Now you see it, now you don’t.

Oh, wait!  On second thought…

Former-former-FIRED North Miami Beach-slash-current Opa-locka city manager Kelvin Baker has proven yet again that his termination had absolutely nothing to do with racism.  In the end, and despite the NAACP’s interference, it was his incompetence, combined with unbelievable arrogance, that did him in.

According to a press conference this afternoon as reported by CBS Miami, newly resigned North Miami Police Commander Jeffrey Key was hired for the position of Opa-locka’s Chief of Police.

This is the same job that Baker denied offering him after the Commander had already submitted his resignation to North Miami.

This is the same job offer that Baker claimed was nothing but a “rumor” that the “overzealous” officer had “taken out of context,” according to the article.

Baker brushed off the fact that he originally lied to the press.  As CBS Miami reported, “Today Baker admitted to CBS4′s Natalia Zea that he hired for the position behind closed doors and never advertised or conducted any type of search.”

“Behind closed doors” seems to be a pattern with which Kelvin Baker is very familiar.

In his brief stint as city manager of North Miami Beach, Baker “balanced” the city’s budget by tapping the water department’s reserves behind closed doors, which led to a downgrade in the city’s Fitch Ratings.

Behind closed doors, Kelvin contacted black members of the community and the NAACP, asking them to attend a budget workshop because he feared he was about to be fired.  He claimed he was being “persecuted” because he was black.   (But, of course.)

When he claimed that certain members of the city council were violating Sunshine Laws, he cried to the NAACP that he was being targeted because he was a “whistleblower.  Oh, and also because he was black.  (But, of course.)

Behind closed doors, Baker enlisted EX-mayor Myron Rosner to file complaints against those council members.  Myron even told NBC Miami that he was “convinced some of his colleagues were guilty.”  That’s pretty hilarious considering that Myron is now awaiting trial on felony charges.

Baker also encouraged the NAACP to charge that Baker “and other African-American department heads in the city have been targeted behind the scenes to be fired by the council.”

Kelvin and Myron made quite a pair, eh?  Good riddance to both!

During the budget workshop drama, Baker also knew “behind closed doors” that a story was about to break in the Miami Herald about the 254 missing manholes and sewer pipes that his employee Marty King ordered and paid for but never received by the city.  Good old Marty eventually got sent to the Big House for an even dozen for embezzling, while Baker shrugged his shoulders and claimed complete innocence, letting Marty take the entire rap.  Baker told the Herald, “He had the final sign-off.  He was the chief city licensed engineer – I’m not an engineer.”

In other words, “Don’t look at me.  I just work here.  Besides, I’m black!”  Never mind that he was Marty’s “direct supervisor.”  Baker had absolutely nothing to do with it!

In retrospect, it appeared that his anxiety over this looming scandal was the cause of Baker’s little Race Card Temper Tantrum at the budget meeting.   Instead of letting the council know what was really going on in the bowels of City Hall, he decided to go on the offensive.

Unfortunately for him, his “offensive” got his sorry ass canned.  On September 13, 2010, Baker told the council if they wanted to fire him to “bring it on.” They called his bluff.

Buh bye!

North Miami Beach’s “loss” was apparently Opa-locka’s gain.  In July of 2012, Baker became that scandal-plagued city’s manager.  His “behind closed doors” policy obviously continues.  Within the span of a week, Kelvin Baker:

• Hired a new police chief.
• Then denied hiring him.
• Also denied the job was available.
• Then called a presser announcing the appointment of a man he denied hiring for a job he denied existed.

Business as usual, behind closed doors in Baker-ville.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”