Foul odor, bad traffic, crime among top issues for District Four council candidates
The sewage odor that neighborhoods surrounding the West Hickman Waste Water Treatment facility have endured is a problem cited by all three candidates in the May 21 primary election for the Fourth District Urban County Council seat.
Crime and traffic are also on the list of top concerns for incumbent Brenda Monarrez and her opponents Emma Curtis and Brack Marquette.
Monarrez, who narrowly won over Marquette in November 2022, is the first person of Latin American descent to ever serve on the council. She said she’s earned the right to keep the job.
“The 4th District feels heard and sees results from my representation every day,” she said. “I am not a politician. I am a public servant.“
If elected, Curtis would be the first transgender member of the 15-seat Urban County Council. She is an independent filmmaker and vice president for recruitment and expansion for the Kentucky Young Democrats.
Curtis was a nominee to fill the 93rd District seat that opened when Rep. Lamin Swann died in May 2023, but Adrienne Camuel was eventually selected for the office. The current council race is the first time Curtis’s name will appear on the ballot in a primary election.
She was an outspoken critic of Senate Bill 150, which restricted medical treatments for transgender youth.
Marquette said as an economic development professional and long-time neighborhood association and historic preservation leader, he knows how to lead so all citizens enjoy benefits.
“No other candidate has a record of success as a state environmental and natural resources agency leader,” he said. “My proven record on water quality, sewer and other environmental issues in Lexington-Fayette will be of value to citizens and the council as important and costly solutions to environmental services are needed in the years ahead. “
District Four includes neighborhoods south of New Circle Road between Nicholasville and Tates Creek roads. Candidates for the council seat answered Herald-Leader questions over email and in phone interviews.
Emma Curtis
Curtis said the biggest issues facing the 4th District are improving traffic flow and safety on Nicholasville Road, updating sewer and water quality infrastructure, and making local government accessible and transparent.
“Nicholasville Road has been a nightmare for our community my entire life,” she said. “It’s clear to me that this issue cannot wait.”
She said a friend recently died after being hit by a car on Nicholasville Road.
In order to make Nicholasville Road safe for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, Curtis said the council must expand on an action plan, invest in infrastructure projects for pedestrian safety and community walkability, and improve access to public transportation.
The 4th District continues to be plagued by poor air and water quality, foul odors and adverse impacts on quality of life due to broken and outdated sewer and water quality infrastructure, Curtis said.
“The folks here have been advocating for solutions from our local government since the fall of 2023, but progress has been slow-moving and ineffective. Our council can, and must, do better,” she said.
Curtis said she is committed to hosting monthly town hall meetings in District 4 and a less formal monthly “Coffee with your Councilmember” event.
“I pride myself on two of my greatest strengths: my passion and my ability to connect with people in my community on all sides of an issue,” said Curtis.
Curtis said she knows as a council member, she will need to work with people who have different opinions than she does and she will listen to everyone civilly and collaborate to find a solution that works for everyone.
Residents of District 4 deserve a council member who will “show up for them, hear them, and advocate for them both inside and outside of council chambers,” Curtis said.
She said she worked as a volunteer and citizen lobbyist for organizations such as ACLU of Kentucky, Fairness Campaign and the Clean Slate Initiative, which deals with expungement of criminal records. She was a Voter Engagement Organizer with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth to register voters of all parties and improve turnout in Lexington ahead of the 2023 general election.
In terms of something voters may not know about her, Curtis said she loves animals and has a rescue dog named Benny. He’s a 5-year-old black lab mix that she brought home from the Humane Society in 2022.
“He loves laying in the sunshine, meeting new people and going for long walks at Veterans Park,” she said.
Brack Marquette
Marquette said he will advocate for safe, affordable housing, improved public transportation to ease traffic congestion, crime reduction and public safety in neighborhoods.
He is a committed environmental leader on water quality and sewer issues and has experience managing large government budgets, he said.
Marquette said he supports programming to improve inner-neighborhood public transportation, fully staff the police force and end high vacancy rates, and eliminate the sewer smell and processing problems at the West Hickman Sewer plant.
“Crime deterrence is a complex goal that must be focused neighborhood by neighborhood through every available public and private resource,” Marquette said.
