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|religion=[[United Methodist]]

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'''Champ Leroy Baker, Sr.''' (March 9, 1919 &ndash; December 23, 1985)<ref name=bakergeni>{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Champ-Baker-Sr/6000000001112314388|title=Champ Leroy Baker, Sr.|publisher=Geni.com|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name=alexandriamemorialgardens>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58012490|title=Capt. Champion Lee "Champ" Baker, Sr.|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref> was a civic and political figure in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]].

'''Champ Leroy Baker, Sr.''' (March 9, 1919 &ndash; December 23, 1985)<ref name=bakergeni>{{cite web|url=https://www.geni.com/people/Champ-Baker-Sr/6000000001112314388|title=Champ Leroy Baker, Sr.|publisher=Geni.com|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref><ref name=alexandriamemorialgardens>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58012490/champ-leroy-baker|title=Capt. Champion Lee "Champ" Baker, Sr.|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=October 9, 2020}}</ref> was a civic and political figure from [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], [[Louisiana]].

==Background==

==Background==

Baker was the long-term director of the Kisatchie-Delta Regional Planning & Development District at 3514 Parliament Drive in Alexandria, a quasi-government multi-purpose body which among other functions prepares land-use guidelines and distributes law enforcement grants for eight Central Louisiana parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/214412737/|title="New Federal Aid Explained to Law Enforcement Heads"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=January 30, 1969|page=6|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref> One of the Kisatchie board members, [[Brian Duke]], was a Rapides Parish police juror and former jury president.

Baker was the long-term director of the Kisatchie-Delta Regional Planning & Development District at 3514 Parliament Drive in Alexandria, a quasi-government multi-purpose body which among other functions prepares land-use guidelines and distributes law enforcement grants for eight Central Louisiana parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/214412737/|title="New Federal Aid Explained to Law Enforcement Heads"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=January 30, 1969|page=6|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref> One of the Kisatchie board members, [[Brian Duke]], was a Rapides Parish police juror and former jury president.

In 1977, Baker, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], ran for [[mayor]] of Alexandria in the first election under the mayor-council charter, which replaced the former commission city government. Baker finished third with 2,082 votes, but outgoing Mayor [[John K. Snyder]] ran second and hence entered a runoff contest with [[Carroll Lanier]], who from 1969 to 1973 had been the finance and utilities commissioner under the previous government. In this same election cycle, [[W. A. "Dub" Carruth]], a prominent house and apartment developer,  won an at-large seat on the new Alexandria City Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=w-a-carruth-dub&pid=189576482&fhid=11989|title=W. A. "Dub" Carruth obituary|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=July 13, 2018|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref> A native of Ashley County, [[Arkansas]], Lanier defeated Snyder, 68-32 percent. Five years later, Snyder turned the tables on Lanier to gain a second non-consecutive term as mayor in 1982. Then in 1986, Snyder was unseated by long-term mayor [[Ned Randolph]]. In addition to Baker, other losing candidates in the 1977 race were [[real estate]] [[business]]man Charles Elbert "Charlie" Hickman (1933-2012); Democrat Judith Ward-Steinman Karst (1941-2020),  the daughter of Alexandria attorney and [[radio]] station owner [[Irving Ward-Steinman]], later Judith Karst Campbell of [[rural]] Hiawassee in Towns County in far northeastern [[Georgia]], thereafter in [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/judy-campbell/jkc0019|title=Judith Karst Campbell|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 30, 2018}}</ref> Judy Karst wasvthen wife of former Mayor [[Ed Karst|Charles Edward Karst]]; outgoing Finance and Utilities Commissioner [[Arnold Jack Rosenthal]], and former state Representative Larry Parker.(1922-1996).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20121205/NEWS01/212050317/Former-Alexandria-Mayor-Carroll-Lanier-dies-86?|author=Cynthia D. Jardon|title="Former Alexandria Mayor Carroll Lanier dies at 86"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=December 5, 2012|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>

