Wartburg College senior joins County Soil and Water Commission through write-in votes

Around Wartburg's campus, Jesse Kielman is a superstar.

"I'm that guy, I harass people at the checkouts," he said.

The communications major turned sustainability guru has a mission throughout campus. And that's informing people about the environment.

"Do you know how long it takes a sack to degrade? It's like 3,000 years!"

It's passion he's now going to take to the county government. And it's all thanks to his mom.

"About 10 o'clock on election day my mom went down to vote and she told me she wrote me in and I said 'Oh that would be really cool.'"

From there it spiraled.

On a post on his Facebook page Kielman asked friends to write him in for Water and Soil Conservation District Commission.

But the county had to take a few days to count in write in votes. So Kielman didn't find out the results until Tuesday.

Kielman plans to use this commission as a gateway to his future.

"We need to have channels to share information."

To share environmental concerns while using his college trained communication skills.

"This is home, and I want this to be the best Bremer County, Waverly and Iowa possible."

Kielman will join the commission after the first of the year. He won't be able to vote because there's already a commissioner from his ward, but he will have input.