her candidacy, and I truly believe the city will be in excellent hands moving forward.”
Both Reinersman and Franzen filed for their respective candidacies on Thursday, according to the Kentucky Secretary of State’s Office.