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The Coldwater Scam, Coldwater, MI (2026)

05/27/2026

What happens when the people you elect to run your town start treating you with absolute contempt? Well, you’re seeing it right now in Coldwater.

Two meetings in a row—two—where the sheer, suffocating arrogance of our local officials was so overwhelming that tensions spilled right out into the parking lot. These aren't public servants. They act like your overlords.

Transparency? Forget about it. It doesn't exist in Coldwater anymore. We are talking about secret emails they flat-out refuse to release. Public records that were suddenly, mysteriously destroyed. Surveillance video that looks, let's just say, conveniently altered. And when actual, everyday citizens—the people who pay their salaries—bring forward proposals that might actually help this town? They are blatantly ignored. Why? Because those proposals serve you, not them.

Tonight's meeting was an absolute disaster. A circus, presided over by the supposedly honorable Mayor, Tom Kramer. But here is the most interesting part. Before the meeting even started, we called out a very strange little charge on the city’s expense report. It was for a "late meeting meal" for the city council.

A late meeting? What meeting? Were you invited to it? Of course you weren't.

By the end of the night, it all made sense. Where did Mayor Kramer, at least three council members, and his top regime officials end up after tonight's spectacle? The Side Street Beer Bar. Was a card linked to the city's general fund paying for their night out? Was it a gift? A favor? Keep in mind, the owner of that very bar was at the meeting tonight asking for a road closure for an upcoming event. And what did the council say? "All in favor, aye." Less than an hour later, they're sitting in his bar.

You literally cannot make this up.

We’ve tried to be fair. Over the past month, we’ve looked at that council table and wondered: Is there anyone up there with a conscience? Anyone who realizes that Tom Kramer’s regime does not represent the needs or the will of the people of Coldwater? For a minute, you might think it's Knaack or Rissman. They occasionally ask a question here and there. But after tonight? The verdict is in. It is crystal clear. Nobody at that table gives a single damn about you.

While they were heading off to the bar with their cronies, what was Mayor Kramer supposedly doing in the parking lot? Degrading the very citizens of his own city.

We deserve better than this. If you didn't believe there was a "club" running this city before tonight, how could you possibly not see it now?

And here’s the funniest part: they actually think you’re going to just forget about it. They think "The Coldwater Scam" and the Branch County Blast will just get bored and walk away. Tom Kramer, if you really believe that, you are far more foolish than anyone realized. This doesn't die down. Your political career is in a tailspin that you will never recover from, and you did it to yourself. They want to force Ordinance 885 down your throat—to get "tough on blight"—when they themselves are the greatest political blight this town has ever seen.

But here is the truth they desperately hope you never figure out: They are not invincible. In fact, they’re terrified. Tom Kramer, Keith Baker, Amanda O'Boyle, Tom Eldridge—they can all be fired. Dismissed. Sent packing.

But who is going to do it?

We can take this city back from the club, but it’s not going to happen by magic. It requires you. We need normal, sane people to run for office. We need petitions. We need organization. We need to stop just complaining about it and start grabbing clipboards. You have to step up.

I want to be part of the solution, but I can’t do it alone. No one can. It takes an army of ordinary citizens to topple a corrupt regime. So what are you going to do? Are you going to let a handful of arrogant politicians keep laughing at you from their barstools? Or are you going to stand up, get organized, and take your town back?

05/26/2026

Side Street Bar! Is this where this "late council meeting" meal charge occured??? They are up there right now, the Mayor and atleast 2 council members. I hope they saved their receipts. FOIA time.

05/26/2026

This guy has got to be one of the most arrogant, disrespectful, not "here to help" Mayors there ever was. HE HAS GOT TO GO!!!!! ASAP!

05/26/2026

On this weeks episode of All in favor, aye.

Will Mayor Kramer explain to the public why he is hiding emails between him and Keith Baker? Will we finally get an update on the rewording of proposed ordinance 885? Likely not. If anything we might get a scolding from Mayor Kramer again for digging too deep into their business and getting too loud about the results.

