A look at the candidates: Corene McDaniel

Ashley Richardson
Daily Egyptian

Corene McDaniel said she may be in micro-retirement as far as her career is concerned, but when it comes to working in the community, she is showing no signs of slowing down.

One of two incumbents among six candidates vying for three open City Council seats, McDaniel said she has enjoyed her tenure on the council and wants to continue to work in the community.

"I enjoy working with people," McDaniel said. "There's a lot of work that has to be done yet, and I want to be a part of that. I want to continue to be a voice for the people." McDaniel was born in Cairo in 1948. After high school, she moved to Carbondale to attend SIUC, where she wanted to pursue a degree in accounting, but she found herself married and beginning a family before finishing school.

After a brief stint in East St. Louis, McDaniel and her husband, Milton, returned to Carbondale where she worked several jobs before opening her own beauty salon, Corene's Hair Palace, which is still in operation. McDaniel, who says she is in "micro-retirement," said she is winding down her profession as a beautician to pursue other interests.

"It's not that I don't enjoy doing hair," McDaniel said. "But I want to move forward with the museum and some other community things that I'm involved in." In 1997, McDaniel co-founded the African-American Museum, located in the University Mall, with her husband.

McDaniel said her involvement with the Carbondale NAACP exposed her to the accomplishments of many local African Americans. She said exposure inspired her to open a museum showcasing those accomplishments.

"I couldn't believe some of the people had done so much," McDaniel said. "I thought we needed to do something to let other people know what had been done." The museum is a non-profit organization and all workers are volunteers. It is funded through grants, donations and the city.

McDaniel's other interests include being a certified barbecue judge, working with local Girl Scouts and serving on the NAACP and the WDBX radio boards. McDaniel said her mother instilled in her and her eight siblings the importance of staying busy and being involved.

"My mother used to say an idol mind is the devil's workshop," McDaniel said. "My mother pushed us to be involved in things. I guess my motivation comes from my mother pushing - pushing being a good thing."

McDaniel, who is nearing the completion of her first four-year term on the City Council, said she is most proud of the part she played in passing the ordinance that expanded the council from five seats to seven seats in November 2002. McDaniel said by having seven council members, the council has more diversity and representation, as well as more viewpoints.

"It helps to have another person's view," McDaniel said. "There are more people to talk to to get results." McDaniel said she does not have any new issues with the city but would like to see the city continue to carry out the work it has already begun, such as economic development.

"I'm happy with the way the city is running," McDaniel said. "We have some major developments that have not occurred here in a long time." However, McDaniel said she would like to see efforts to bring a public outdoor swimming pool to the city. McDaniel said she thinks a swimming pool would be a well-utilized facility but said it is a task the city is incapable of taking on entirely by itself.

McDaniel said she thinks the city, the park district and two school districts should collaborate on the project. "We have a diverse group of people that would take advantage of this," McDaniel said. "And with those four entities, there is no reason we shouldn't have a swimming pool,"

Garnering 23 percent of all votes in the primary election, the most of any candidate, McDaniel said she is optimistic about the general election slated for April 5. But said if she does not win, she will simply move on to other things. "Being the top vote getter in the primary election tells me there are a lot of people with confidence in me," McDaniel said. "If it's meant for me to be on the council, then it will happen, but if not, I won't lose any time moving on. I need to be busy."

McDaniel and her husband have been married for 38 years and have two children and three grandchildren.