In this episode of I Can See Clearly Now, I sat down with Angie Smith, a candidate for City Council in Farmington Hills, Michigan, as part of an ongoing series of candidate interviews. The purpose of these conversations is to give residents a clearer understanding of who is running for office, why they are running, and how they think about the role of local government.
Angie comes to this race with extensive experience in public service, particularly in education. She has served for many years on the Farmington Public Schools Board of Education and described her decision to run for City Council as something that emerged from being asked to step forward rather than from long-term political ambition.
“I had no interest in running for this position. The plan was to run because I was asked to run.”
Angie Smith
A central theme of our conversation was relationships between institutions. Angie spoke about her experience working to improve collaboration between school leadership, city governments, and public safety departments. She framed her motivation as continuing to strengthen those connections at the municipal level.
“My goal is to bridge the gap.”
Angie Smith
We also discussed campaign finance, an area that often feels opaque to voters. Angie described her campaign as modest in scale and explained that her funding has come largely from local residents and organizations within the region, rather than from out-of-state or national interests.
“Everything is local. Majority of it is truly from Farmington, Farmington Hills.”
Angie Smith
Another major topic was senior services, particularly the future of the Kostek Center. Angie expressed strong views on the condition of the current facility and emphasized the importance of rebuilding or significantly improving services in a way that prioritizes dignity, accessibility, and continuity for older residents.
“That building needs to be rebuilt and revamped for them.”
Angie Smith
Beyond individual issues, Angie described her broader vision for Farmington Hills as one that serves residents at every stage of life. She spoke about retaining seniors, attracting young families back to the city, strengthening public safety relationships, and transforming Farmington Hills into a place people choose to spend time rather than simply pass through.
This episode of I Can See Clearly Now offers voters insight into how one City Council candidate views collaboration, community engagement, and long-term planning. The goal is not endorsement, but understanding, so residents can make informed decisions when casting their ballots.