In 1977, Baker, a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], ran for [[mayor]] of Alexandria in the first election under the mayor-council charter, which replaced the former commission city government. Baker finished third with 2,082 votes, but outgoing Mayor [[John K. Snyder]] ran second and hence entered a runoff contest with [[Carroll Lanier]], who from 1969 to 1973 had been the finance and utilities commissioner under the previous government. In this same election cycle, [[W. A. "Dub" Carruth]], a prominent house and apartment developer,  won an at-large seat on the new Alexandria City Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetowntalk/obituary.aspx?n=w-a-carruth-dub&pid=189576482&fhid=11989|title=W. A. "Dub" Carruth obituary|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=July 13, 2018|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref> A native of Ashley County, [[Arkansas]], Lanier defeated Snyder, 68-32 percent. Five years later, Snyder turned the tables on Lanier to gain a second non-consecutive term as mayor in 1982. Then in 1986, Snyder was unseated by long-term mayor [[Ned Randolph]]. In addition to Baker, other losing candidates in the 1977 race were [[real estate]] [[business]]man Charles Elbert "Charlie" Hickman (1933-2012); Democrat Judith Ward-Steinman Karst (1941-2020),  the daughter of Alexandria attorney and [[radio]] station owner [[Irving Ward-Steinman]], later Judith Karst Campbell of [[rural]] Hiawassee in Towns County in far northeastern [[Georgia]], thereafter in [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/judy-campbell/jkc0019|title=Judith Karst Campbell|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=July 30, 2018}}</ref> Judy Karst wasvthen wife of former Mayor [[Ed Karst|Charles Edward Karst]]; outgoing Finance and Utilities Commissioner [[Arnold Jack Rosenthal]], and former state Representative Larry Parker (1922-1996).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20121205/NEWS01/212050317/Former-Alexandria-Mayor-Carroll-Lanier-dies-86?|author=Cynthia D. Jardon|title="Former Alexandria Mayor Carroll Lanier dies at 86"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=December 5, 2012|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>

Baker subsequently joined the second Snyder administration as the utilities director, in which capacity he had warned that the city needed greater sources of energy to power the municipal-owned electric power system. Baker said that he remains "skittish" in regard to the "unreliable" Rodemacher No. 2 [[coal]]-fired plant near his native Boyce owned by the [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]]-based Central Louisiana Electric Company. Snyder announced that the city would by March 1984 have a suitable three-year contract with a company in [[Colorado]]. When a CLECO spokesman claimed that Baker was "blatantly inaccurate and totally inappropriate" about the Rodemacher plant, Baker replied that he was "blatantly accurate and totally appropriate." While he downplayed getting into a shouting match with CLECO, Baker said, "The corporate power squalls when its skin is pricked. … I have been reticent to discuss details of my negotiation for gas supplies for the city of Alexandria as it would have caused me to divulge the confidences of several suppliers."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/216161339/|title="Snyder: Cheaper Gas on the Way"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=January 13, 1984|author=Jim Liggett|page=A2|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>

Baker subsequently joined the second Snyder administration as the utilities director, in which capacity he had warned that the city needed greater sources of energy to power the municipal-owned electric power system. Baker said that he remains "skittish" in regard to the "unreliable" Rodemacher No. 2 [[coal]]-fired plant near his native Boyce owned by the [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]]-based Central Louisiana Electric Company. Snyder announced that the city would by March 1984 have a suitable three-year contract with a company in [[Colorado]]. When a CLECO spokesman claimed that Baker was "blatantly inaccurate and totally inappropriate" about the Rodemacher plant, Baker replied that he was "blatantly accurate and totally appropriate." While he downplayed getting into a shouting match with CLECO, Baker said, "The corporate power squalls when its skin is pricked. … I have been reticent to discuss details of my negotiation for gas supplies for the city of Alexandria as it would have caused me to divulge the confidences of several suppliers."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/216161339/|title="Snyder: Cheaper Gas on the Way"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|date=January 13, 1984|author=Jim Liggett|page=A2|accessdate=July 14, 2018}}</ref>