After living in Carmel for 14 years, Jason Engle wants to take the next step in giving back to his community.
On Jan. 5, Engle, a Republican, became the first candidate to launch a campaign for Carmel City Council in the Northeast District.
“I am a fan of the way Carmel is today and what it has become. I would like to be a part of seeing it continue,” he said. “I believe that with the change of leadership, everybody working together will be important more now than ever.”
Mayor Jim Brainard is not seeking an eighth term, and Sue Finkam, the city council’s current Northeast District representative, is running to replace him. The role of mayor and all nine council seats will be on the ballot in the May primary and November general elections.
Engle, 42, is a Chicago native, but his wife, Trisha, is from the Carmel area, and he began visiting the city in 2002 after meeting her. The couple has three children who attend Carmel Clay Schools. Engle is a longtime volunteer coach with the Carmel Dads’ Club.
Engle has a bachelor’s degree in politics and government from Illinois State University and works as manager with the Century 21 Scheetz real estate group.
“I don’t have a long political resume by any means, but what I do have is 14 years of living in the 46033 ZIP code with another seven years of experiencing the community through visiting,” he said. “That’s 21 years of seeing this town and Mayor Brainard’s vision unfold, the result of which is that our community is a magnet for people from all over the Midwest and the country.”
Engle does not have a campaign website live yet but expects to launch one soon.
