Battle Creek Under Scrutiny: HR Retaliation, Financial Ties, and Questionable Leadership
By Autumn Smith, FAFO Justice Investigative Op/Ed
Serious concerns are emerging in Battle Creek City Hall after employees report being called into HR by Michelle Hull and threatened for sharing information about Kris Douponce—an individual reportedly tied to a multi-jurisdictional sextortion investigation.
Allegedly, these actions did not originate in HR. Sources claim the directive came from our brand-new City Manager, Amanda Zimmerlin, and City Attorney William Kim—known for his role in the Flint Water Crisis cover-up.
Employees Targeted, Allegations Ignored
Instead of addressing the allegations themselves, the focus shifted to silencing employees, raising serious questions about priorities, judgment, and ethics in City leadership. Also, this could be deemed inter fearing in an active/ongoing police investigation, which is illegal. But as us residents all know, those in city hall and with a badge or title usually get away with their criminal activities and in typical City of Battle Creek fashion, get promoted for them.
Money, Power, and Influence
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Douponce is far from an ordinary resident. He is allegedly Aamajor property owner through KVD Properties, controlling multiple rental and commercial properties that generate significant ongoing revenue for the City. A former Michigan State Police detective with longstanding relationships across local law enforcement and court systems
This combination of financial influence and institutional connections intensifies the perception problem. When allegations surface against someone this connected, the response from leadership matters—and in this case, it appears control took precedence over transparency.
A Personal Reminder for Amanda Zimmerlin
Amanda, I’ll remind you personally: at the City Manager Meet & Greet at the DoubleTree Downtown, you told me to my face, in response to my question about managing a city and police department under active FBI investigation, that you would cooperate fully, and be honest and transparent.
Well, welcome to the real world of your job. The apparent directive to target City employees for sharing information, combined with your lack of response to my inquiry, shows neither. If these actions are documented, they may now become part of the FBI’s ongoing investigation.
Policy, Ethics, and Public Trust
Battle Creek’s own standards require:
Fair and equitable treatment of employees
Ethical use of authority
Integrity in decision-making
Selective targeting of employees while leaving the underlying criminal allegations unaddressed represents a serious lapse in ethics and leadership, undermining both policy and public trust. This isn’t just about HR or a property owner with influence. It’s about whether: Leadership prioritizes transparency or control, employees can speak on matters of public concern without retaliation & financial influence and personal connections affect how the City responds.
Until these questions are answered publicly, the perception of cover-ups and double standards will only deepen, and trust in City leadership will continue to erode.