Stuffed away in the conscent agenda, you will find the minutes for the previous meeting. In that, under "Public Comments" you will find the charter amendment proposal I have recently talked about.....anyone remember hearing about that last meeting?....anyone? It wasnt mentioned at all in the meeting! Yet, somehow, it's now on the minutes that will be pushed through in tonights conscent agenda with a good ole, "all in favor, aye!"

Also during tonights meeting will be a public hearing!! Keith Baker will give the Council a rundown on his latest City Budget. I wouldn't expect it to last very long. It will likely go something like this. Keith: Here’s how I'm blowing all the taxpayers money this year. Mayor Kramer: We certainly need all of that. Council: All in favor, aye!

Looking at our expense report this week we've got a charge for $88.76 listed as "City Council Late Meeting Meal." What meeting was this? Where was this meal ate? Who was present? Was city business disgussed??? Sounds like potential for an Open Meetings Act Violation to me! I'm sure we will never know what was disgussed during this meeting. Probably "frank conversation" that the public isn't allowed to know about.

Also on the expense report, we have an update on how much money the city is spending to defend against we, the people or Coldwater! The most recent charge? $8,457.50 of YOUR MONEY to the law firm Miller Canfield to defend the city from YOU! How much more of OUR money do you plan on wasting, Amanda?

This meeting has some real potential for fireworks that arent in the agenda, but I guess we shall see.

Besides that. Looks like it's a relatively boring agenda. Keith will talk, Kramer will talk, the council will "aye, aye, aye."

City Council Meeting is TONIGHT! 5:30PM Be there! Be there! Be there!

05/20/2026

Update: The "Honorable" Mayor, Tom Kramer, wasted no time responding to the citizens appeal.

The attached screenshot was just sent to me.

It appears Mayor Tom agrees that his email conversation with the Supreme Leader, Keith Baker, should remain a hidden secret from the public. He doesn't want you or I to know what him and Keith talked about regarding a proposed amendment that would voters power over the City Managers continued employment as City Manager for Coldwater.

By the way. It's my understanding that this Charter Proposal was sent to the City Council and Honorable Tom. Why in the world is the mayor deliberating with the City Manager about a proposed Charter Amendment? Only the Council and the Mayor have the power to vote to put a charter amendment on the ballot. Why was Keith Baker even brought in as a participant in the conversation? Who is really running this town?

The "Honorable" Tom, went on to say, go ahead and appeal it in Branch County Superior Court.....what does that mean? It means he wants these emails to remain a secret so badly, that he's willing to spend YOUR tax dollars in court to keep these emails a secret.

Don't ever forget this folks. These are the people running our city. These are the people tasked with representing the Citizens of Coldwater. Does honorable Toms decision today feel like one that represents your desires for how this city should operate?

05/20/2026

So, the Mayor and the City Manager got to talking. Do you want to know what it was about?

Well, too bad! Nope! Not a chance.

But wait, why not? This conversation happened via email. On their official, taxpayer-funded city email addresses. Surely, if a member of the public—the people actually paying the bills—requests a copy of that conversation, they can see it, right?

No! Denied.

Why? Was it some brilliant, highly sensitive legal strategy? A matter of municipal security? Confidential personal information? No. None of that. But the answer is still a flat, unapologetic no.

Their excuse? It was a "frank communication." And according to the powers that be, it is simply not in the public's interest to know what it was about. Not even when a member of the public is clearly showing interest by filing a Freedom of Information Act request to see it.

And what exactly were they discussing in this secret, "frank" exchange? They were talking about the citizen who filed the request. They were talking about the charter amendment idea he pitched directly to the Mayor and the City Council.

They were talking about YOUR power as a voter.

The amendment was incredibly simple: give the people the power to hold the unelected City Manager accountable at the ballot box. If you think he’s self-serving, acting like a club leader, or just doing a terrible job, you get to vote on it. That's it.

Not only did they completely ignore this citizen and his idea to give YOU more power over the person running your city... they officially blocked you from seeing the conversations they had about it.

Their message is clear: "It was a frank conversation. Get lost. We don't want you to see what we think of it."

