City Manager (859) 342-7911
Joanne Barnett-Smith City Council (859) 342-7911 tidbit7080@aol.com
Gloria Grubbs City Council (859) 342-6214 gloria@cityofelsmere.com

City of Elsmere | Kentucky Department for Local Government

ELSMERE
Five of the six council members in the city of Elsmere were sworn in by Representative Kim Moser. Joanne Barnett-Smith, Gloria Grubbs, Missy Tester, and Maria Vogt were reelected to their council seats, and Justin Wade is the new councilmember.

Government briefs: A busy week last week for local governments — here’s a summary - NKyTribune

ELSMERE CITY COUNCIL (elect 6)

Gloria Grubbs (i) 1357 WINNER

Joanne Barnett-Smith (i) 1177 WINNER

Rusty Smith 1146

Nancy Bowman (i) 1548 WINNER

Bill Bradford (i) 1479 WINNER

Alexis Tanner (i) 1303 WINNER

Aaron Moore 1520 WINNER

Election Results: Kenton County City Races - LINK nky

Joanne currently serves on the Elsmere City Council. She was reelected in 2024 after winning election to the council in 2016.

City of Elsmere - Kentucky DLG - Counties View

Students get a taste of public service, up close and ... - NKyTribune

Elsmere City Council votes to remove absent member Serena Owen

Joanne Barnett-Smith currently serves on the Elsmere City Council. She was reelected in 2024 after winning election to the council in 2016.

2026 Kentucky General Election

Joanne Barnett-Smith has sought more feedback from Elsmere citizens since she became a council member. “There’s a lot of people out there that I want to hear from to see how they’re doing, to make it better for them to stay in Elsmere,” she said. A resident since 1974, she looks to enact citizen-informed improvements that make living in Elsmere as pleasant as it has been for her and her family.

Elsmere City Council - LINK nky

“Everybody tells me you’ve got to get on social media, but to me, I’m old-school. I’d rather talk to somebody face to face, shake their hands and say I’m here,” Barnett-Smith said. She encourages Elsmere citizens to approach her and the city council with suggestions for change—she can be reached by phone, but face-to-face dialog is even better. “I have my opinions, you have your opinions,” she added. “But if your opinions are better than mine, my God, they’re the ones that count.”

Prioritizes resident feedback and face-to-face conversations about changes in Elsmere.

- Prioritizes resident feedback and face-to-face conversations about changes in Elsmere.

Public Services

Eliminate the PDS Council and transfer its responsibilities to the Kenton County Fiscal Court. The bill aims to streamline government operations and reduce redundancy in services provided to local governments. Supporters argue that this will lead to more efficient use of taxpayer dollars, while opponents express concern over losing local representation in planning decisions. Joanne Barnett-Smith, a candidate for Elsmere City Council Member, was asked about her stance on the proposed bill. "I believe that local governance is crucial for our community's needs. While I understand the desire for efficiency, I worry that eliminating the PDS Council could diminish our ability to address specific local issues effectively. We need to ensure that our voices are heard in planning and development decisions that affect us directly," she responded.

PDS Council

Opposes eliminating the Planning and Development Services Council, citing concerns that it would reduce local representation in planning and development decisions.

- Opposes eliminating the Planning and Development Services Council, citing concerns that it would reduce local representation in planning and development decisions.

Housing & Urban Development

As of September 15, 2026, Joanne Barnett-Smith did not have a website or any information online.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Public Safety

Education

Economy

Joanne Barnett-Smith

As of September 15, 2026, Joanne Barnett-Smith’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Andrew Myatt

Carson Scalf

Edward "Eddy" Henry

Gloria Grubbs

Justin Clifford Wade

Maria Vogt

Missy Enxel Tester

Rusty C. Smith Iii

Sarah Underwood

- City council members make up the legislative body of the city's government and are responsible for the public's health, safety, and welfare. Its legislative duties include enacting ordinances, levying taxes, and adopting a budget. 
- The city council has the authority to investigate all activities of the city government and its employees. 
- City councils in Kentucky typically have between 6 and 12 council members. They serve two-year terms except in Louisville and Lexington where some members serve four-year terms. 
- Council members can be elected to represent a single district or the city at-large. Elections take place in even-numbered years. 

Passes laws and regulations for your city.