Fort Mitchell council in a short meeting Tuesday morning and in the absence of Jared Arlinghaus, accepted the resignation of Mayor Jude Hehman who has been has been appointed Kenton County Sheriff.
Council member Kim Nachazel nominated Councilman Greg Pohlgeers and a subsequent unanimous vote approved the new mayor’s appointment, effective January 1, 2026.
Hehman has served the City of Fort Mitchell with distinction for more than two decades, including 11 years as Mayor.
“This decision comes with heavy and mixed emotions,” Hehman said. “The City of Fort Mitchell has meant more to me than I can adequately put into words, and my lifelong love for this community made this a very difficult decision.
“I began my public service here at a young age and was elected to Council at 21, spending 10 formative years on the legislative branch before returning to serve as Mayor for the past 11 years. Serving as Mayor has been the most meaningful and impactful chapter of my professional life, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we have made together.
“I am excited for the next chapter and will continue representing Fort Mitchell at the county level as Kenton County Sheriff. I leave knowing the city is in a strong position and poised to continue thriving.”
Councilman Greg Pohlgeers, who has served on Fort Mitchell City Council since 2017, currently serves as President of the Planning and Development Services of Kenton County (PDS) Council, representing the City of Fort Mitchell. He is also president and owner of the Northern Kentucky company, Associated Management Systems which specializes in electronic billing and payroll services and in located in Erlanger..
Pohlgeers graduated from Beechwood High School and from Trine University where he double-majored in business management and management information systems.
Pohlgeers had submitted a 30-day transtition plan and a five-year plan with his resume to council members. He thinks the next several months will be crucial for the development of the former Drawbridge Inn site and would like to put into action a plan for the city’s Historic Business district.
“Let’s keep the train on the tracks and move forward,” he said.
In addition to serving on council, Pohlgeers also serves on the PDS Management board, calls games for the Beechwood Sports Radio Network, and is a youth basketball coach.
A lifelong resident of Fort Mitchell, Pohlgeers, along with his wife, Amy Pohlgeers, and their three children, Everett, 13, Bryce, 11, and Audra, 7, are actively involved in the community, including Beechwood Athletics.
“I am deeply honored by the confidence the City Council has placed in me and grateful for Mayor Hehman’s years of dedicated leadership,” said Pohlgeers. “Jude’s passion for Fort Mitchell has left a lasting impact, and I am committed to building on the strong foundation he helped create.
“Fort Mitchell is my lifelong home, and stepping into this role is both a privilege and a responsibility I take very seriously. I look forward to working collaboratively with Council, city staff, and residents to continue moving our city forward.”
City of Fort Mitchell/Patricia Scheyer contributed to this report.