You really have to wonder... do they think we're just not smart enough to decide if a City Manager is doing a good job? Do they think we aren't deserving enough to see the emails they send while working on your time, on your dime, using accounts paid for by YOU?

That is exactly what happened, ladies and gentlemen. Right here in Coldwater, Michigan.

And who denied the request, you ask? The City Attorney. The one who diligently protects what many are starting to call "the club." Which, when you look at behavior like this, you’ve got to admit—it definitely looks like a club.

And you aren't in it.

But here is where it goes from arrogant to downright comical. Under Michigan law, when a citizen gets denied a records request, they have the right to appeal. And who does the law say you must appeal to? The head of the public body.

In Coldwater, that is Mayor Kramer.

Think about that for a second. The citizen is now legally required to ask the Mayor to overrule his own City Attorney, just so the public can see the Mayor's OWN secret emails. It’s like asking the fox to investigate the missing chickens. What do you think he’s going to say?

But this isn't the end of the road. An official, formal appeal has just been filed. And it came with a promise: If Mayor Kramer decides his privacy is more important than your right to know, this doesn't just quietly fade away. It goes to the Branch County Circuit Court. A judge will get to decide if this "frank communication" excuse holds water when the topic is literally the democratic rights of the voters.

You really have to ask yourself: what is in those emails? What are they so terrified of you reading? If it was just boring, everyday administrative paperwork, they’d hand it over in a second. No, they are hiding it because it exposes exactly how they view you. It exposes what happens when the ruling class gets threatened with a little bit of accountability.

Isn't it crazy? At council meetings they refuse to engage in conversation with citizens. In their work emails, they talk about citizens, their proposals, and your voting rights but then refuse to let you see those conversations through Freedom of Information Act Requests. They write them off as "frank conversations," act like it's none of our business. Does this sound like representation to you?

They are hoping the citizen just gives up. They are hoping you don't pay attention. They want to go back to business as usual behind closed doors.

The Mayor has a choice to make. Will he choose to keep his conversation a secret from the voters? We'll let you know what he decides.

But in the meantime, we have to ask ourselves: what are WE going to do about it? How much longer are we going to tolerate this kind of blatant disrespect? The trickery and the secrets. How long?

These people only have power because we let them. They are sitting in those chairs because we either mindlessly checked a box, or worse, we stayed home and let them run unopposed. But the truth is, we have the power to replace every single person at that table—the Mayor, the Council, the City Manager, and the City Attorney—if we really decide enough is enough.

Why can't you be a Council Member? Why can't you be Mayor? Think about it. Councilman [Your Name]. Mayor [Your Name]. It’s got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Waiting around for the establishment to fix itself isn't going to work. They like the club exactly the way it is. If we want a government that actually represents the people of Coldwater, some of us are going to have to step up and take it back.

While I'm not quite ready to peel the mask back yet, I will put it out there now: I fully intend to pursue a seat at that table.

I missed the deadline to get my name on the ballot for this November. But if the opportunity comes up as a result of a recall, the mask comes off, and I am pursuing a seat. Otherwise, I'll be ready for the following election cycle.

I hope some of you will start thinking right now about running with me—or even against me. The point is, we need options, people. This "good ol' boys" regime does not have our best interests in mind. Look at 885! Look at the CBPU lawsuit! Look at how every single process with these people is a closed loop. You don't like a decision they make, so you appeal it... but who do you appeal to? Half the time, it's the exact same person who made the decision in the first place, or someone sitting right next to them in the club.

This city government is not operating in our favor, folks. Not for those of us living and working in the real world on a daily basis.

05/15/2026

You live in a town. You work there. You pay your taxes. You vote. You do everything you are supposed to do as a citizen. And you have a question. Or maybe you have an idea—a perfectly reasonable suggestion about how your own local government should run. So, you reach out to the people whose entire job is to represent you. Your Mayor. Your City Council. And what do you get? Nothing. Absolute, dead silence. They don't call. They don't write back. They ignore you completely.

