Kuehn: Ministry, business experience will bring fresh perspective to county board

Kuehn, who left Arkansas three years ago to be a pastor at Christ Place Church in Lincoln, said that because he grew up around law enforcement, he’s always been interested in county government, though he’s never run for office before.

Kuehn, a 34-year-old Republican, is challenging incumbent Christa Yoakum, a Democrat, for the District 2 seat, which covers northwest Lancaster County.

Kuehn said the fact that he’s been in Lincoln just three years is “somewhat unique” but doesn’t affect his desire to serve.

“I really believe in contributing where you are, no matter whether you’re there a few days or all your life,” he said. “A great community needs people to be contributing in some way.”

Kuehn earned a degree in criminal justice and business at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and volunteered as a chaplain for the Arkansas State Patrol.

“I feel like I can really lean into my law enforcement background and one of the main issues is recruitment,” he said. “We need to lean into recruiting to fill the ranks and keep people.”

At 14, Kuehn got his first job — working for his grandma, who owned a promotions business — calling vendors and customers about their accounts. 

“Those were some of the most empowering seasons of my life,” he said. “I loved it and kind of got bit by the small-business bug.”

He said he started and sold several small businesses, including a window cleaning business in college. He worked for UPS for six years in the union and in management.

He earned his masters of practical theology from Southwestern Assemblies of God Universities. Ministry, he said, is very entrepreneurial, because pastors set their own schedule, manage all the finances and manage a community.

“If you’re a good entrepreneur, you have some of the gifts to be a good pastor,” he said.

The county, he said, needs to focus more on “core” services.

“We’re not here to be everything to everybody,” he said. “We’re here to provide structure for people and the community so they can thrive.”

He hears about the property tax burden when he knocks on doors, he said, and the county needs leadership that brings “that fresh perspective to help be a part of that solution.”

He said he’s not against the county giving grants to human service agencies (which the county and city do as part of the joint budget committee), but county money should be used for “core county services.”

“Everybody asks what you’re going to cut but nobody asks the better question of what do you need to invest in,” he said.

If the county invests in its core services, he said, and makes sure cash reserves are adequately funded, then the county can begin looking at partnerships and “making value-based decisions.”

He said county cash reserves are not where they need to be, and over the past five years property taxes collected by the county have increased 29%.

Over the past five years, the board has significantly increased the cash reserves — from $6.1 million in 2019 to $20.7 million in 2024, though it still isn’t at the recommended 16%.

Despite the overall increase in property taxes, the county hasn’t had to hold a public hearing — as required by state law the past three years if a subdivision’s proposed property tax revenues increase by more than 2%, plus allowable growth. Commissioners have kept the increases below that level.

Kuehn’s endorsements include Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, County Commissioner Matt Schulte, Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner, State Auditor Mike Foley, State Sen. Beau Ballard, Karen Bowling, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance, and the Lincoln Independent Business Association.

His biggest contributors include Thomas Peed, whose family owns Sandhills Global ($11,200), Sandhills Global ($11,200) and Bill Biggs ($11,000).

Kuehn and his wife, Dawn — who hiked the Appalachian Trail together — have three children.

“I bring not just ministry experience but pretty diverse talents,” he said.