FC Cincinnati stadium fight: West End community president cleared in impeachment case

The West End Community Council on Tuesday voted not to impeach its president -- and found the charges against him without merit.

In the heated fight over the West End FC Cincinnati stadium, Keith Blake found himself in the center of the firestorm.

A supporter of the stadium, the two-term volunteer president was shouted down at meetings and accused of being in the pocket of the soccer team.

Then he signed a community benefits agreement with the team without full council approval. For at least five residents, it was the last straw and a petition was filed for his impeachment.

The community eventually voted to appoint a six-person team and a lawyer to represent West End in further negotiations, and that group signed on to terms for that new deal. Lawyers for the community, FC Cincinnati and the Greater Cincinnati Redevelopment Authority are still working to finalize the language of the agreement.

More: So what's in FC Cincinnati's community benefits agreement with the West End?

More: 'We need to tear this up and start all over again': West End fights over stadium deal

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"I think tempers are cooling," Blake told The Enquirer Wednesday. "We needed time to heal."

Tuesday's vote was 34-4 with four abstentions.

Blake maintains that a vocal minority skewed the public's opinion of what the neighborhood wanted. He said there were many supporters who remained quiet and did not come to community council meetings because they had become so confrontational.

"I just wanted West End to be at the table," Blake said of the community benefits agreement negotiations.

Even if that meant, he wasn't at the table. The night before the negotiations, the community council voted Blake off the six-person team.

Blake said the community council is now focused on establishing the 17-member community advisory board and the stadium design committee.

Blake's term as president ends in June 2019. After that, he plans to stay involved.

"I'll be spending a lot of my volunteer time on youth soccer," he said. He also wants the newly formed West End Athletic Association to start a tennis program – a sport he calls his first love.

As for further political aspirations, Blake said he'll pass.

"I'm going to go play soccer with the kids," he said. "Kids don't try to impeach you."