One of the aspects of the job that I enjoy most is the very unique way that I am able to be a public servant.
— Adrian city clerk Pat Baker
ADRIAN — Those who know and worked with Pat Baker know the city of Adrian is losing a reliable, friendly and helpful public servant.
Baker will be leaving her post at city hall as city clerk on Jan. 26, but she said the duties she’s leaving behind are in good hands.
From overseeing city elections to helping residents with questions, those who describe Baker as city clerk typically use words such as incredible, helpful and exemplary.
Baker was recognized for her service at the Jan. 2 city commission meeting.
“The Adrian City Commission hereby commends Pat Baker for her exemplary service to the citizens of the city of Adrian during her career as an employee and officer in the city and extends to her their collective and individual best wishes for a wonderful retirement,” the commission resolution stated.
Baker grew up in southwest Detroit and went to Detroit Southwestern High School. She worked for Detroit Bank and Trust — now Comerica — for seven years and American Motors Credit Union for three years before moving to Adrian in 1984. She was able to be an at-home mom for 10 years and then a good friend and neighbor, Keith Dersham, who was the engineer for the city of Adrian at the time, asked her if she would be interested in working on a part-time basis to help in the engineering/inspection department.
“I will always be grateful to Keith for taking a chance on me as this began my working relationship with the city,” Baker said.
In 2001, she began working full-time, dividing her time between the engineering department and the clerk’s office as the deputy clerk, then she became city clerk in 2007 when Marsha Rowley retired.
“I was blessed to have Marsha as a boss and a mentor as she was an excellent clerk for the city for many years,” she said. “Between Marsha and Roxann Holloway, our county clerk, I had no shortage of people to turn to when I had questions.”
Looking back on her time with the city, she said, “one of the aspects of the job that I enjoy most is the very unique way that I am able to be a public servant.
“The right to vote is precious to each one of us and it is truly an honor to make certain that everyone’s voting record is protected and up to date and that every election is run with great care,” she said. “I am also blessed to be able to work with some wonderful people who feel the same way about the election process and it has been a pleasure to work beside them for the past 10 years.”
She said for every election there is testing, training and very detailed guidelines to follow. She expressed a lot of thanks and gratitude for everyone who she has worked with on city elections.
“For a couple of very long days each year, we are family and I am going to miss that more than I can tell you,” she said.
During the Jan. 2 meeting, city administrator Shane Horn said Baker will be greatly missed in city hall, from coming through many mornings with a breakfast dish to pass at meetings to offering support and a hug after a tough commission meeting. Former Adrian Police Chief and current Lenawee County Commissioner Terry Collins also commended Baker and said when in city hall she was always helpful and friendly.
Horn said she played an important part at the city.
Baker said she “will definitely miss the people that I work with every day as well.
“Over the last 10 years, we have lost people who have retired or taken another job and many have not been replaced, which leaves the extra work to be given to others who already have a full plate,” she said. “But I have watched these wonderful people shoulder the extra work and still continue to do the very best job they can. I am very proud to be a city employee and will miss each one very much.”
To replace Baker, the city commission unanimously appointed deputy city clerk, Robin Connor.
In his recommendation memo the city commission, Horn said, Connor was the only internal candidate to apply for the position — there were 19 external applicants.
“For the past 10 years Robin has served as our deputy city clerk,” Horn said. “Several times over her career Robin has stepped in to perform the city clerk duties both at city hall and at the city commission meetings. In her role as deputy clerk, Robin helped oversee all federal, state and local elections.
“Robin is very professional and courteous to customers’ needs, she is dedicated to her job and has considerable computer and organizational skills that are critical for the job. Robin has had a great mentor and teacher for the past 10 years in Pat, she is ready and prepared to take on the added responsibility.”
“It’s been my privilege to work with this lady for the last 10 years,” Connor said at the commission meeting.
“But thank you all very much for your confidence in me and my abilities to successfully carry out the duties of city clerk for the city of Adrian.”
Looking forward, Baker said she plans to grow old in her adopted hometown of Adrian. With her husband, Joe, retired as well from the Lenawee Intermediate School District, and with having thee boys who all live in the area as well as five grandsons, she said she is “looking forward to spending more time with Joe, doing some traveling and babysitting for my grandchildren.
“As much as I will miss my bosses, please know that I am happy to be gaining five new ones, ages 9,5, 4, 1 and 1,” she said. “I hope I can keep up with them!”