Angie Kaye climbing the hill to City Council

City Council candidate Angie Kaye knows she may be the underdog in the April 5 general election, but rather than worry about the results of the last election, she is working to win the next one. Garnering 7 percent of the votes in the primary election, the least of all qualifying candidates, Kaye said she knows she has the tools to win the election but that it won't be easy. "It's a real uphill climb," Kaye said. "It's going to be tough, but I think I can do it."

Sitting at a table in Applebee's Grill & Bar last week, Kaye took time out of her busy schedule to talk about herself and why she is running for City Council. Between sips of her soda, she explained about how she was born and raised in Carbondale and is the only candidate to have lived in all four quadrants of the city. She said this has given her some insight into what people in different parts of the city go through and what they would expect of a council member. "I know the neighborhoods," Kaye said. "I know some of the feelings and needs growing up in those areas."

Looking back at how nice houses and apartment buildings were when she grew up, Kaye said she is disappointed in how the local buildings look now. She said she thinks it is possible for the buildings to look as nice as they did when she was younger, but in order to do so, tenants and landlords will have to work together. "The whole thing with my campaign is communication," Kaye said. "I don't like a student renting a house that is horrible, but at the same time, I wouldn't want to rent to someone that might tear it up." The candidates all have a different stance on the issue of big and small businesses and whether they can co-exist in Carbondale. Kaye said she believes they can, but they have to be willing to communicate work with each other. This goes along with her campaign of communication.

"I really want to see us grow economically," Kaye said. "A lot of people think mom and pop shops are the way to go and that there should be no big businesses, but I think they can both exist together; they just need to communicate." Under her elbow, Kaye has her date book, something she refers to as her "life." Since her campaigning has started, its pages have become more crowded, but Kaye is no stranger to a busy schedule, having graduated from college only four years ago. In 1999, she received her bachelor's degree from SIUC in education with a specialization in computers. She went on to receive her master's degree in 2001. Tough life decisions kept Kaye from completing a degree when she originally started school in the '70s. She wanted to study and teach music, but at that time, Kaye had just gotten married and had a son, and the demands of the family life kept her from finishing her degree. "I started at SIU in the School of Music, but I didn't finish," Kaye said. "I got married and had my son. I was married and had a baby and couldn't finish school." Kaye did eventually get the chance to finish school, but she never got the opportunity to live out her dream of studying music. It was her only son, Shadi Frick, who did get that chance. Frick, 22, is now a jazz saxophonist and the band director at Trico High School. "He's actually living my dream as a band director," Kaye said. "He got the real talent."

Kaye has had the chance to use her degree in education and computers in teaching adult education classes at John A. Logan College. At Logan, she teaches adults from ages 20 to 80 how to use computers, mainly for home and office use. In addition to that job, Kaye worked for the city in the finance department until three years ago when she had to stop to undergo back surgery. Kaye said her job for the city was two-fold. She said she was a "help desk" for city employees that needed help with computers, and she was also involved in designing and balancing the city budget. Kaye said her experience with budgeting and working with city officials will come in handy if she is elected.

"I know how planning works; I know how ordinances are written," Kaye said. "I just feel knowing the inside story, that's a real asset." While Kaye waits for the April 5 general election, she will continue her campaign of communication and said her life will go on as usual. The only thing she hopes to see change in her personal life anytime soon is for her family to get bigger. "I am waiting for that grandchild to come," Kaye said. "I didn't think I would be ready for that, but I am ready."