“As a leader with extensive budget management experience, I will take a lead in securing funding and looking for how thorough coordination of services across public and private sectors can make best use of our tax dollar allocations,” he said.
A northern Kentucky native, Marquette said he settled in Lexington when invited to serve in the administration of former Gov. Martha Layne Collins and married into “a wonderful, civic-minded local family.” He has two sons, both of whom graduated from local public schools, and devoted much of his life to helping charities and non-profits.
Marquette said he led struggling non-profits and restored sound management, budget stability and financial health.
Marquette points to extensive leadership in local neighborhoods both in historic areas of the city and in newer developments.
He said his leadership has also been sought on local and statewide boards and commissions for workforce and economic development boards, higher education, mental health, public school STEM and financial literacy initiatives. Marquette said he has been asked to serve as the president or on the board of directors of more than 40 Lexington groups, including the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Parks Advisory Board and the LFUCG Board of Architectural Review.
Brenda Monarrez
Monarrez said police officers must receive the support, tools, training and compensation they deserve.
“We continue to have a deficit of over 100 police officers. Continuing to incentivize new recruits and offer rewards for continuous service in our police force is vital so that we can continue to increase the number of police officers as well as replace the officers we are losing to retirement and attrition,” she said. “I’m also committed to funding mental health services, youth services, affordable housing and so much more as these affect crime rates.”
Monarrez said she had facilitated traffic improvements, including adding flashing stop signs and additional signage, along with lowering speed limits. She said she’s added changes to make Nicholasville Road safer such as extending the left turn lane on northbound Nicholasville Road at Reynolds Road.
The neighborhoods that surround the West Hickman Waste Water Treatment facility have endured sewage odor for years, she said.
“These residents had been told this was just a normal occurrence and something that they have to deal with due to their proximity to the facility,” said Monarrez.
“In 2024, we have hired an odor specialist and have plans to replace and repair several components of the wastewater treatment plant,” Monarrez said. “Moving forward, I am committed to not just making sure the facility is running in an efficient manner, but that the city continues to monitor odor and air quality because that was not done before I was in office.”
Mayor Linda Gorton’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes $6 million and a full-time “odor specialist” for each treatment plant thanks to Monarrez’s advocacy, the councilwoman said.
Curtis, who gives her constituents her private cell number, has said she thinks Monarrez’ lack of accessibility to constituents is an issue.
Monarrez said she works 10 to 12 hour days, sometimes every day of the week, which includes her work on council as well as volunteer hours. Monarrez said she is accessible, provides residents with her cell phone number and goes out in person to see the issues.
“Having sold my business at the end of 2021 allows me to dedicate so much time and effort to give back to the magnificent city of Lexington to continue protecting the values that invited me to come here, raise a family and start a business,” she said.
She said she’s been a single mom for most of her adult life and is now an empty nester.
Monarrez said she serves on the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition board, is an advocate for domestic and sexual violence victims, and works with single mothers and youth. She said she attends all homeowners association, neighborhood and PTA meetings in her district and is a school volunteer who mentors middle school girls.
Emma Curtis
Age: 27
Family: Partner, mother, step-father
Job experience: Currently works as a filmmaker and community organizer. Her most recent film, a documentary about local artist George Szekely, will premiere on KET this year. Worked with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth to register voters in Lexington and provide information about all of the candidates on the ballot ahead of the 2023 general election.
Education: BA in Film Studies from Centre College in 2018. Alumna of the Walt Disney Studios Producing and Directing Program.
Other offices held: No other elected offices held.
John ‘Brack’ Marquette
Age: 70
Family: Two sons
Job experience: Retired higher education department chair, state government agency official, banking and utility public relations, economic development and government affairs executive.
Education: Doctoral Studies, Speech Communication and Higher Education Administration, Indiana University, 1977 to 1984 ;M.A., Speech Communication, Louisiana State University, 1977; B.A. with Honors in Communication, Georgetown College, Georgetown, Kentucky, 1975
Other offices held: No other elected offices held.
Brenda Monarrez
Age: 52
Job experience: Business owner, director of human resources, marketing manager, realtor, business development officer (Housing), operations manager for a global corporation.
Education: Bachelors in Business Administration, major in management.
Other offices held: Currently an Urban County Council member
