GregoryA2 (Ohio)
Posts: 6
Posts: 6
Posted:
Hello all,
I'm a resident in a HOA located in the state of Ohio.
Recently, I received a "cease contact" letter for me to interact with the HOA board except through official means by communicating directly through the associations managing agent, ie our management company.
Back story... Ok, I am absolutely known for pressing our current HOA board with tough questions and answers to those tough questions especially when the comment on posts on a non-affiliated NH Facebook page that is not part of the HOA or HOA management company. I understand that I press them, but on the same token, I believe I am not disrespectful to them, I do not call them names, or belittle them in anyway. I just press them with tough questions, and those questions do get other residents involved at times.
So, with that said, few weeks back on our neighborhood Facebook page a resident proposed a question, I provided my feedback, after doing so, one of our board members provided some information related to energy costs, I corrected her on the cost of energy by doing a simple formula that anyone can find on the internet. I didn't threaten, belittle, call names, or IMO anything of that nature. I immediately was called a few names by this board member, and then a second board member weighed in. He too proceeded to call me derogatory names, threatened me, and even a perceived invite for me to come speak to him "like a man" if I had any issues... the facebook war proceeded, and still I never called anyone names, or belittled anyone. The perceived invite of coming to speak to him like a man continued two other times.
In hindsight, and now better judgement, going to visit him was not the best response I had, but I did. In doing so, I did not verbally threaten him, but clearly me showing up had some affect on him, and after a brief discussion that proceeded into an argument, which proceeded into name calling by both of us and a verbal threat by him to me, the interaction ended with no physical violence. Just two guys arguing and leaving it at that, and me going back home.
On the walk home, I screenshot everything from the FB conversation because I felt at that point the cops would be called on me, which about 30 minutes later they were. The interaction with the police ended with a basic "leave him alone, he'll leave you alone, have a good night"... And since then, I have had no contact with any board member at all. I have even, to avoid any confrontation with them blocked them, and their family members, and a few other people on that FB group to avoid conflict, along with avoiding any posts or comments in that group.
This weekend I received the letter mentioned above which states to cease all contact with the board from the HOA management company attorney's that represent the management company.
I proceeded to do a little review of our HOA Covenants, Bylaws, etc to see if there is anything in there that discusses what takes place with these sort of issues, and there is no mention of anything in them that gives any direction at all of what to do. So I called and spoke with the management company. After speaking with the person that represents our HOA, they told me that the Board Member in question had contacted them and asked for me to not contact him, but to use official means of communication through the HOA management company, though the letter states all board members. The letter also discusses other things which never happened, including mentioning that I called the board member and emailed them, which has NEVER happened.
So okay, I got a letter to not contact them, bla bla bla, no big deal, I've already made steps to not communicate with them. With that said, here are my questions:
- Does this constitute misuse of HOA funds because the management company and attorney got involved and nothing in the covenants & bylaws direct what to do in situations like this?
- Does this show an impartial and biased opinion by the HOA management company because no questioning/digging/investigation was conducted by the attorney prior to sending the letter?
- The FB page has no affiliation with the HOA, unofficial business was being discussed on the FB page that ultimately lead to police being involved, what constitutes the management company getting involved?
- Can every resident now use the HOA attorney to deal with neighbor issues of this sort?
- other residents have had issues with him over the years, both before he became a board member and since, can he be removed or forced to vacate his board position?
In conclusion, and I have admitted this elsewhere, no, I absolutely should not have went to his home, regardless if I perceived his comments of coming to speak to him like a man if I had an issue as an open invite to go to his home, it was wrong.
Sincerely & respectfully,
Gregg
I'm a resident in a HOA located in the state of Ohio.
Recently, I received a "cease contact" letter for me to interact with the HOA board except through official means by communicating directly through the associations managing agent, ie our management company.
Back story... Ok, I am absolutely known for pressing our current HOA board with tough questions and answers to those tough questions especially when the comment on posts on a non-affiliated NH Facebook page that is not part of the HOA or HOA management company. I understand that I press them, but on the same token, I believe I am not disrespectful to them, I do not call them names, or belittle them in anyway. I just press them with tough questions, and those questions do get other residents involved at times.
So, with that said, few weeks back on our neighborhood Facebook page a resident proposed a question, I provided my feedback, after doing so, one of our board members provided some information related to energy costs, I corrected her on the cost of energy by doing a simple formula that anyone can find on the internet. I didn't threaten, belittle, call names, or IMO anything of that nature. I immediately was called a few names by this board member, and then a second board member weighed in. He too proceeded to call me derogatory names, threatened me, and even a perceived invite for me to come speak to him "like a man" if I had any issues... the facebook war proceeded, and still I never called anyone names, or belittled anyone. The perceived invite of coming to speak to him like a man continued two other times.
In hindsight, and now better judgement, going to visit him was not the best response I had, but I did. In doing so, I did not verbally threaten him, but clearly me showing up had some affect on him, and after a brief discussion that proceeded into an argument, which proceeded into name calling by both of us and a verbal threat by him to me, the interaction ended with no physical violence. Just two guys arguing and leaving it at that, and me going back home.
On the walk home, I screenshot everything from the FB conversation because I felt at that point the cops would be called on me, which about 30 minutes later they were. The interaction with the police ended with a basic "leave him alone, he'll leave you alone, have a good night"... And since then, I have had no contact with any board member at all. I have even, to avoid any confrontation with them blocked them, and their family members, and a few other people on that FB group to avoid conflict, along with avoiding any posts or comments in that group.
This weekend I received the letter mentioned above which states to cease all contact with the board from the HOA management company attorney's that represent the management company.
I proceeded to do a little review of our HOA Covenants, Bylaws, etc to see if there is anything in there that discusses what takes place with these sort of issues, and there is no mention of anything in them that gives any direction at all of what to do. So I called and spoke with the management company. After speaking with the person that represents our HOA, they told me that the Board Member in question had contacted them and asked for me to not contact him, but to use official means of communication through the HOA management company, though the letter states all board members. The letter also discusses other things which never happened, including mentioning that I called the board member and emailed them, which has NEVER happened.
So okay, I got a letter to not contact them, bla bla bla, no big deal, I've already made steps to not communicate with them. With that said, here are my questions:
- Does this constitute misuse of HOA funds because the management company and attorney got involved and nothing in the covenants & bylaws direct what to do in situations like this?
- Does this show an impartial and biased opinion by the HOA management company because no questioning/digging/investigation was conducted by the attorney prior to sending the letter?
- The FB page has no affiliation with the HOA, unofficial business was being discussed on the FB page that ultimately lead to police being involved, what constitutes the management company getting involved?
- Can every resident now use the HOA attorney to deal with neighbor issues of this sort?
- other residents have had issues with him over the years, both before he became a board member and since, can he be removed or forced to vacate his board position?
In conclusion, and I have admitted this elsewhere, no, I absolutely should not have went to his home, regardless if I perceived his comments of coming to speak to him like a man if I had an issue as an open invite to go to his home, it was wrong.
Sincerely & respectfully,
Gregg