Now, is it really too much to ask for a simple acknowledgment? Of course not! It’s the bare minimum of human decency, let alone public service. You might not get the answer you want—and look, that’s life, we all get that. But to be treated as if you don't even exist? That tells you everything you need to know about who these people actually think they work for. And you have to wonder... if a massive, wealthy developer like Edwin Allen Homes sent that exact same email? Oh, you know the answer. The phones would be ringing off the hook. The replies would be instantaneous. They’d be tripping over themselves to respond.

But when a regular citizen steps up with a proposal for a charter amendment? A proposal that would simply allow the voters—the people who actually live there—to decide every four years whether the City Manager is doing a good job or should keep his post? Suddenly, the line goes completely dead.

Why is that? Because to them, the concept of accountability is terrifying. The unspoken message from city hall is as clear as day: "You can't be trusted with this. You're not smart enough. Only we, the enlightened few, are intelligent enough to choose who runs this city."

It’s an incredible level of arrogance, isn't it? They ignore the issue, they tuck their heads down, and they pray the topic just dies away so they can go back to business as usual.

But it shouldn't die. In fact, you have to hope that the gentleman who put this Charter Amendment forward doesn't give up. You hope he uses every single legal avenue available to pursue it. Because the idea of voters having a direct say in whether Keith Baker—or any future City Manager—keeps his job? That isn't radical. That’s called democracy. It’s a powerful, necessary tool for the public to have, especially when they find themselves saddled with a self-serving City Council that has completely forgotten who put them in office in the first place.

So, what are we looking at here? What do you call an elected body that behaves this way? It’s not public service. It’s a ruling class in miniature, hiding behind closed doors, hoping you'll just go away.

It makes you wonder: who are they really serving? Because it clearly isn’t you.

What are your thoughts on an elected body that behaves this way? 🤔

05/14/2026

It's been 45 days since Mayor Kramer gave this inspirational speech and put Ordinance 885 aside for revisions. No updates since.

05/12/2026

MICHIGAN IS THE RECALL CAPITAL OF AMERICA: Is Your Local Official Next?

While Lansing politicians are busy patting themselves on the back, the rest of the country is looking at Michigan for a very different reason. We aren’t just leading the Midwest in recall petitions; we are leading the entire nation. According to the latest 2026 data, Michigan has officially solidified its spot as the #1 most active state for recalls in the U.S. In the first quarter of this year alone, 57 Michigan officials have already been targeted. That means our Great Lakes State accounts for a staggering 30% of all recall activity in the United States. We are currently outpacing California—a state with nearly four times our population—by double digits.

The wildfire is local. While names like Whitmer and Benson grab the headlines, the real war is being fought in township halls and city council chambers. Nearly half of all recalls this year are aimed at city council members and township boards, while another twenty percent are targeting school boards. This isn't just politics as usual. It’s a systemic rejection of the status quo. From Oshtemo to Elmwood, and right here in our own backyard, citizens have realized that they don't have to wait four years to hold a seat-warmer accountable.

Why is this happening here more than anywhere else? It’s because Michigan’s recall laws are unique. Unlike other states, you don’t have to prove malfeasance or that a crime was committed. Under MCL 168.952, a petition only needs to be clear and factual. If an official votes to transfer your utility funds to cover a budget hole, or if they ignore a FOIA request—and you can state that fact clearly—you have the legal right to pull the chair out from under them.

The establishment wants you to think you're powerless, but the accountability effect tells a different story. We are seeing officials resign before the voters even get to them because they see the writing on the wall and choose to jump ship rather than face the music. Even the threat of a recall forces a level of transparency that didn't exist before. It puts the masters of the municipality on notice that the taxpayers are auditing the books.

In places like Coldwater, where we’ve been digging into the Electric Fund and PILOT transfers, the surge in statewide recalls proves one thing: the voter-apathy the elites count on is dead. The data shows that 2026 is on track to be the biggest year for accountability in Michigan history. Whether it’s a school board member or a city manager hiding behind a non-elected board, no one is safe anymore.

Are you watching your local board? Because the rest of the state certainly is. Keep digging. Keep auditing. The truth doesn't mind being questioned; only a lie fears the light.

The Coldwater Scam

05/27/2026

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

05/26/2026

05/20/2026

05/20/2026

05/15/2026

05/14/2026

05/12/2026

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