Branch County Precinct Delegate - Ward #3

So I asked the question: Do you think Keith Baker deserves a pay raise? A poll for the only people who's opinion should matter on this topic, the People of Coldwater.

Overwhelmingly, the consensus seems to be no! Keith is failing us. But there were a small few who praised him and suggested he should get a raise. Wouldn't you know it, when you look those people up, it validates one of the main theories of this page—it validates exactly who this local government serves. It serves them, their friends, it serves business owners, and it serves establishment leaders......and that’s about it. I asked the people who were in favor a simple question: "Share some reasons it's deserved. List a few of his recent actions that have had a positive impact on the quality of life for residents living in the bottom half of Coldwater's median household income."

Crickets. Absolute silence.

Think about that for a second. The median household income in Coldwater is roughly $50,000 a year. Half of this city is surviving on less than that. They are watching their utility bills explode. They are watching their property taxes climb. And they are watching the very fabric of their community unravel right in front of their eyes.

But what is the priority inside the air-conditioned, wood-paneled walls of 1 Grand Street? At this Mondays City Council meeting, it may be to give City Manager Keith Baker—a man already pulling in around $150,000+ of your tax dollars plus a cushy car allowance—another raise behind closed doors. A "closed session performance review" they are calling it.

You really can't make this up.

When you ask the bank vice presidents and the local board appointees what Keith Baker has actually done to improve the lives of working-class citizens in Coldwater, they have nothing to say. Because they don't know. And, more importantly, they don't care. They aren't living in the same world or facing the same problems as most people living in Coldwater.

They don't live in the Coldwater that has to deal with the consequences of local policies. Ordinance 885, remember that? I how often do you think code enforcment would have rolled through their neighborhoods demanding repairs and threatening demolition? Never.

The elites in this town cheered when Tom Kramer handed over $78 million in tax abatements to the Clemens Food Group back in 2014. They told you it was going to create jobs for "our citizens." Instead, they allowed for the importing of a completely unvetted workforce, drained local resources, and turned our quiet Midwestern town into a staging ground for federal ICE raids.

And who is paying the price for that? You are. The bottom half of Coldwater’s earners—the people actually paying Keith Baker’s exorbitant salary—are the ones living with the fallout and the shattered promises.

But if you point this out? If you demand basic transparency or propose something as common-sense charter amendments like term limits to finally hold this entrenched council accountable? They look at you like you’re the problem. They call you a "troll." They schedule closed-session meetings to pat themselves on the back and hand out taxpayer-funded pay raises to their buddies.

They are completely insulated from the reality they created. Those working within Keith Baker's City of Coldwater are doing just fine. The bank executives are doing great. But for the rest of us? We are left cleaning up the blood on the factory floor while our elected officials are having email conversations about citizens, and when that citizen files a FOIA request to see what they said about him, the City Attorney denies it. Claims it was just "frank conversation." Not for the public to see.

There is way more of us than there is in "the good ole boys club," I suggest you show up to the City Council Meeting this Monday, July 13th at 5:30pm.

Don't feel like you are being served by Keith or the Council? Tell them!

Feel like they constantly demand more of your money, but provide no value in return? Tell them!

Angry that the Mayor promised us Clemens would provide 700+ jobs for "Our Citizens" and it didn't. Tell them!

There's too many pi**ed off people in this town for the pi**ed off people to not be running things! It starts by showing, keeping them on their toes, never let them forget they are being warched and we see exactly what they are doing and who they cater to with their "service."

1 Grand Street, Monday Night, 5:30pm 2nd floor.

Be there.