Kenton County Government & Services for Villa Hills Residents
Carpenter's Trace is in the City of Villa Hills, which sits inside Kenton County. The county handles things the city doesn't: property assessments, tax collection, car titles, elections, courts, the animal shelter, county parks and 911 dispatch. Here's who does what and how to reach them.
Checked against official sources October 7, 2026.
How Kenton County is organized
Kenton County is the third most populous county in Kentucky, with nearly 170,000 residents across nineteen cities plus some unincorporated land. Unusually, it has two county seats: Covington and Independence. Many county offices keep a branch at each.
The main county building is the Kenton County Government Center at 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington. The Historic Kenton County Courthouse at 5272 Madison Pike in Independence hosts branch offices for the Sheriff, County Clerk and PVA.
- County administration
- 1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 5200, Covington, KY 41011
- Main phone
- (859) 392-1400
- Administration hours
- Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM (other offices vary)
Fiscal Court: who serves and when it meets
The Fiscal Court is the county's governing body: the Judge/Executive plus three commissioners. It usually meets twice a month at 5:30 p.m., alternating between the two county seats.
Agendas are posted before each meeting and minutes after approval. Meetings stream live through the Telecommunications Board of Northern Kentucky (TBNK) on its website and Facebook page, and on cable channels 204 (Spectrum) and 816 (Fioptics). An archive of past meetings is online.
Per the county’s September 2026 announcement, Commissioners Jon Draud and Joe Nienaber are retiring at the end of 2026.
- Judge/Executive
- Kris Knochelmann
- Commissioner, District 1
- Beth Sewell
- Commissioner, District 2
- Dr. Jon Draud
- Commissioner, District 3
- Joe Nienaber
- County Administrator
- Joe Shriver
- 2nd Tuesday meeting
- 5:30 p.m., Independence Courthouse, 5272 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051
- 4th Tuesday meeting
- 5:30 p.m., Kenton Chambers (2nd floor), 1840 Simon Kenton Way, Covington, KY 41011
Elected county offices
These offices are run by independently elected officials. Most have their own websites.
Property Valuation Administrator (PVA)
Darlene M. Plummer, PVA. Assesses property values and handles homestead/disability exemptions.
859-392-17501840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 3300, Covington, KY 41011 (also 5272 Madison Pike, Independence)Covington: Monday–Friday, 8:15 a.m.–4:15 p.m.Gabrielle Summe, County Clerk. Vehicle titles and registration, elections, deeds, marriage licenses.
859-392-1600 (main), 859-392-1652 (motor vehicles), 859-392-1620 (voter registration)1840 Simon Kenton Way, Covington, KY 41011 and 5272 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.Sheriff Jude Hehman. Collects property taxes, serves court papers, CCDW permits, out-of-state vehicle inspections.
859-392-1800 (Covington), 859-392-1882 (Independence)1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 1200, Covington, KY 41011 and 5272 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.John C. Middleton, Kenton Circuit/District Clerk. Court records, traffic tickets, small claims, probate, family court.
859-292-6523230 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, Covington, KY 41011Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. (except holidays)Stacy Tapke. Prosecutes district-court cases (misdemeanors, DUI, traffic), juvenile matters, child support.
859-491-0600 (office), 859-491-4114 (child support)1840 Simon Kenton Way, Suites 4100 & 4200, Covington, KY 41011Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.Amber Constantino, RN, BSN, FNE, Coroner.
859-356-2700Mailing: PO Box 337, Independence, KY 41051Detention Center (County Jailer)
Jailer Marc Fields.
859-363-24003000 Decker Crane Lane, Covington, KY 41011
County departments you may need
- Not sure whether a road is county, city or state? The county links to a Planning and Development Services map that shows who maintains each road and who to call.
- County Public Works maintains county roads only. Streets inside Villa Hills are handled by the city, and KY 8 (River Road) is a state route.
Kenton County Animal Services (shelter & animal control)
859-356-7400[email protected]1020 Mary Laidley Drive, Covington, KY 41017Tuesday–Friday noon–6 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.Emergency Communications (911 dispatch, non-emergency line)
859-356-319111777 Madison Pike, Independence, KY 41051Homeland Security & Emergency Management
Director Steve Hensley
859-392-14881840 Simon Kenton Way, Suite 2400, Covington, KY 41011Public Works (county roads, solid waste programs)
Maintains nearly 300 miles of county roads; runs the trash voucher, recycling and clean-up programs.
859-392-1920420 Independence Station Road, Independence, KY 41051
Getting to the Government Center during Brent Spence construction
Per the county's 2026 notice, the Government Center stays open during Brent Spence Bridge Corridor work. Its Simon Kenton Way entrance closed on Aug. 18, 2026, and is expected to stay closed until spring 2027; use the Pike Street entrance instead.
If you want to avoid Covington traffic, the Historic Kenton County Courthouse in Independence also offers Sheriff, County Clerk and PVA services.
Frequently asked questions
›Who is the Kenton County Judge/Executive?
Kris Knochelmann is the Kenton County Judge/Executive. He leads the Fiscal Court along with three commissioners.
Source ↗›Who are the Kenton County commissioners?
Beth Sewell (District 1), Dr. Jon Draud (District 2) and Joe Nienaber (District 3). The county said in September 2026 that Draud and Nienaber will retire at the end of 2026.
Source ↗›When and where does Kenton County Fiscal Court meet?
Typically at 5:30 p.m. on the 2nd Tuesday at the Independence Courthouse (5272 Madison Pike) and the 4th Tuesday at the Covington Government Center (1840 Simon Kenton Way, second-floor Kenton Chambers). Check the county calendar, since dates sometimes shift.
Source ↗›Can I watch Fiscal Court meetings online?
Yes. TBNK streams them live on its website and Facebook page, and they air on Spectrum channel 204 and Fioptics channel 816. Past meetings are archived online.
Source ↗›Is Villa Hills in Covington or Independence for county purposes?
Neither. Villa Hills is its own city inside Kenton County. The county has two seats, Covington and Independence, and you can use county offices in either one.
Source ↗›What is the phone number for the Kenton County Clerk?
The main line is 859-392-1600. Motor vehicles is 859-392-1652 and voter registration is 859-392-1620. Both offices are open Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Source ↗›Who is the Kenton County Sheriff?
Jude Hehman. The Sheriff's Office collects property taxes and has offices at 1840 Simon Kenton Way in Covington (859-392-1800) and 5272 Madison Pike in Independence (859-392-1882).
Source ↗›Where is the Kenton County Circuit Court Clerk?
At 230 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor, in Covington (859-292-6523), open Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. It handles court records, traffic cases, small claims, probate and family court.
Source ↗›Where is the Kenton County animal shelter and when is it open?
Kenton County Animal Services is at 1020 Mary Laidley Drive, Covington (859-356-7400). It is open Tuesday–Friday noon–6 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Source ↗›Who do I call about a pothole or road problem near Villa Hills?
It depends on who owns the road. The county's road maintenance map shows who maintains each road and the right number to call. County Public Works (859-392-1920) handles only county roads.
Source ↗›Can I get rid of bulk trash through Kenton County?
Yes. Residents with a paid trash bill can apply for a free voucher for Bavarian Landfill in Walton. There is a limit of one per address per month and 10 per year, and 200 vouchers are offered each month on a first-come, first-served basis.
Source ↗›Is the Kenton County Government Center open during Brent Spence construction?
Yes. The Simon Kenton Way entrance closed Aug. 18, 2026, and is expected to reopen in spring 2027. Until then, enter from Pike Street. Sheriff, Clerk and PVA services are also offered at the Independence courthouse.
Source ↗